C.J. Mosley Visited Dolphins
1:09pm: According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), three teams are interested in Mosley, whose visit with the Dolphins is now over.
12:51pm: A report last week indicated that defensive tackle C.J. Mosley was drawing interest from an unknown suitor, while another report yesterday suggested he was making a visit, presumably to that some mystery team. The club hosting Mosley has now been identified, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets that the veteran free agent is visiting the Dolphins today.
Mosley obviously isn’t the first former Lions defensive tackle to catch the Dolphins’ eye this offseason, and while Ndamukong Suh received far more headlines, Mosley was a solid contributor in Detroit last season too. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run.
Despite adding Suh, the Dolphins don’t have a ton of veteran depth at the defensive tackle position, so it makes sense that the team would be considering adding a player like Mosley, especially since he has a history with Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum, having played for the Jets back during Tannenbaum’s stint in New York.
Still, it remains to be seen whether Mosley will reach an agreement with the Dolphins, as multiple reports have suggested the Lions have also been in touch with his camp about a possible return. Most veterans settle for the minimum salary this late in the offseason, but if at least two clubs are interested in signing Mosley, he may land a little extra.
Minor Moves: Monday Night
The latest minor moves..
- The Bears signed wide receiver Ify Umodu, who was a tryout player at the team’s rookie minicamp in May, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Umodu takes the place of linebacker Jamil Merrell, who was placed on waivers. Umodu, an undrafted rookie free agent from Northern Arizona, had 47 catches for 692 yards and 5 touchdowns last season.
- The Rams removed Bud Sasser from the non-football illness list, making him a free agent, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. The sixth-round wide receiver was signed to a deal but waived just two days later to ensure that he would still receive his signing bonus despite his heart condition.
- The Dolphins reached an injury settlement with Jake Knott, Wilson tweets.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s latest minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Cowboys have made a change at the running back position, waiving rookie Synjyn Days and signing former Baylor standout Lache Seastrunk, the team announced today in a press release. The pair of moves were first reported by Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). In a crowded Dallas backfield, Seastrunk may not be a strong bet to make the roster, but he’s worth keeping an eye on, after spending time on the Panthers’ and Titans’ practice squads in 2014.
- Meanwhile, having cut linebacker Kyle Knox last week, the Cowboys replaced him on their roster today by signing another linebacker, Justin Jackson, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Jackson became a free agent last month after being cut by the Raiders.
- In need of another body at wide receiver with DeVante Parker on the mend, the Dolphins re-added wide receiver Tommy Streeter to their roster today, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). A former sixth-round pick by the Ravens, Streeter spent most of last season with the Jaguars after starting on Miami’s taxi squad.
AFC Notes: Steelers, Welker, Pats, Dolphins
The Steelers have invested a significant amount of money in their offensive line over the year, reaching extensions with both center Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert. But as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune writes, the left side of the club’s offensive line could be in flux, as both left tackle Kelvin Beachum and left guard Ramon Foster are eligible for free agency after the season. Per Kaboly, the Steelers have a policy of ending negotiations once the seasons gets underway, so the team has about three months during which to knock out long-term deals.
As much of the nation celebrates American Pharaoh becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, let’s look at some more notes from the AFC…
- Responding to readers’ questions in his latest chat, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com opines that the Patriots are unlikely to be interested in a reunion with free agent receiver Wes Welker, calling the situation a “non-story” barring unforeseen injuries. Welker, 34, said last week he wouldn’t be opposed to retuning to New England.
- On the topic of Patriots reunions, Reiss adds that he doesn’t expect the club to bring back offensive lineman Dan Connolly despite what looks to be a somewhat thin New England front five. Connolly, who started 13 games for the Pats last season, drew some early free agent interest but still hasn’t found a landing spot.
- Though many in the Dolphins organization seem optimistic about the health status of left tackle Branden Albert, James Walker of ESPN.com believes Albert looked “far from ready” during the club’s OTA session. Albert tore his ACL and MCL during Week 10 of last season, so it’s certainly in question whether he’ll be ready for opening kickoff. Miami would presumably move Ja’Wuan James — who was excellent on the right side as a rookie last year — to left tackle, where he struggled mightily while filling in for Albert.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Browns have cut outside linebacker Keith Pough, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Pough had been cut with an injured designation last month, so today’s move removes him from the roster entirely.
- Having signed him to their roster in April, the Giants have waived/injured linebacker Ryan Jones less than two months later, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
- After being waived with an injury designation by the Raiders yesterday, linebacker Jacoby Hale has reverted to the team’s IR list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Earlier updates:
- Offensive lineman Jon Halapio, drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round in 2014, has signed with the Cardinals, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). To make room for the guard, the Cards parted ways with another offensive lineman, tackle Tavon Rooks.
- As expected, sixth-round wide receiver Bud Sasser, who wasn’t cleared physically due to a heart condition, went unclaimed on waivers and has been placed on the Rams‘ non-football illness list, tweets Howard Balzer of TheSportsXchange. For what it’s worth, Sasser’s agent, Scott Thiel, tells David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune that doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota said the young wideout is “at little to no risk,” and should be able to play football. For now though, he’ll remain on St. Louis’ NFI list.
- The Cowboys have waived former Fresno State linebacker Kyle Knox, just a few days after signing him, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link), the club will add another linebacker to its roster next week.
- The Dolphins have waived linebacker Jake Knott, the team announced today (via Twitter). The 24-year-old, who played his college ball at Iowa State, has had stints with the Eagles and Dolphins over the last couple seasons.
AFC East Notes: Parker, Brady, Simms
As we ready for the weekend, let’s round up a few Friday items from out of the AFC East, starting with an update on a top rookie receiver….
- First-round Dolphins wideout DeVante Parker underwent surgery on his left foot today, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, a team source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The procedure is a precautionary one, as Parker complained of some soreness in the same foot he broke in 2014 at Louisville — this week’s surgery replaced the screw that was originally put in his foot following that injury.
- A source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that it’s still possible the NFLPA will take legal action to try to force Roger Goodell to assign Tom Brady‘s appeal to a neutral arbitrator. However, with each passing day, it’s becoming less likely that the union will challenge Goodell’s position as arbitrator, since that would risk delaying the hearing even more. It’s more likely that the NFLPA would pursue legal action after Goodell’s decision on the appeal is announced, particularly if the four-game ban for the Patriots signal-caller isn’t reduced.
- Matt Simms went from No. 4 on the depth chart with the Jets to a similar situation with the Bills, but he feels better about his spot on the roster in Buffalo, as he tells Sal Maiorana of the Democrat and Chronicle. “I feel like here I’ll have more opportunity to get more experience and get more reps on the field and to give myself a fair shot to succeed,” Simms said. “Whereas I didn’t feel I got that same respect there from the Jets the past couple months.”
AFC East Notes: L. Williams, Dolphins, Pats
Here’s a glance at the AFC East..
- Brian Heimerdinger, the Jets‘ new director of player personnel, told a Nashville radio station that he was “surprised and excited” when defensive lineman Leonard Williams was available for the Jets to take at No. 6, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. “It’s like getting your favorite Christmas present when you walk down the stairs on the 25th of December,” Heimerdinger said on 104.5 The Zone. “Very excited. He’s a big, strong, athletic guy. Usually, you like to have those guys.” Many analysts regarded the USC product as the top overall talent in this year’s class, so the Jets were undoubtedly happy with how things turned out.
- Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis‘ quadriceps injury occurred during a team-organized kickball event, three sources tell Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Sturgis will resume activity in two to three weeks, once his non-kicking leg heals up. Jackson writes that Miami badly needs Sturgis to heal up for this season since the accuracy of rookie Andrew Franks is shaky.
- James White, a rookie fourth-round pick last season out of Wisconsin, could step in as the Patriots‘ third-down back after Shane Vereen signed with the Giants, Phil Perry of CSNNE.com writes. Offseason acquisition Travaris Cadet could also get a look, but he didn’t do a whole lot of pass blocking with the Saints.
AFC Notes: Colts, Houston, Dolphins
The Colts now have a wealth of wide receivers after the offseason additions of Andre Johnson and first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, but Dwayne Allen seems to think that their presence will help out the team’s tight ends, not hurt them.
“I think just having the threat of those guys outside, meaning the wide receivers, is going to open things up for the tight ends a ton,” Allen said, according to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star.
Here’s more on the Colts and a couple other AFC teams:
- Colts head coach Chuck Pagano believes that his team’s passing attack will result in fewer “crowded boxes” for newly-acquired running back Frank Gore, as Mike Chappell of Indy Sports Central writes. No running back in the NFL dealt with more stacked boxes in 2014. Of his 255 rushing attempts, 30% of them came against eight- and nine-man fronts. Teams presumably won’t play that heavily against the run when dealing with Andrew Luck and his aerial weapons.
- A source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that, while Justin Houston and the Chiefs have been talking about a contract extension, significant process “has not yet been made” between the two sides.
- It may have seemed this offseason that the Dolphins‘ new decision-makers undid practically all of former GM Jeff Ireland‘s significant moves, but plenty of acquisitions and draftees from Ireland’s stint with the team are still playing key roles in Miami, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Over at FOX Sports, Alex Marvez’s list of the top 10 best offseason additions is headed by a pair of AFC East free agent signings.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
East Notes: Wilkerson, Tannehill, Bills
Eagles running back Duce Staley believes that new running back DeMarco Murray is a perfect fit for the team, as Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com writes. “He’s a perfect fit for us, exactly what we want to do,” Staley said. “Downhill, full-steam ahead. That’s what we’re preaching every day: one, two, three, four yards and a cloud of dust. And all the backs we have, they’re able to do that.” Here’s more from the East divisions..
- Jets coach Todd Bowles says he’s “hopeful” that Muhammad Wilkerson will be at the team’s minicamp next week, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. When he does arrive the coach says he’ll step right into his usual starting spot, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
- While the Dolphins had their issues last season, former quarterback Phil Simms told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that Ryan Tannehill wasn’t the problem for them. Simms felt like Tannehill, who just linked a lucrative new deal with Miami, made strides in 2014 and grew up as a quarterback.
- Coach Rex Ryan says the Bills acquired free-agent defensive end/linebacker Michael Buchanan Tuesday mainly with the idea of having him be a backup to outside linebacker Jerry Hughes, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes. For his part, Buchanan believes that he has a better opportunity to make an impact with the Bills than he did with the Patriots. He also said he has fully recovered from the sports hernia that caused him to finish last season on the IR.
Extra Points: Winston, Liuget, Harris
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is high on rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, as Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida writes. However, he says the real test of his abilities is yet to come. “He’s a first-overall pick. Of course you see the talent,” McCoy said of Winston. “You’ve got to give it some time, guys. Everything is real basic right now. Until we put on pads and I can actually chase him, then I’ll tell you how good he is.”
- There has been a lot of positive momentum in the Chargers‘ efforts to sign defensive end Corey Liuget to a contract extension, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The two sides are getting closer, according to a source that spoke with Gehlken.
- Titans cornerback Brandon Harris suffered a torn ACL during today’s practice, according to a source that spoke with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter). Harris, who signed a one-year deal with the Titans during the offseason, now faces a lengthy rehab process. The 25-year-old earned 112 defensive snaps for the Titans in 2014, recording 11 tackles and three passes defended. He was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2011 draft and although he wasn’t expected to play a starring role this year, he was being counted upon for depth at the cornerback position.
- Falcons coach Dan Quinn supported the team’s quick decision to release linebacker Prince Shembo, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Naturally, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who went through the Michael Vick federal dog fighting investigation of 2007, was involved in the decision to release Shembo.
- The Ravens were glad to snag cornerback Tray Walker in the fourth round of this year’s draft, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The Ravens knew that the Texas Southern product was drawing widespread interest, so they were over the moon to get him at No. 136. “He’s a guy that we had targeted,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “We really hoped to get him in the draft. He’s a guy that we wanted to get in the mid-rounds. We were looking to try to draft him, and we were able to do it.“
- The Dolphins should be happy that they got Ryan Tannehill‘s deal done before Cam Newton‘s new pact with the Panthers, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The total money given to Tannehill may not have changed, but the contract security likely would have been different.
- The Chargers and mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the possibility of a new stadium on Tuesday, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “Today we and our negotiating team met with Chargers chairman Dean Spanos and his adviser Mark Fabiani for more than an hour,” Faulconer’s spokesperson Craig Gustafson said in a prepared statement. “It was a productive discussion on a variety of issues, and both parties agreed to meet again within the next several days.”