Minor Moves: Friday
We’ll round up today’s minor transactions here, with the latest news appearing at the top.
- The Raiders worked out a pair of tight ends today, and have opted to sign Kyle Auffray rather than Logan Brock, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Oakland will have to make a corresponding roster move to clear room for Auffray, who has already spent time with the Patriots and Browns this season, having been waived by Cleveland earlier this week.
- Using the roster spot created when the team placed Zach Miller on injured reserve, the Bears have signed free agent wideout Kofi Hughes, the team announced today (via Twitter). Hughes hit free agency after being cut last week by the Texans.
Earlier updates:
- Tight end Terrence Miller has been removed the Patriots‘ injured reserve list with a settlement, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).
- After suffering an injury in the Bears‘ preseason game last night, tight end Zach Miller is being placed on injured reserve, says Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter links). Miller, who played his college ball at Nebraska-Omaha and shouldn’t be confused with the Seahawks tight end of the same name, sustained a Lisfranc injury, tearing ligaments in his foot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Dolphins have swapped kickers today, signing John Potter while waiving Danny Hrapmann, the team announced on Twitter. Potter was a Bills sixth-round pick in 2012, and has also spent time with Redskins and Lions. Hrapmann, meanwhile, was undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi in 2012, has logged time with the Steelers and Cardinals, and played in the AFL.
Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue
Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.
Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
- Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
- Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
- ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
- Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
- The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.
East Notes: Wake, Redskins, Mallett, Jackson
After analyzing each team’s best and worst contracts, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes a look at the league as a whole to determine who has the most most team-friendly deal. Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake, who is set to count just $7.285MM against the cap in 2014, rated as the third-best 4-3 defensive end in the league last season per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and has the league’s best contract from management’s perspective, per Fitzgerald. Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart has the most constraining deal, says Fitzgerald, as the RB is in the midst of a five-year, $36.5MM extension.
- Rather than file an appeal, the Redskins are actually starting litigation anew regarding the cancellation of several of their trademarks, writes Megan Finnerty of the Arizona Republic. The case will attract the attention of a federal courtoom, rather than redirect back to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, the team will argue that there is a distinction between “redskin” and “Redskin,” holding that the latter, proper noun is not disparaging.
- Ryan Mallett started the Patriots’ first preseason game, perhaps as a showcase for a trade, so New England’s use of the fourth-year quarterback in Friday’s game against the Eagles will be interesting to watch, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. If rookie Jimmy Garoppolo is allowed to play most of the second half behind starter Tom Brady, it could be a sign the Pats are willing to deal Mallett.
- An arbitrator ruled in April that Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson owed his former agent Drew Rosenhaus over $500K in fees and loans, but that decision is now being called into question. Per Will Brinson of CBSSports.com, arbitrator Roger Kaplan failed to notify Jackson’s legal team that he had a prior working relationship with Rosenhaus. A district court judge has ordered a hearing to determine whether Kaplan, who claims he disclosed his conflict in a letter to Jackson’s lawyer, acted improperly.
Minor Moves: Thursday
We’ll use this post to round up Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, adding the latest moves to the top of the page throughout the day as they’re reported or announced….
- The Steelers have signed long snapper Luke Ingram, the team announced (Twitter link via Scott Brown of ESPN.com). Ingram was a 2013 undrafted free agent out of Hawaii, and spent time in Pittsburgh’s camp last summer.
Earlier updates:
- The Cowboys have officially added tight end Asa Watson, and in order to clear a roster spot, waived tight end Dallas Walker, whom Dallas added just under a month ago, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
- The following players were released from their respective teams’ injured reserve lists with injury settlements, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter links): running back Ben Malena (Cowboys), defensive end Shelton Johnson (Raiders), and linebacker Marshall McFadden (Raiders).
- Raiders cornerback Jansen Watson is back on Oakland’s 90-man roster, as his exempt-left squad designation period expired, tweets Wilson.
- The Browns have filled an open roster spot, announcing today that they’ve signed linebacker Caleb McSurdy (Twitter link). A former seventh-round pick, McSurdy has yet to appear in a regular season game since being selected by the Cowboys 222nd overall in 2012.
- The Patriots‘ tight end carousel continues, with the team announcing in a press release that Ben Hartsock has been released. Hartsock was one of three tight ends signed by New England on Sunday, and of the three, only Steve Maneri remains on the roster.
- Free agent tight end Matt Veldman has signed with the Redskins, according to the team (Twitter link). Defensive end Doug Worthington is the roster casualty, having been waived to clear a spot for the newcomer.
- The Cowboys have signed defensive tackle Zach Minter and cut cornerback Korey Lindsey, per Wilson (via Twitter). Wilson adds that the team is still expected to sign tight end Asa Watson, as we heard yesterday, though a corresponding roster move will be required.
Patriots Acquire Jerel Worthy From Packers
WEDNESDAY, 5:59pm: It appears that Worthy has passed his physical since the trade is now on the NFL transactions wire, according to Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
TUESDAY, 8:40pm: The Packers will receive a seventh-round choice if Worthy makes the Pats’ final 53-man roster, tweets Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press Gazette.
8:18pm: Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter) hears that the Packers are getting a conditional future draft pick for Worthy.
6:38pm: The Patriots have added two defensive linemen via trade in one evening. Shortly after acquiring defensive lineman Ben Bass from the Cowboys in exchange for cornerback Justin Green, the Pats have landed defensive tackle Jerel Worthy from the Packers, according to agent Chafie Fields (on Twitter).
The deal, however, is pending a physical, and that’s more than just a mere formality. Worthy, a 2012 second-round pick out of Michigan State, tore his ACL in the final game of the 2012 season and played only 12 snaps last season. Meanwhile, he has yet to practice this offseason thanks to a back injury. Worthy saw time in 14 games for Green Bay in 2012 and made four starts, notching 2.5 sacks and 11 tackles in total.
If he’s healthy, the Patriots are adding a tremendously strong defensive tackle/end who has a proven track record of getting to the quarterback from his time with the Spartans. Worthy would also help to supplement New England’s depth on the defensive line along with Bass, who has also been hampered by health issues this offseason.
The Patriots are hoping that Dominique Easley will also be a key contributor on the d-line this season but tonight’s trades could signal that they are concerned about his health. The former University of Florida standout and No. 29 pick in this year’s draft tore his ACL last season and only began practicing this week. Easley did some individual drills and then worked on a tackling dummy, according to Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald, but wasn’t going full speed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- In order to make room for incoming defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, the Patriots will waive tight end Terrence Miller with an injured designation, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys are expected to sign tight end Asa Watson, who was recently cut by the Patriots, but Dallas will still have to clear a roster spot on the 90-man roster, tweets Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com.
Earlier updates:
- After signing with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason, linebacker and special teams contributor Blake Costanzo has been placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, the team announced in a press release. San Francisco signed linebacker Kion Wilson to replace Costanzo, who didn’t have to pass through waivers before hitting IR since he has more than four years of NFL experience.
- The Saints have signed former Giants tight end Travis Beckum to a one-year deal, a source told Ramon Antonio Vargas and Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate today. A third-round draft choice in 2009, Beckum has not played since suffering a knee injury in New York’s Super Bowl win after the 2011 season. He was on injured reserve for the duration of 2012 and out of the league in 2013.
- Using the open roster spot they created after shuffling various running backs in and out earlier in the week, the Texans have added cornerback Junior Mertile to their roster, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). An ex-Giant, Mertile has been a free agent since he was cut by New York in May, though he auditioned for the Jags in the interim.
- Running back Stephen Houston has signed with the Steelers, according to the team’s PR man Burt Lauten (Twitter link). The former Indiana rusher got a partially guaranteed contract from the Patriots after the draft, but was waived by the team over the weekend.
- According to John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars have replaced one center with another, signing Antoine Caldwell and waiving Matt Stankiewitch, who sustained a wrist injury.
AFC East Notes: Spiller, Bills, Pats, Dolphins
After the Bills gave up a draft pick to acquire Bryce Brown from the Eagles, then signed Fred Jackson to a contract extension, there has been some speculation this offseason that C.J. Spiller could be on the trade block. But if that’s the case, he either isn’t drawing much interest or Buffalo GM Doug Whaley isn’t interested in acknowledging that interest. Whaley today told reporters, including ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link), that the Bills haven’t been contacted by any teams regarding Spiller, so it doesn’t sound like the 27-year-old is going anywhere anytime soon.
Here’s more out of the AFC East:
- Although it’s not clear if he submitted a bid and remains involved in the Bills sale process, Raiders minority stakeholder David Abrams initially expressed interest and signed a non-disclosure agreement with the franchise, reports Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.
- It had been six weeks since any NFL teams had made a trade, but the Patriots agreed to two swaps yesterday, adding a defensive lineman in both deals. Jeremy Gottlieb of the Boston Globe takes a look at the refurnishing job the Pats’ interior defensive line is undergoing.
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald breaks down some of the key position battles taking place at Dolphins training camp.
Patriots Work Out Quarterbacks
Although a report suggesting the Patriots will sign free agent quarterback Dominique Davis is inaccurate, the former Falcon was among the signal-callers to work out for New England yesterday, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Per Doug Kyed of NESN, former University of Washington QB Keith Price and Southern Illinois’ Kory Faulkner also auditioned for the Pats.
Unlike in Miami or Cleveland, where the Dolphins and Browns have recently added veteran quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Rex Grossman, respectively, it seems unlikely that the Patriots will add a QB who has a chance to earn a 53-man roster spot. Tom Brady and second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo aren’t going anywhere, and despite Peter King’s suggestion this week that cutting Ryan Mallett is within the realm of possibility for New England, it’s hard to imagine the Pats replacing a player who has several years of experience in their system with an inexperienced newcomer halfway through August.
In all likelihood, the Pats were taking a look at the group of quarterbacks in case they’re needed later in the season or further down the road. The club could also be considering options for its practice squad.
Davis saw a little playing time for the Falcons last season, but became expendable and was cut in June following Atlanta’s acquisition of T.J. Yates. As for Price and Faukner, both players earned deals as undrafted rookies this spring, signing with the Seahawks and 49ers respectively, but they’ve since been waived.
AFC Links: Ravens, McCarthy, Texans, Colts
The Ravens could use some cornerback help, but the free agent market is thin and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t sure either Asante Samuel or Jabari Greer would have interest in joining the team. A preseason trade may be Baltimore’s best chance for an upgrade, says Zrebiec, though he admits the Ravens may not want to part with any more 2015 draft picks after trading a couple for Jeremy Zuttah and Michael Campanaro.
Let’s round up a few more Tuesday updates from out of the AFC….
- It sounds as if Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy will need shoulder surgery, which makes injured reserve a viable possibility for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- Asked about the Texans’ overhaul of their backfield – which included signing Ronnie Brown and cutting Andre Brown – head coach Bill O’Brien said the Texans “had a chance to improve our team, and that’s what we did” (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
- Although he believes the Broncos have several good contracts, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap picks Terrance Knighton’s deal as the most team-friendly one on Denver’s books. On the other hand, Fitzgerald wasn’t a fan of the contract the Broncos gave DeMarcus Ware this offseason, which includes $16.5MM in fully guaranteed money.
- Because the Colts only had five draft picks in May – the fewest of any NFL team – the team extensively scouted college free agents and placed a greater emphasis on those players this year, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few earned spots on Indianapolis’ roster and/or practice squad.
- In his exploration on the positional investments successful and non-successful teams make in running backs, the Patriots and Browns are among the teams examined by Zach Moore of Over the Cap. The Pats only spent about $3.4MM on their productive group of runners last season, and Moore thinks that inexpensive rookie Terrance West should be a better value for Cleveland than free agent addition Ben Tate.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Tyms
Let’s round up a few Monday items from around the AFC East….
- In the wake of injuries to multiple cornerbacks, the Jets will bring in some free agents for workouts, Rex Ryan confirmed today to reporters, including Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Meanwhile, GM John Idzik said he has “no regrets whatsoever” about his free agent decisions at the cornerback position, tweets Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.
- Despite working out for the Dolphins today, Rex Grossman is unlikely to sign with the team, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, Grossman has a visit lined up with another club.
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald adds (via Twitter) that the Dolphins also probably won’t sign John Skelton. Brady Quinn remains a possibility, though the team could explore other options or simply stand pat.
- As the sale process for the franchise continues, commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL have renewed their push for the Bills to build a new stadium in Western New York, according to Jerry Zremski of the Buffalo News. In recent conversations with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Charles Schumer, Goodell has said he’d like to see the team remain in Buffalo, but that a new stadium would have to be part of the equation.
- Patriots wideout Brian Tyms, who had a strong preseason debut with the team, is facing a four-game suspension to start the regular season if he earns a spot on the roster, explaining to Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com that the ban is a result of testing positive for Adderall. “I’ve had a prescription for it since I was nine,” Tyms said. “It costs money to get all that stuff situated. Money which I didn’t have to spend. It was my fault. I should have brought it to the NFL and said, ‘Hey, I take this from time to time’ before it got to that point. But it wasn’t like I’m using it as something to boost my ratings.”