Marcel Jensen

Kellen Winslow, Ben Tate Join Spring League

The Spring League kicks off in April and it will feature some notable names looking to resurrect their football careers. Defensive end Greg Hardy, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., cornerback Brandon Browner, and running back Ben Tate are among the players who have been confirmed as participants, according to a press release. Greg Hardy (vertical)

Winslow has not played in an NFL game since the 2013 season and we haven’t heard much from him since he worked out for the Packers last August. Tate, a former second-round pick, showed lots of promise in Houston but could not capitalize on a starting opportunity with the Browns in 2014. Hardy and Browner first committed to the league in early March.

The Spring League consists of four teams comprised of veteran free agents. The league will conduct practices and play six games from April 5 through April 26. Players who are currently on NFL rosters will not be eligible to participate.

The league has secured five quarterbacks thus far, including Chiefs 2011 fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi and NFL practice squad journeyman McLeod Bethel-Thompson. At wide receiver, there’s former Ram Brandon Gibson, Jets 2014 fourth-round pick Jalen Saunders, and one-time Bills WR2 David Nelson. Former Jets defensive back Ellis Lankster and Texans 2013 third-round defensive tackle Sam Montgomery will also be suiting up for The Spring League next month.

The full list of players can be found below. In addition to those listed here, Pro Football Rumors has learned that another 30 players are expected to join prior to the start of training camp.

Quarterbacks

  • Hutson Mason
  • Ricky Stanzi
  • McLeod Bethel-Thompson
  • Zach Kline
  • Jeremy Cannon

Running backs

Wide receivers

  • Jalen Saunders
  • David Nelson
  • Kenzel Doe
  • Brandon Gibson
  • Daje’ Johnson
  • Gavin Lutman
  • Tyler McDonald
  • J.D. Woods
  • Sed Cunningham
  • Lawrence Smith
  • Terrance Lewis
  • Rashon Ceaser
  • Kendrick Wiggins

Read more

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/16

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Bears Sign RB David Cobb To Practice Squad

The Bears have made a notable addition to the practice squad. The team announced today running back David Cobb has been signed to the p-squad. To make room, tight end Marcel Jensen has been released. David Cobb (vertical)

Cobb has made the rounds on workout circuit a bit this offseason but has been unable to find a 53-man spot since being cut loose by the Titans in late August. Cobb was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad in early September, but he was dropped days later. The Jaguars, Patriots, Browns, Colts, Chiefs and Jets all auditioned the young running back, but they all passed on him.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, the Titans had high hopes for Cobb and believed that he could be a difference-maker almost immediately. The 23-year-old made seven appearances (one start) last season, compiling 146 yards and a touchdown on 52 carries (2.8 average). This offseason, GM Jon Robinson determined that he did not see the potential in Cobb that predecessor Ruston Webster saw.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/16

Today’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: WR Mitch Matthews (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)

New Orleans Saints

NFL Workout Updates: 9/27/16

Tuesday is workout day in the NFL, and while we’ve dedicated full posts to the more notable tryouts, we’ll round up the stragglers here:

Workout Notes: Ravens, Lions, Chiefs, Bills

The latest workouts from around the NFL:

  • Quarterback David Fales visited the Ravens on Monday, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley). Fales spent the first two years of his career in Chicago after it selected him in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. The former San Jose State signal-caller worked under then-head coach Marc Trestman as a rookie. Trestman is now the Ravens’ offensive coordinator.
  • The Lions tried out tight ends Nic Jacobs and Marcel Johnson on Monday, per Yates. Both Jacobs and Jensen were previously with Jacksonville. They have four career catches between them.
  • The Chiefs auditioned cornerback Robertson Daniel on Monday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Daniel, a former BYU Cougar, has spent time with Oakland and Green Bay since going undrafted last year.
  • The Bills tried out tight end Rory “Busta” Anderson, a source told Yates. Anderson was a seventh-round pick of the 49ers last year. He didn’t see any game action as a rookie.
  • Linebacker Luke Rhodes has a Tuesday workout with the Jaguars, according to Draft Diamonds (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times). Rhodes went undrafted out of William & Mary before hooking on with the Buccaneers, who waived him Friday.
  • The Packers took a look at tight end Steven Scheu, relays Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Patriots cut Scheu, undrafted from Vanderbilt, in camp.

Redskins Cut Jenkins, Paulsen, Down To 53

Cullen Jenkins‘ short tenure in Washington has come to an end. After having signed with the Redskins earlier this week, the veteran defensive end has been cut by the team, according to Mike Jones of The Washington Post (via Twitter). The 35-year-old has been in the league since 2004, and he started 14 games for the Giants in 2015.

Logan Paulsen (also reported by Jones) is another notable cut by the Redskins. The tight end has been on the squad since 2010, although a toe injury kept him off the field last season. Entering 2016, he found himself buried on the tight end depth chart behind Jordan Reed, Niles Paul, and Vernon Davis. The 29-year-old compiled 53 catches, 575 yards, and four touchdowns between the 2012 and 2013 season.

Rookie Matt Ioannidis wasn’t necessarily expected to play a large role on this year’s Redskins team, but most expected the fifth-round pick to make the squad. The defensive end was attempting to switch to defensive tackle, writes Jones, but the rookie “struggled with consistency.” The team ultimately opted for veteran Kedric Golston and undrafted rookie Anthony Lanier. Jones tweets that the defensive lineman should pass through waivers and land back on the Redskins’ practice squad.

The Redskins are now down to the 53-man limit several hours before the deadline. Here is the full list of the players that have been cut:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/15

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.

  • Washington signed tight end Marcel Jensen off the Bills‘ practice squad, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. The 25-year-old Jensen signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars last season, eventually seeing action in one game that included one catch for eight yards.
  • The Titans signed quarterback Alex Tanney off the Colts‘ practice squad, Chuck Pagano confirmed (via Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com, on Twitter). The 28-year-old ex-UDFA has spent time with the Browns, Cowboys, Chiefs and Colts, along with a 2014 stint in Tennessee, but hasn’t played in a game. He’s needed for roster depth, with Marcus Mariota likely out for the remainder of the season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/15

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from across the NFL:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: RB Bronson Hill (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune)

San Diego Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: WR Douglas McNeil (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)