HEADLINES

Matt Rotheram

NFL Workout Updates: 10/4/16

October 4th, 2016 at 8:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’re a quarter of the way through the regular season, and clubs are constantly updating their emergency lists of players. Let’s take a look at the latest reported auditions and visits, which we’ve divided by conference due to today’s sheer volume:

AFC

  • The Raiders took a look at linebackers Danny Lansanah and Tyrell Adams, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Oakland eventually settled on Perry Riley as its new linebacker.
  • Before he signed with the Browns’ practice squad, offensive lineman Mike Liedtke worked out for the Ravens and was scheduled to audition for the Jaguars, according to his agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). Baltimore also tried out veteran safety Shamiel Gary today, per Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Gary has also been linked to the Giants in recent days.
  • The Ravens didn’t stop there, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter link): Baltimore also worked out defensive backs Jeron Johnson and Ryan Murphy, linebackers Jamari Lattimore and Andy Mulumba, and guard Ian Silberman.
  • Former Liberty quarterback Josh Woodrum, former Tampa Bay wide receiver Kenny Bell, and long snapper Jon Akemon all worked out with the Chiefs today, according to NFL Draft Diamonds (on Twitter).
  • The Titans auditioned defenseive tackle Trevon Coley, wide receivers Donteea Dye and Wendall Williams, and defensive end Farrington Huguenin, tweets Balzer.

NFC

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/16

August 22nd, 2016 at 5:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Chargers have officially placed tight end Jeff Cumberland on injured reserve after he tore his Achilles last week, the club announced today. To fill out their roster, San Diego agreed to sign defensive back Michael Lee.
  • The Jets have moved wide receiver Titus Davis from the exempt/left squad list to the reserve/retired list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Jets head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Davis had opted to retire.
  • The Broncos have waived former Colorado State guard Sam Carlson, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. Carlson was removevd from the roster in order to create a spot for Henry Melton, who was signed yesterday.
  • The Buccaneers announced that they have signed tackle Kyler Kerbyson and waived/injured tackle Kelby Johnson. Kerbyson, an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, was waived by the Patriots earlier this month. The Buccaneers also waived linebacker Cassanova McKinzy.
  • The Eagles have waived linebacker Deontae Skinner, the club announced. Skinner appeared in seven games for Philadelphia last year, but his roster spot will now go to veteran ‘backer Stephen Tulloch.
  • The Patriots have waived rookie cornerback V’Angelo Bentley, per a team announcement.
  • The Packers announced that they’ve released offensive lineman Matt Rotheram and long snapper Jesse Schmitt from their injured reserve list.
  • The Colts have signed wide receiver Justin Berger and waived fellow pass-catchers Andrew Opoku and Marcus Leak, the team announced.

NFL/Reserve Future Contracts: 1/17/16

January 17th, 2016 at 8:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters.

Green Bay Packers

  • OL Matt Rotheram (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Kansas City Chiefs

NFC Notes: Saunders, Donnell, Ingram, Packers

December 10th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Wide receiver and return man Jalen Saunders, who is on the Bears‘ practice squad IR list, just finished serving a four-game suspension, but before he could even become eligible to return to Chicago’s active practice squad, he was hit with another penalty. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Saunders has now been suspended 10 games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

The 10-game ban will mean that Saunders will miss the final four games of the 2015 season, as well as the first six games of next year. By that point, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll still be in the Bears’ plans at all, and it may be hard for the Oklahoma product, a Jets fourth-round pick in 2014, to find another team willing to take a shot on him.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Giants tight end Larry Donnell won’t play again this season, having been placed on injured reserve by the team. But at this point, there’s optimism that Donnell’s neck injury won’t be a long-term issue that impacts his career in future years, head coach Tom Coughlin said today (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post).
  • Having been placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, Saints running back Mark Ingram will undergo surgery to repair his torn left rotator cuff, writes Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Ingram is the second Saints running back to land on IR this season, joining Khiry Robinson on the list.
  • Packers offensive lineman Matt Rotheram is the latest practice squad player to get a raise, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Yates tweets that Rotheram is now earning $25,588 per week, equivalent to what he’d earn as a minimum-salary player on the active roster. Green Bay likely bumped up the lineman’s salary after he received some interest from rival teams.
  • British rugby player Tom Burgess will continue his NFL tour today with a workout for the Seahawks, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Burgess has already auditioned for the Steelers, Giants, Jets, and Bills, and could be in line for a reserve/futures contract at season’s end.

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC North

September 6th, 2015 at 5:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Minnesota Vikings

Packers Cut 20, Settle On 53-Man Roster

September 5th, 2015 at 6:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to placing Letroy Guion and Datone Jones on the reserve/suspended list, the Packers cut 18 players and waived two injured performers.

Green Bay parted ways with running backs Rajion Neal and John Crockett, leaving undrafted rookie Alonzo Harris as the third running back behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks.

The reigning NFC North champions’ additional departures are as follows:

  • Jared Abbrederis, WR
  • Carl Bradford, LB
  • John Fanor, S
  • Garth Gerhart, C
  • Tay Glover-Wright, CB
  • Mitchell Henry, TE
  • Justin Perillo, TE
  • Andy Phillips, C/G
  • Larry Pickard, WR (Waived/injured)
  • Jermaria Rasco, LB (Waived/injured)
  • Christian Ringo, DT
  • Matt Rotheram, G
  • Joe Thomas, LB
  • Khyri Thornton, DT
  • James Vaughters, LB
  • Jeremy Vujnovich, T
  • Ryan White, CB
  • Ed Williams, WR

Packers Sign 17 Undrafted Free Agents

May 8th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Dallas Robinson

FRIDAY, 11:36am: Having officially signed and announced their undrafted free agent class, the Packers did indeed sign 17 UDFAs. However, a couple of the names on the official list are different than those initially reported.

A pair of running backs, Agnew and Maples, didn’t formally sign with the team. They were replaced on Green Bay’s list of UDFAs by two linebackers — Louisiana State’s Jermauria Rasco and Stanford’s James Vaughters.

SUNDAY, 5:02pm: The Packers have also added Miami CB Ladarius Gunter, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link).

1:26pm: After adding eight draft picks over the past three days, the Packers have agreed to terms with another 16 undrafted free agents. Here’s the full list, courtesy of Wes Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media:

  • Malcolm Agnew, RB, Southern Illinois
  • Bernard Blake, CB, Colorado State
  • Javess Blue, WR, Kentucky
  • Ricky Collins, WR, Texas A&M-Commerce
  • Adrian Coxson, WR, Stony Brook ($5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun)
  • John Crockett, RB, North Dakota State
  • Tavarus Dantzler, OLB, Bethune-Cookman
  • Fabbians Ebbele, OL, Arizona ($2K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Alonzo Harris, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette ($3,500 bonus, per Wilson)
  • Mitchell Henry, TE, Western Kentucky
  • Lavon Hooks, DT, Mississippi
  • Jimmie Hunt, WR, Missouri
  • Raymond Maples, RB, Army
  • Larry Pinkard, WR, Old Dominion ($3K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Marcus Reed, OL, Fayetteville State
  • Matt Rotheram, OL, Pittsburgh

NFC Notes: Peterson, Vikings, 49ers, Draft

April 8th, 2015 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest mailbag at TheMMQB.com, Peter King examines a potential trade for Adrian Peterson, suggesting that the Cardinals and Cowboys remain “the leaders in the clubhouse.” However, King doesn’t think either team will do anything rash to acquire the former MVP from the Vikings, pointing out that with the second-round pick it might take to trade for Peterson, potential suitors might be better off simply drafting a much younger, cheaper back.

Let’s check out a few more notes from around the NFC, with a focus on pre-draft visits:

  • The Vikings are taking a closer look at a ton of draft prospects this week, and we can add at least a couple more new names to the list today. Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets that Mississippi State defensive end Preston Smith is in Minnesota to meet with the team, while Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune says (via Twitter) that Virginia safety Anthony Harris is also in town.
  • Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead, who grew up in Sacramento, is making a pre-draft visit to meet with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The Niners added Darnell Dockett in free agency but could be in the market for more defensive line help if and when Justin Smith decides to retire.
  • Utah cornerback Eric Rowe, who is viewed as a first- or second-day pick, is visiting the Lions today, says Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Rowe, a four-year starter at Utah, is a versatile defensive back, with experience at safety as well.
  • Tight end Nick O’Leary was among the players to have a private workout with the Buccaneers, a source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link).
  • The Packers are hosting Pittsburgh offensive lineman Matt Rotheram for a visit today, tweets agent Jeff Jankovich.