Minor Moves: Monday
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here….
- The Packers will welcome back offensive lineman Jordan McCray on their practice squad, according to the FXFL’s Twitter account. Wes Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (on Twitter) notes that the Packers had a spot open on the practice squad, so no corresponding move is necessary.
- The Giants have promoted running back Michael Cox from their practice squad to their 53-man roster, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The move provides some backfield insurance, with Rashad Jennings expected to be sidelined through the team’s Week 8 bye.
- After seeing another center go down with an injury, the Chargers are set to sign center Trevor Robinson off the Bengals’ practice squad, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). San Diego opened up a roster spot today by placing Doug Legursky on the injured reserve list, as noted below.
- The Rams have waived linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong, who had been a key contributor on the special teams unit, tweets Brian McIntyre.
Earlier updates:
- Wideout Kevin Dorsey has been promoted to the Packers‘ 53-man roster from their practice squad, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Former Utah State defensive back Tay Glover-Wright is taking Dorsey’s spot on the taxi squad, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).
- The Saints have waived 2014 fourth-round pick Khairi Fortt, a source tells Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link). It’s a somewhat surprising move, since Fortt hasn’t really had an opportunity to play yet, and his release won’t open up a roster spot, since the club had used its injured reserve/designated to return spot on him.
- Safety Jakar Hamilton was activated today by the Cowboys, who waived linebacker Keith Smith to make room on the 53-man roster, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. The team previously had a roster exemption for Hamilton, who missed the season’s first four weeks due to a suspension.
- The Dolphins have made a series of moves, signing wide receiver Damian Williams to their 53-man roster and waiving running back Orleans Darkwa to make room (Twitter link). The team also announced that the roster exemption for previously-suspended safety Reshad Jones has been lifted, meaning he’s now officially a part of the 53-man roster (Twitter link).
- Linebacker Marcus Benard has re-signed with the Cardinals, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Benard was initially signed during John Abraham‘s absence from the team, and now takes the place of Matt Shaughnessy, who was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return today.
- In a surprising transaction, the Packers have parted ways with tight end Ryan Taylor, who hasn’t been a huge part of the club’s passing game since being drafted in the seventh round in 2011, but has been with the team since then and contributed on special teams. Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has the details on the move, which brings the Packers’ roster count down to 52.
- The Chargers have lost another center, announcing today (via Twitter) that Doug Legursky is heading to injured reserve with a knee injury. Longtime San Diego center Nick Hardwick was previously placed on IR with an injury of his own.
- Cornerback Brandon Browner and wideout Brian Tyms are both being formally activated by the Patriots, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). To make room for the duo, whose roster exemptions expire today, the Pats had to cut a pair of players — Shalisa Manza Young of the Boston Globe initially reported that defensive lineman Joe Vellano would be one of the two to go (Twitter link), and the team has since announced that defensive lineman Michael Buchanan is the other. Vellano has been waived, while Buchanan was placed on IR.
- The Eagles have made a change to their practice squad, cutting wide receiver Cobi Hamilton and replacing him with safety Jordan Kovacs, the team announced today (Twitter link).
- The Giants are releasing Trindon Holliday from IR, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The veteran kick returner was placed on IR in August with a hamstring injury.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NFL Notes: Los Angeles, FXFL, Rice, Goodell
The NFL is planning on bringing at least one, but possibly two franchises to Los Angeles within the next 12-24 months, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If true, either the Rams, Raiders, or Chargers, or some combination of the teams, will be playing home games in Los Angeles by 2016.
Here are some more notes from around the NFL front office:
- The FXFL, a new football league that hopes to serves as a developmental league for the NFL, has implemented a number of experimental rules that the NFL has considered in recent years. However, Florio reports that the NFL has not asked the new league to implement any rules on their behalf.
- Ray Rice is at the crux of two concurrent investigations, one from the NFLPA and another from Robert Mueller’s investigation of the NFL’s handling of the case. He is doing so to provide full and equal access to both parties, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Commissioner Roger Goodell updated all 32 franchises on the ongoing changes to the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy heading into the weekend, reports Jarrett Bell of USA Today. Goodell expanded his panel of experts on the subject, and took meetings with organizations and individuals at the forefront of the issue.
- Ben Violin of the Boston Globe writes that NFL coaches are frustrated by the lack of practice time allowed under the most recent collective-bargaining agreement. He notes that teams are underprepared due to minimal practice and a cutting down of offseason workouts.
Poll: Next NFL Coach To Get Fired
After four games and zero wins to start the 2014 season, the Raiders decided that they had enough of Dennis Allen. Allen’s dismissal wasn’t terribly surprising and, truthfully, neither was the timing – the Raiders were blown out in London by the Dolphins in their week 4 showdown and Allen had led Oakland to back-to-back 4-12 seasons. The Raiders will now look to turn their year around under interim coach Tony Sparano, who could have a real chance at landing the permanent gig if he can get something out of his team. While Allen’s seat was the hottest in the NFL, there are coaches elsewhere who have shaky job security.
The always entertaining Rex Ryan is in his sixth year at the helm of the Jets and his squad isn’t looking so hot at 1-3. Gang Green opened the season with an ugly win over the Raiders, blew a considerable lead to the Packers in Week 2, and lost to the Bears and Lions in Weeks 3 and 4. This isn’t how most people saw things turning out for Ryan, who began his Jets tenure with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. The offensive minded coach wasn’t able to make things work with once promising quarterback Mark Sanchez and sophomore Geno Smith could be headed down the same path. Owner Woody Johnson has a great affinity for the affable Ryan, and so do many Jets fans, but that might not be enough to save his job if the Jets can’t get in the playoff hunt.
In St. Louis, veteran head coach Jeff Fisher is in his third year with the team and many have said that both he and GM Les Snead are on the chopping block. Unfortunately for Fisher, the Rams have one heck of a mountain to climb in 2014. Lodged in the ultra-tough NFC West, the Rams are without quarterback Sam Bradford thanks to a torn ACL (again) and starting Austin Davis in his stead. The Rams seem on pace to land a high draft pick and go for a top quarterback in the 2015 draft, but there’s no guarantee that Fisher will be the one grooming him.
Around the league, there are several more teams that could shake things up on the sidelines. Who do you think is the next coach to go?
Next Coach To Get Fired?
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Rex Ryan (Jets) 41% (229)
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Joe Philbin (Dolphins) 28% (157)
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Gus Bradley (Jaguars) 8% (45)
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Jeff Fisher (Rams) 6% (34)
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Lovie Smith (Buccaneers) 6% (31)
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Ron Rivera (Panthers) 5% (29)
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Other (let us know in the comments) 4% (22)
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Mike Zimmer (Vikings) 2% (12)
Total votes: 559
NFC Links: Lions, Panthers, Vikings
You can be assured that Eagles cornerback Bradley Fletcher has had this weekend’s matchup against the Rams circled on his calendar. After all, the former third-rounder was not re-signed by the team, and the 28-year-old instead joined the Eagles on a two-year, $5.25MM contract. Even though his former team didn’t put up much of an effort towards retaining him, Fletcher isn’t worked up about the ordeal. Via Bob Grotz of The Trentonian…
“It will be good to see them again,” Fletcher said. “I look forward to the competition of the game. I look forward to going against them. But at the end of the day it’s another football game to me. I look at it as another game to get a ‘W’ and another game to put ourselves in a better position going forward in the season. I don’t really look at it as … I don’t really have a whole lot to say as far as talking to them.”
“The decision I made to come here to Philadelphia is the right decision. I’m happy to be here. It’s a great organization and I’m enjoying it. I look forward to this Sunday. It will be cool to play the team I started out with but this was where I want to be.”
Let’s take a look at what else is happening around the NFC…
- With LaAdrian Waddle on his way back from injury, the Lions likely won’t be pursuing a free agent offensive tackle, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein.
- The handling of the Steve Smith situation will not have any impact on negotiations between the Panthers and future free agents, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton.
- Considering how long it takes to acclimate a new player into a team’s system, Newton doesn’t believe the Panthers will pursue an offensive lineman to replace Byron Bell.
- Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway continues to recover from a broken hand and three broken ribs, but he’s still trying his best to contribute to the team. “Just trying to help them out with stuff I’m seeing,” Greenway said (via Andrew Krammer of 1500 ESPN Radio). “Formations, communications I’m hearing and trying to get the information to those guys and do what I can.”
NFC West Notes: Harbaugh, McDonald, Palmer
Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine attempted to delve into the psyche and unusual methods of 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. Despite his immense success, Harbaugh may be grating on some in the locker room and the front office and Wickersham’s entertaining read gives some insight as to why that might be. Here’s more out of the NFC West..
- San Jose investigators have forwarded their findings about 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald‘s August arrest to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office, as Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. The 49ers have allowed McDonald to play despite the allegations against him but reports indicate that they will sever ties if his account of the event differ from what is unearthed by local authorities.
- Carson Palmer suffered a setback last week that resulted in him seeking a second opinion on the damaged nerve in his right shoulder. However, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, the Cardinals aren’t currently considering placing the veteran quarterback on injured reserve, even with the designation to return.
- The Rams are working out former Southern Utah kicker/punter Brock Miller, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
Tuesday is often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as teams fill spots vacated by players who were promoted over the weekend, or shuffle their 10-man units around based on injuries to the 53-man roster during Sunday’s games. We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- The Lions have added running back William Powell to their practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Powell, 26, was cut by the Texans in late August.
- The Titans have released quarterback Brad Sorensen from their practice squad, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Sorensen was a Chargers seventh-round pick in 2013.
- The Jets have swapped out one cornerback for another, adding LeQuan Lewis to their PS while removing Brandon Smith, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- The Panthers’ practice squad is now full after Carolina signed linebacker Horace Miller and running back Tauren Poole, the team announced on Twitter.
- The Eagles removed two players from their practice squad, cutting linebacker Brandon Hepburn and offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Linebacker Jake Knott will return Philly’s PS after serving a four-game PED suspension, says Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
- The Rams have re-signed tight end Brad Smelley to their practice squad, tweets Howard Balzer. To clear a roster spot, St. Louis cut defensive end Kourtnei Brown from the PS.
Earlier Updates:
- The Texans have placed receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu on the practice squad injured list, tweets Palmer. Houston’s PS is now down to eight players.
- The Dolphins have filled their final taxi squad slot by adding defensive end Emmanuel Dieke, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Dieke was cut by the Giants last month.
- Browns long snapper Christian Yount may be looking over his shoulder this week, as the Browns announced they’ve added long snapper Charley Hughlett to their practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Hughlett replaces defensive lineman Calvin Barnett.
- The Bills have swapped one tight end for another, replacing D.J. Tialavea with Jamie Childers, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
- Kicker Chris Boswell has been removed from the Texans‘ practice squad, per James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (Twitter link).
- Nose tackle Robert Thomas has replaced fellow defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo on the Redskins‘ practice squad, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Thomas went unclaimed on waivers after being cut by Washington on the weekend.
- The Dolphins have removed cornerback Rod Sweeting from their practice squad, signing tight end Jake Murphy to take his place, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- Wideout Travis Labhart, who was on the Texans‘ practice squad earlier this season, will rejoin Houston’s unit, a source tells David Nuño of KTRK-TV in Houston (Twitter link). The team currently has no openings, so one of the 10 current players will need to be cut or promoted to clear room for Labhart.
Minor Moves: Thursday
We’ll keep tabs on Thursday’s practice squad signings as cuts, as well as minor 53-man roster transactions, in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- Can the Ravens just make up their minds already? A source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun that the club has re-signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson to the practice squad. Thompson, who was released twice by Baltimore in five days, will earn more than the usual $6,300 per week that taxi squad players make. The speedy receiver will bump someone from the practice squad but it’s not yet known who will be dropped to make room.
Earlier updates:
- The only team in the NFL that came into today with a spot available on its 53-man roster has filled that opening, as the Redskins announced they’ve promoted defensive tackle Robert Thomas from their practice squad (Twitter link). An undrafted free agent out of Arkansas, Thomas had been on Washington’s taxi squad since the start of the season.
- Running back Lache Seastrunk has been removed from the Panthers‘ practice squad, with Carolina signing running back Tauren Poole to take his place, according to the club (Twitter link).
- The Rams have made a small adjustment to their practice squad as well, re-adding wideout Justin Veltung to replace tight end Brad Smelley, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- After spending the season to date on the reserve/non-football illness list, defensive end Mike Catapano has been moved to the Chiefs‘ injured reserve list, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. It’s not clear what sort of ailment is plaguing Catapano, but the new designation indicates he won’t play for Kansas City this season.
Extra Points: Davis, Brown, Williams
Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has been adamant that Shaun Hill will be the starting quarterback when healthy, but with Austin Davis delivering strong performances the last two weeks, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com believes the long time coach needs to reconsider. With the team approaching their bye week, Wagoner thinks some reflection will make it clear the Davis is the superior choice going forward.
Here are some other notes from around the NFL as the third Sunday of football wraps up:
- Where some questioned the Chargers‘ decision to sign Donald Brown to a three-year contract, they put the former Colt to work as he came up big in their victory over the Bills today, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. The team already had Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, so adding Brown only crowded the backfield. Now that Mathews is gone for at least another month, and Woodhead possibly done for the season, Brown could be a key piece in the team’s offense going forward.
- Eagles‘ cornerback Cary Williams was critical of the coaching staff after the game today, despite pulling in the victory over the Redskins. He spoke about being overworked in practice and mentioned that many players were tired on game day, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). “A lot of guys had no legs,” said Williams. “We got to start taking care of our guys throughout the week in order for us to be more productive and have more energy on Sundays.”
- The Chiefs are struggling to find reliable pass catchers on their offense, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com suggests that if they can find a decent player they should make a move to try to acquire him (via Twitter). Mid-season trades are unusual and often do not bring in great production, but Fitzgerald must see this situation as exceptionally barren.
- Bills‘ fans are excited about their new ownership group, and the next move is to get a new stadium. Jerry Zremski of BuffaloNews.com outlines how the Bills could pay for a new home field.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including teams adjustments to the backs of their 53-man rosters and to their practice squads:
- The Giants have waived offensive lineman Eric Herman, tweets Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. Herman was reinstated from suspension this week, with the team receiving a two-day roster exemption for him. The Giants have elected to cut him rather than place him on the 53-man roster, but if he clears waivers, he’s a candidate for the practice squad.
- The Lions are set to promote defensive back Mohammed Seisay from their practice squad to their active roster, says Justin Rogers of MLive.com (via Twitter). The club will have to remove a player from its 53-man roster to make it official though, so the move hasn’t yet been finalized. According to Rogers (via Twitter), the team is still mulling that corresponding move, with the IR a possibility for a couple players.
- Linebacker Terrell Manning has joined the Bears‘ practice squad, replacing wide receiver Greg Herd on the unit, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- The Rams have signed cornerback Jemea Thomas to their practice squad, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). To make room, wide receiver and returner Justin Veltung has been cut by the club (Twitter link).
- Defensive end Shelby Harris has rejoined the Raiders‘ practice squad after clearing waivers, tweets Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. The team will have to cut a player to open up a spot for Harris.
NFL, NFLPA Announce New PED, Drug Policies
10:55pm: Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) has the breakdown of the new substance abuse policy.
A player will enter a program after one failed test and face a two game fine for a second failed test. From there it’s a four game fine for a third failed test, a four game suspension for a fourth flunked test, a ten game suspension for a fifth violation, and a one-year ban for a sixth failed test.
9:48am: The NFL and NFLPA have released a joint statement announcing changes to the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The press release doesn’t include details on the NFL’s new substance-abuse policy, but notes that those changes are expected to be announced soon as well, once the two sides finalize their agreement.
The new agreement on performance-enhancing drugs will allow Broncos wideout Wes Welker, Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, and Rams receiver Stedman Bailey to return to their respective teams this week. The agreement was expected to make a few more players eligible for immediate reinstatement, but those three names are the only ones mentioned in the release, so presumably other suspended players will have to wait a little longer, or serve their full suspensions. Additionally, when the substance-abuse policy changes are finalized, several more players could be reinstated.
Here are some other highlights of the new policy, per the release:
- HGH testing will be fully implemented this season.
- Appeals of positive tests in the performance enhancing drug programs (including HGH) will be heard by third-party arbitrators jointly selected and retained by the NFL and NFLPA.
- Discipline for violations of the performance enhancing drug policy (including for HGH) will be modified.
- A first violation will result in a suspension without pay of up to six games depending on the nature of the violation. Use of a diuretic or masking agent will result in a suspension without pay of two games. Use of a steroid, stimulant, HGH or other banned substance will result in a suspension without pay of four games. Evidence of an attempt to manipulate a test will result in a suspension without pay of six games.
- A second violation of the steroid policy will result in a suspension without pay of 10 games.
- A third violation will result in banishment for a minimum of two years.
- Players who test positive for banned stimulants in the offseason will no longer be suspended. Instead, the player will be referred to the substance abuse program. Players who test positive for banned stimulants during the season will continue to be suspended without pay for four games.