Pats Cleared Of Headset-Related Wrongdoing
The NFL has cleared the Patriots of any wrongdoing related to the headset issues the opposing Steelers had in Gillette Stadium during Thursday night’s opener.
“The Patriots had nothing to do with it. The issue was promptly resolved and there were no further problems,” the league said, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
A league spokesman added that the problems the Steelers had with their headsets during their 28-21 loss were “entirely attributable to an electrical issue made worse by the inclement weather,” per Breer (via Twitter). The league will next “determine if there are technical steps that can be taken to avoid similar problems,” Breer tweeted.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was frustrated with his team’s headset issues Thursday and made it clear after the game. “That’s always the case,” he said, implying that the Steelers had previously dealt with communication problems in New England. However, the Steelers opted not to file a formal complaint with the league.
Patriots Place Bryan Stork On IR-DTR
The Patriots’ starting center has landed on injured reserve with the designation to return, according to Brian McIntyre, who tweets that New England used the IR-DTR slot on Bryan Stork, who is suffering from a concussion. With the newly-created roster opening, the Pats signed cornerback Justin Coleman off the Seahawks’ practice squad.
Stork, 24, emerged as the Patriots’ starting center just four weeks into his rookie season in 2014, and finished the year there. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) suggested that Stork’s performance was somewhat up and down, but most of his worst performances came during the first half of the season.
Now that Stork has landed on injured reserve with the designation to return, he won’t be eligible to practice for six weeks, and he’ll have to wait at least eight weeks to return to game action. In the interim, Ryan Wendell and rookie David Andrews look like the strongest candidates to replace him.
By our count, the Pats become the ninth NFL team to use their short-term IR spot before the season gets underway. To catch up on how other clubs have used their IR-DTR slots, be sure to check out our tracker.
AFC Notes: Steelers, A.J. Green, Patriots
We’re only about 30 hours away from the 2015 NFL regular season getting underway, as the Patriots and Steelers, two AFC teams with plenty of Super Bowl wins under their belts, get set to kick off Thursday night’s action. While we look forward to that game, let’s round up a few items of note from around the AFC….
- Given the Steelers‘ long-standing policy of not negotiating contract extension during the season, the team is running out of time to lock up tackle Kelvin Beachum and guard Ramon Foster, says Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- The clock is also ticking on A.J. Green and the Bengals, as Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes. The Bengals are typically averse to doing deals with huge guarantees, and most of the top receiving contracts from this offseason have featured plenty of guaranteed money, so it’s possible Green will play out the 2015 season and get the franchise tag in 2016.
- The Patriots have sent an application to the NFL to reinstate the two employees that were suspended as a result of the Deflategate investigation, according to an Associated Press report. With Tom Brady‘s suspension lifted, we’ll see if the league follows suit for John Jastremski and Jim McNally, who referred to himself as “the deflator” in text messages.
- The two-year cash flow on Nate Solder‘s new extension with the Patriots mimics the pay structure of other recent contracts signed by offensive tackles, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Of course, Solder’s extension is only for two years rather than the four or five years that most players sign for. As Fitzgerald observes, the new deal also means that Solder will be eligible for free agency at the same time as Brady.
Contract Details: Cassel, F-Jax, J. Jones, Solder
With teams getting their rosters in order for Week 1, a handful of free agents have signed with new – or old – clubs, and players around the league are having their contracts extended. Here are the latest details on a few notable contracts that have been recently signed:
- Matt Cassel‘s base salary on his new deal with the Bills is down to $2MM from the $4.15MM he was set to earn on his previous pact, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. However, according to Yates, the veteran quarterback can earn up to $4.15MM via incentives on the new contract. Presumably, Cassel would have to reclaim the starting job to achieve any of those incentives.
- The Seahawks‘ deal with running back Fred Jackson is a one-year pact worth $900K, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). The minimum salary for a player with Jackson’s experience is $870K, so unless Pelissero is simply rounding up, it looks like there’s a small bonus included.
- There’s no signing bonus on James Jones‘ new contract, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Demovsky says Jones’ deal with the Packers is worth the veteran’s minimum of $870K, so the veteran wideout will count for just $585K against the cap.
- Offensive tackle Nate Solder got a $12.5MM signing bonus as part of his two-year extension with the Patriots, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (all Twitter links). As part of the agreement, Solder had his 2015 base salary reduced by $6MM to $1.438MM, and had his 2016 salary ($6MM) fully guaranteed.
Patriots Extend Nate Solder Through 2017
8:56am: Solder’s first two seasons are fully guaranteed, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). The tackle’s 2015 salary had already been guaranteed, so it sounds like the team added a fully guaranteed 2016 season on top of that. Meanwhile, Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that the deal includes $500K in annual Pro Bowl incentives, up to $1.5MM.
8:52am: The Patriots have locked up the man who will be protecting Tom Brady‘s blind side this year for an additional two seasons, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has extended left tackle Nate Solder through the 2017 season. Per Schefter, it’s a two-year, $20.062MM extension.
Solder, 27, was selected 17th overall by the Patriots in the 2011 draft, and after a year at right tackle, he has spent the last three seasons on the left side of New England’s offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Solder wasn’t quite as effective last year as a pass blocker as he has been in years past, and he graded as about a middle-of-the-pack offensive tackle. However, PFF ranked him among the league’s top 20 tackles in 2012 and among the top 10 in 2013.
Solder’s contract, which features a fifth-year option for 2015, had been set to expire at the end of this season, so getting him under contract at about $10MM per free agent year looks like a smart deal for the Pats. Washington’s left tackle, Trent Williams, recently inked an extension worth $13MM+ annually, so New England got a bit of a discount on the going rate for the position.
Still, the team is paying a potentially steep price at the end of the deal — according to Schefter (via Twitter), as part of the agreement, the Patriots can’t use their franchise or transition tag on Solder after the 2017 season. The Colorado product will only be 29 at the end of his new contract, so it’s very possible that he’s still playing at a high level at that point. To retain him beyond 2017, the Pats would have to work out a new deal, without the leverage of the franchise tag at their disposal.
Additionally, the extension includes a large chunk of guaranteed money, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Solder is getting $20MM guaranteed. It’s not clear if that amount is fully guaranteed, or if it includes his $7.438MM salary, which was already guaranteed. But either way, it sounds like a solid short-term commitment for Solder and the Pats.
Dolphins Add Jonas Gray To Practice Squad
Former Patriots running back Jonas Gray will sign with the Dolphins’ practice squad, agent Sean Stellato tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gray had a stint on Miami’s taxi squad previously in his career.
Gray’s release on September 5th came as a surprise to many as he figured to be a part of the Patriots’ run game this season. He emerged as potential starter during his 201 yard and four touchdown performance against the Colts in the regular season, but he was leapfrogged by LeGarrette Blount when the power back ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns of his own against the Colts in the AFC Championship game.
Gray was said to have drawn interest from several teams after he was cut loose and one of those clubs was the Titans. Instead of going to Tennessee, he’ll be staying put in the AFC East as he tries to make the Dolphins’ gameday roster.
Workout Notes: Eagles, Giants, Jets, Saints
The Eagles, who parted ways with the polarizing Tim Tebow last week, auditioned a pair of quarterbacks on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Josh Johnson and Thad Lewis, who were both let go by their respective teams on September 5th, both worked out for Chip Kelly & Co. Johnson, 29, made an appearance during the Jets’ final preseason game, passing for 82 yards while adding 76 yards on the ground. Lewis, a 27-year-old signal caller recently released by the Browns, didn’t appear in a game with the Texans in 2014, but he did start in five games for the Bills in 2013.
Here are the latest auditions from around the NFL..
- The Giants worked out former Eagles quarterback/wide receiver/running back G.J. Kinne on Tuesday, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. The Giants also worked out punters Brandon Fields and Kasey Redfern.
- The Jets had former Giants safety Stevie Brown in for a tryout today, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- Field Yates of ESPN.com reports that the Saints worked out tight ends Bear Pascoe and Gerell Robinson and wide receiver Austin Pettis (via Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune on Twitter).
- Ross Scheuerman worked out for Buccaneers today, according to a league source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Patriots auditioned two players today: defensive back Floyd Raven (formerly of Texas A&M and the Bengals) and linebacker Alex Singleton (formerly of Montana State and the Seahawks), according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter).
Patriots Notes: Deflategate, Brady, F. Jackson
Anyone who expected the Patriots-related drama to come to an end when Judge Richard Berman ruled in favor of Tom Brady and the NFLPA last week received a rude awakening today, as Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN’s Outside the Lines published an extensive report on Deflategate and Spygate. The piece, which is worth reading, suggests that Roger Goodell and the NFL may have reacted so aggressively to the Deflategate allegations to compensate for what many team owners felt was an undercooked Spygate investigation.
In response to the OTL report, the Patriots issued a strongly-worded statement denying the additional Spygate allegations that were part of the story, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets.
“This type of reporting over the past seven years has led to additional unfounded, unwarranted and, quite frankly, unbelievable allegations by former players, coaches and executives,” the Patriots’ statement read, in part. “None of which have ever been substantiated, but many of which continue to be propagated.”
Here’s more on the Pats:
- Brady made an appearance on WEEI in Boston today, admitting that “it’s been a tough, challenging several months.” While Brady didn’t drop any bombshells, he fielded a number of questions about Deflategate over the course of the conversation. The audio transcript of his comments can be found right here.
- In the wake of the NFL’s court loss last week, one report indicated that team owners would discuss changing Goodell’s role in the player disciplinary process. Appearing on Mike and Mike on ESPN Radio today, Goodell acknowledged that he’s “very open” to changing his role (link via The Associated Press). However, he’s still reluctant to give up final say.
- Within an hour of being released by the Bills, Fred Jackson received a call from the Patriots, as the veteran running back tells Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. Jackson also got a call from the Seahawks in that first hour, and ultimately signed with Seattle.
AFC Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/15
While many teams filled up their 10-man practice squads on Sunday, plenty of teams didn’t confirm their moves right away, or kept a few spots open on those units. On top of that, at least one club that signed 10 players to its taxi squad on Sunday has already made several changes, bringing in new players and jettisoning players who didn’t even spend 24 hours on the squad.
We’ll have updates on Monday’s AFC practice squad signings and cuts in this space, with teams listed in alphabetical order. When new moves occur, we’ll bump this post back to the top of the page. Here’s a round-up of today’s moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed (press release):
- WR Daniel Brown
- TE Dominique Jones
- WR Jeremy Ross
Buffalo Bills
- Signed (press release):
- OLB IK Enemkpali
- T Chris Martin
- DE Cedric Reed
- QB Alex Tanney
Cleveland Browns
- Signed (press release):
- OL Garth Gerhart
- DL Dylan Wynn
Denver Broncos
- Signed (press release):
- RB Kapri Bibbs
- TE Arthur Lynch
- T Kyle Roberts
- DE George Uko
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed:
- DL Toby Johnson (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed (press release):
- DT Hebron Fangupo
- T Laurence Gibson
- CB Jeremy Harris
- DL David Irving
- TE Ross Travis
- FB Spencer Ware
Miami Dolphins
- Signed (Twitter link):
- RB Rajion Neal
- WR Uzoma Nwachukwu
New England Patriots
- Signed (Twitter links):
- OL Chris Barker
- T Blaine Clausell
- OL Cameron Fleming (Twitter link via Jeff Howe)
- LB Darius Fleming
- LB Brandon King
- WR Nathan Palmer
- DB Daxton Swanson
- DT Jimmy Staten
- Signed and subsequently released:
- LB Xzavier Dickson (Twitter link via Jeff Howe)
New York Jets
- To be signed:
- S Rontez Miles (Twitter link via Brian Costello)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed:
- George Atkinson III, RB
- Mitch Bell, G
- SaQwan Edwards, CB
- Shelby Harris, DE
- Dan Kistler, T
- Tevin McDonald, S
- Josh Shirley, LB
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed (Twitter link via Burt Lauten + team transactions page):
- WR Isaiah Burse
- LB Anthony Chickillo
- T Matt Feiler
- CB Doran Grant
- TE Xavier Grimble
- OL Barrett Jones
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
- Released:
- RB Dominique Brown
- OL Reese Dismukes
- LB Shayon Green
- DE Ethan Hemer
- OL Antonio Johnson
- TE Harold Spears
- WR Jarrod West
San Diego Chargers
- Signed:
- OL Michael Ola (link via Michael Gehlken)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed:
- LB Justin Staples (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
Several Teams Interested In Jonas Gray
One of the most surprising cuts out of Patriots camp is recent folk-hero Jonas Gray, who was waived yesterday as the team trimmed their roster down to 53 players.
It came as a shock to some in league circles, as Gray emerged as potential starter during his 201 yard and four touchdown performance against the Colts in the regular season. However, he fell out of favor as LeGarrette Blount came through later in the season, rushing for 148 yards and three touchdowns of his own against the Colts in the AFC Championship game.
Even based of the strength of that game, Gray cleared waivers unclaimed, reports to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Still, there are a number of teams interested in him and Volin expects him to find a spot on a roster this season.
There had been issues last season with Gray missing a practice that led to his benching down the stretch, but nothing like that repeated itself during training camp. Volin writes that Gray made his weight, worked hard, and didn’t miss any practices (via Twitter).
One reason Brandon Bolden made the team over Gray is the ability to contribute on special teams, according to Volin (via Twitter).
With Blount suspended for the season opener, Gray was expected to be the starter against the Steelers in Week 1. The team will likely use some combination of Bolden, James White, and Dion Lewis out of the backfield for the opener before Blount retakes the starting job in Week 2.