Michael Brooks

AFC Notes: Bolts, Bengals, Bills, Browns, Pats

Cornerback Brandon Flowers‘ NFL future is in question after the Chargers placed him on injured reserve Wednesday, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Flowers had a history of concussions even before suffering two this year, and he told Gehlken in November, “I have to make sure I am sane and can function and remember things after football.” If the soon-to-be 31-year-old does continue his career in 2017, it probably won’t be in San Diego, per Gehlken, who points to the cap savings that would come with releasing Flowers. By cutting the nine-year veteran and three-year Charger, the Bolts would free up $7MM in spending space compared to $4MM in dead money for 2017.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Bengals defensive tackle Brandon Thompson will remain on the physically unable to perform list and will not play in 2016, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. Thompson, 27, tore his ACL at the tail end of the 2015 campaign, but then re-signed with Cincinnati on a one-year deal. He’d been practicing for the past two weeks, but Bengals coaches don’t feel Thompson has progressed enough for a return to action.
  • A few prominent Bills are publicly rallying around embattled head coach Rex Ryan, whom the franchise could move on from after the season. “I think Rex is the guy for the job,” running back LeSean McCoy said. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins would also like the Bills to stay the course with Ryan, he told the Associated Press. And guard Richie Incognito wants to “fight for Rex. “I want to go out there and get wins and keep him around here” (all links here). With games against winless Cleveland, a Dolphins team that could be without Ryan Tannehill and the Jets, the 6-7 Bills seemingly have a decent chance of hitting the nine-win mark by season’s end. Buffalo went 8-8 last year under Ryan in his first season with the team.
  • Browns cornerback Jamar Taylor‘s three-year, $15MM extension includes $5.5MM in fully guaranteed money, relays ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).
  • The Patriots worked out three free agents – running back Shakir Bell, defensive tackle Michael Brooks and linebacker Deon Lacey – on Wednesday, tweets Doug Kyed of NESN. The only member of the trio with NFL experience is Brooks, who appeared in one game with the Seahawks in 2013.
  • The Texans tried out a pair of offensive linemen in guard Sean Hickey and tackle Jason Weaver on Wednesday, according to Caplan (Twitter link).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Workout Updates: Tuesday

We’ll keep track of today’s workouts here..

  • Cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke and former 49ers and Chiefs wide receiver Kyle Williams auditioned for the Titans, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Former Rams wide receiver Austin Pettis worked out for the 49ers on Monday, according to Caplan (via Twitter).
  • Defensive end Kenny Horsley auditioned for the 49ers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • The Titans worked out former rugby star Carlin Isles, quarterback Seth Lobato, Van Dyke, and Williams, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Ri’Shard Anderson was a part of the same workout and wound up getting signed to the taxi squad.
  • Washington worked out nose tackle Junior Aumavae, wide receivers Jamar Howard, Kemonte Bateman, Darius Reynolds, and Braylon Bell, quarterbacks Tajh Boyd, and Dominique Davis, defensive tackles John Drew, Lakendrick Ross, and Michael Brooks, and fullback Jordan Campbell, Wilson tweets. Washington also hosted linebacker James Gayle for a visit (link).
  • The Jaguars worked out defensive end Shawn Lemon and safety Ian Wild, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Broncos worked out punter Brock Miller, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Jets worked out wide receiver Joe Morgan, quarterback Bryn Renner, ex-CFL quarterback Eric Ward, wideout Greg Childs, quarterback Dominique Davis, linebacker Brandon Denmark, former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester, Wilson tweets.

Extra Points: Rice, Smith, Manziel, Panthers

No one worked out former Ravens running back Ray Rice today, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). There are a handful of teams with running back needs at the moment, but it would appear that there is little to no interest in the embattled running back. Lions coach Jim Caldwell recently said that the team hasn’t considered Rice while the Cardinals reportedly aren’t interested, despite the hip pointer injury suffered by starter Andre Ellington.

  • In an interview on SiriusXM, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that Arizona called the 49ers to try and acquire quarterback Alex Smith after he was hired in 2013, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The talks of a potential intra-divisional trade went nowhere, however.
  • Peter King of TheMMQB.com lays out why the Browns ought to start Johnny Manziel over Brian Hoyer this weekend against the Colts, making the case that it’s about not just this season, but about 2015 and beyond.
  • The Panthers did little to improve their roster during the offseason and look nothing like the team that made a tremendous run last season, writes Terrance Harris of The Times-Picayune. Among the changes was overhauling their receiving core and bidding farewell to Steve Smith over the offseason.
  • The Broncos, in addition to recently working out punter Chase Tenpenny, brought in several defensive players today for auditions, including FXFL linebacker Quandon Christian and former Monmouth cornerback Tevrin Brandon, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (all Twitter links). Wilson adds (via Twitter) that the team has an eye toward end-of-season reserve/futures contracts.
  • Ultimately signing Garrison Smith to their practice squad, the Saints also recently tried out several other defensive tackles, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who tweets that the club took a look at Michael Brooks, Jermelle Cudjo, and Kyle Love.

Brandon Mebane, Patrick Willis Out For Year

4:38pm: Both Mebane and Willis have now officially been placed on IR by their respective teams.

12:19pm: Two key defensive players on NFC West contenders will be sidelined for the rest of the season with injuries, according to multiple reports. Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Mebane has suffered a torn hamstring that will end his season, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, , who also reported (via Twitter) that 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis was likely to undergo season-ending surgery. A source confirms to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link) that the Niners are placing Willis, who has a toe injury, on season-ending injured reserve.

The losses are significant ones for the Seahawks and 49ers, who currently rank second and third, respectively, in a competitive NFC West division. Mebane has been Seattle’s best interior defensive lineman this season, and his absence figures to mean increased playing time for Jordan Hill, Kevin Williams, and Tony McDaniel. The Seahawks may also add another defensive tackle to their roster — the team has Jimmy Staten on its practice squad, and worked out free agent Michael Brooks today, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

As for the Niners, while Willis will very much be missed, the team does have reinforcements on the way. Rookie Chris Borland has been excellent in an increased role over San Francisco’s last two games, and Aldon Smith was reinstated today following his nine-game suspension. NaVorro Bowman may also return within the next few weeks, assuming he doesn’t have any setbacks on his way back from last year’s knee injury.

Neither team has officially placed its injured player on IR yet, but an announcement should come soon in both cases.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Newton, Bucs

After missing two meetings and subsequently being waived, former Saints linebacker Khairi Fortt is going to be evaluated for the sleep problems that he suspects he has, according to Ramon Antonio Vargas of The Advocate (via Twitter). Is it too late for Geno Smith to change excuses? Here’s tonight’s look at the NFC South..

Minor Moves: Monday

We’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions here, with any updates being added to the top of the post:

  • After cutting one linebacker earlier today, the Jets have signed another, adding A.J. Edds, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Edds, 26, was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft by the Patriots. To clear a roster spot, New York released cornerback Ellis Lankster.

Earlier Updates:

  • The Seahawks have swapped out a pair of receivers by signing Bryan Walters while waiving Phil Bates, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Walters, 26, had been waived Saturday as Seattle trimmed their roster to 53, but he’s now back with the team.
  • The Cowboys officially announced the signing of linebacker Korey Toomer, and in order to clear a roster spot, waived safety Jemea Thomas, tweets Brian McIntyre. Dallas claimed Thomas, a 2014 sixth-round pick, off waivers from New England just five days ago.
  • Receiver Kyle Williams was released from the Chiefs’ injured reserve list with an injury settlement, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Williams, whose most notable playing time came with the 49ers, suffered a shoulder injury in Kansas City’s final preseason game.
  • The Jets claimed receiver Walter Powell off waivers from the Cardinals, tweets Symmetry Reps, his agency. To make room for Powell, the Jets cut Jeremiah George, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
  • The Patriots were awarded safety Don Jones off waivers from the Dolphins, reports Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). Jones was in the news during the offseason after making inflammatory comments about Michael Sam. New England waived guard Chris Barker to clear a roster spot.
  • The Raiders have placed linebacker Kaelin Burnett on injured reserve, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN; the 24-year-old Nevada product had been dealing with a knee injury.
  • The following players were released from their teams’ respective IR lists with injury settlements, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (series of Twitter links): offensive tackle Matt Patchan (Buccaneers); cornerback Justin Green, defensive tackle Zach Minter, and defensive back Johnny Thomas (Cowboys); linebacker Tim Fugger (Jets); defensive tackle Michael Brooks and linebacker Horace Miller (Seahawks).

Raiders, Seahawks Trim Rosters To 75 Players

The Raiders have officially announced that D.J. Hayden has been placed on the PUP list, which we heard earlier this morning would happen. In addition to that move, the team also announced a series of transactions in a press release, with seven more players removed from the active roster, which now stands at 75 players. Here’s a rundown of the players no longer on Oakland’s active roster:

The Seahawks have also made seven transactions to reduce their roster to 75 players. Here’s a breakdown of Seattle’s moves, via Brian McIntyre (Twitter link):

Seahawks Sign Nine To Reserve Contracts

THURSDAY, 4:10pm: The Seahawks officially signed Daniels to a reserve/futures contract today, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links).

WEDNESDAY, 4:01pm: The Seahawks have officially signed eight players to reserve/futures contracts for 2014, as Brian McIntyre notes (via Twitter). Tight end Cooper Helfet, defensive back Akeem Auguste, offensive lineman Jared Smith, wide receivers Phil Bates and Arceto Clark, defensive linemen Michael Brooks, D’Anthony Smith, and Dewayne Cherrington all inked deals with the club.

All eight of those players finished the 2013 season on the Seahawks’ practice squad. Since Smith was on the practice squad’s injured list, that leaves one more player who didn’t receive a new deal from Seattle: QB B.J. Daniels. However, McIntyre expects him to ink a contract of his own with the team later this week (Twitter link).