Sean Payton: Marcus Murphy “Making This Team”
The Saints have a very crowded backfield attempting to make the 53-man roster, and seventh-round pick Marcus Murphy has made his mark on the head coach during the preseason, as Sean Payton made a definitive statement about his status.
In response to a question, Payton responded talking about Murphy, writes Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). “He’s making this team,” said the Saints coach.
If Payton is to be believed, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be, that would put Murphy squarely in the role of fourth running back. He won’t necessarily see the field much on offense, but he will handle returning duties for New Orleans. That kind of faith has written the book for some of the other tailbacks competing for a spot on the depth chart.
Mark Ingram is ingrained as the starter, and C.J. Spiller is expected to make the team as a notable free agent acquisition this offseason. Khiry Robinson looked like a good bet to make the team as a spell back, and he performed well when called upon the past two seasons.
That leaves Tim Hightower and Edwin Baker on the outside looking in. Both players have performed well this preseason, with the veteran Hightower impressing early in training camp with his abilities as a runner, receiver, and pass protector. The former Cardinal has struggled with injures, and if the Saints pass could be looking at his NFL mortality.
Baker scored a 45-yard touchdown in the preseason game today, which unfortunately for Payton led to a question about his chances of making the team. Payton misunderstood, leading to the statement about Murphy, according to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (via Twitter). He embarrassingly realized this later, and had to backtrack because it is highly unlikely Baker makes the team (via Twitter).
NFC South Notes: Jones, Brown, Glennon, Griffin
The Falcons went all in on Julio Jones during the 2011 draft, trading five picks to move way up in the first round to take the star receiver out of Alabama. Despite a trip to the NFC Championship game in 2013, the last two seasons have gone less than perfectly for the Falcons. Yet the team is going all in on Jones again, giving him a five-year extension with $47.5MM in guaranteed money, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His injury history derailed the top-heavy roster before, and with his new deal he needs to stay on the field to give the offense a chance to score.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC South:
- Despite six dropped passes in two preseason games, Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown is still a lock to make the final roster, writes David Newton of ESPN. He notes that Brown has the confidence of head coach Ron Rivera.
- For teams who may need to scramble for a starting quarterback due to an injury in preseason or early in the regular season, the first call they should make should be to the Buccaneers concerning Mike Glennon, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. A source ranked Glennon as the best trade target, ahead of other notable backups Zach Mettenberger, Kirk Cousins, and Ryan Mallett. For the record, Cousins might not be a backup any longer.
- The Saints are set at starting quarterback with Drew Brees, but the depth chart after him is in flux. Luke McCown took over after Brees during today’s preseason game, followed by rookie Garrett Grayson, writes Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). That may leave Ryan Griffin on the outside looking in, in terms of a roster spot.
NFC Notes: RGIII, Packers, Saints
The Packers will have some work to do in the next couple of weeks as they look to reduce their current 88-man roster to 53. Even though they need to trim a third of their preseason roster, general manager Ted Thompson told Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com that he’ll still be eyeing the waiver wire prior to the regular season.
“We look, like everybody else,” Thompson said. “We do a lot of that work and we do it every week, so it’s non-stop because games are played on Monday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday, so it’s non-stop. We’re always trying to catch up.”
“It could be guys that you would potential consider trading for or putting in a claim for or that sort of thing. It runs the gamut because you’re kind of guessing what the home team, so to speak, wants to do with a player. The home team might love this player and you know you’re not going to get your hands on him, so you move on. At the same time, you find guys from time to time where the teams aren’t quite as attached to.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- Washington general manager Scot McCloughan is “determined to change [the] team culture,” reports ESPN.com’s Ed Werder (via Twitter). Those changes would include moving on from quarterback Robert Griffin III.
- Kirk Cousins may not only be starting this evening’s preseason game for Washington, as ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini tweets that the plan is to have the former fourth-rounder start Week 1.
- Evan Woodbury of NOLA.com writes that wideout Willie Snead‘s strong preseason has put the player in a position to make the Saints. “I think he’s done well. He’s very competitive. He’s got some real good football instincts,” said coach Sean Payton. “He’s right there in the thick of it, competing for playing time, competing for a roster spot. He made a couple of plays tonight. He’s doing a good job.”
- Drew Brees‘ role as the Saints number-one quarterback is obviously safe, and rookie Garrett Grayson seems to have a solid hold on the number-three spot. That leaves Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin competing for the backup spot, and Woodbury writes that McCown appears to be leading the competition.
- Former Canisius power forward Chris Manhertz is trying to catch on with the Saints as a tight end, and Brett Martel of the Associated Press writes that the former Bills project is using Jimmy Graham (a former basketball player) as inspiration. “Absolutely,” Manhertz said. “It’s really amazing to see how smoothly (Graham) made the transition and where he’s at now, and playing at a high level.”
Extra Points: Brooks, Dead Money, Quarterbacks
Let’s take a look at a few stories from around the NFL as this Friday comes to a close:
- Ahmad Brooks was accused of assault back in May, and was officially charged with sexual battery earlier this week. The 49ers have not made a decision yet on whether they will retain the embattled linebacker, and the NFL is dragging their feet on making a decision as well. The league could choose to place him on paid leave or the commissioner’s exempt list while his legal situation gets sorted out, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- As teams continue to trim down their rosters on the way to coming up with the best 53 players, it is fun to remember all the players who have already been cut or traded during recent offseasons who are still a burden to the salary cap. The Saints pace the league in dead money with 20% of their cap tied up, led by Jimmy Graham, Ben Grubbs, Junior Galette, and Curtis Lofton, per Spotrac.com. The Bengals sit on the other side of the spectrum, only having .57% of their cap devoted to players no longer on the roster.
- While teams like the Bills, Browns, and Jets might still have uncertain quarterback situations, the likelihood of finding a starter on the trade market in late August isn’t very high, writes Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. The precedent isn’t there, and even when players get traded this time of year, it is rarely for anything more than a backup. Brett Favre being traded to the Jets is the exception, but special circumstances surrounded that ordeal in Green Bay.
NFC Notes: Dill, Brown, Bell, Saints
Backup Cowboys offensive tackle R.J. Dill has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the policy on performance-enhancing substances, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram passed on a statement from Dill regarding the suspension (via Twitter). “My doctor suggested that I undergo testosterone replacement therapy, and I accepted the recommended treatment.”
Charles Robinson of Yahoo! notes that needing testosterone replacement for a 24-year-old professional athlete like Dill would be a rarity (via Twitter).
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Texans just released Stevie Brown, and the Giants could be interested in bringing him back, given their current situation at safety, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN (via Twitter). Graziano adds that injury concerns led to the Giants passing on him in the spring, but as they have been saddled with injuries at safety (via Twitter).
- Speaking of injured Giants safety, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com is skeptical the Giants will keep Nat Berhe on the roster this season if he will miss the first four games of the season, maybe more (via Twitter). It could be way more, as surgery could end his season.
- Buccaneers’ fifth-round pick Kenny Bell will sit out of tomorrow’s preseason game against the Browns with a hamstring injury, and could miss the rest of the preseason, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. If he does miss the rest of the preseason, it could effect whether or not he makes the 53-man roster come Week 1.
- As the regular season comes closer, the Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com opens his mailbag to discuss what the final roster will look like after the team is forced to cut it down first to 75 players and then 53 before Week 1. He is skeptical the Saints will keep more than four or five receivers, leaving Seantavious Jones and Willie Snead IV on the outside looking in. He also opines on which running back and defensive linemen on the bubble will find their way onto the roster for the regular season.
NFC Notes: Galette, Chancellor, Falcons
The hits keep coming for Junior Galette, as the Saints are claiming that the veteran outside linebacker voided the guarantee on his base salary of $1.25MM for this season and don’t intend to pay any of that money, according to two sources who spoke with Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
It’s not clear exactly how the team believes Galette voided that guarantee, and there’s no indication the Saints are trying to get back any of the $12.5MM they paid him in the spring, but that $1.25MM figures to be a point of contention. Galette, who signed with Washington in the offseason, suffered a torn Achilles and has been ruled out for the season.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- While it hasn’t received the sort of attention that a quarterback’s holdout would, the Kam Chancellor situation is drawing plenty of interest around the NFL, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who writes that teams – and even some agents – don’t want to see the Seahawks cave to their star safety. In La Canfora’s view, the club has to be willing to see if Chancellor will give up game checks.
- According to former agent Joel Corry (via Twitter), Chancellor’s holdout has cost him his salary guarantee for this season, unless his contract language is different from other Seattle deals. Meanwhile, former team executive Andrew Brandt suggests (via Twitter) that he thinks the Seahawks will waive Chancellor’s fines if and when he reports, but the team can’t say that now, since there’d be no incentive for Chancellor to end his holdout.
- Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports has some details on the Eagles‘ new deal with Mychal Kendricks, tweeting that the linebacker got a signing bonus worth $8MM and will get $16.9MM over the next three years.
- The Falcons considered signing offensive guard Evan Mathis, but elected not to pull the trigger on a deal, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “We certainly did evaluate him,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “Thomas [Dimitroff] and I both did.” Mathis, of course, signed with the Broncos on Tuesday. A deal with the Falcons would have marked a homecoming of sorts for the Birmingham native.
- In an effort to cut back on his day-to-day involvement, 72-year-old Falcons owner Arthur Blank will hire a CEO to oversee all of his for-profit businsess, including the Falcons, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Lions, Saints
The Giants were the NFL’s most-injured team in 2013 and 2014, and the club has already had 22 players sidelined by injury this summer, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, who suggests Tom Coughlin‘s job could ultimately be in jeopardy if the team’s health issues lead to another underwhelming season.
One key Giants player who missed most of last season due to injury is currently on the shelf this year as well, and Coughlin acknowledges that he’s starting to worry about Victor Cruz‘s availability for Week 1. The receiver is battling a calf issue.
“I’m concerned, yeah, I am” Coughlin said, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. “But I would like to see him get out there, and be able to stay out there. That’s what our real intent is. As soon as that can be done, that’s possible, then that’s what will happen.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Following Orlando Scandrick‘s season-ending ACL injury, the Cowboys are in the market for cornerbacks, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Per Cole, the team isn’t necessarily looking for a starter, but would like to add depth to an increasingly thin position.
- Before trading him to the Patriots, the Lions actually heard from four teams that were interested in offensive tackle Michael Williams, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. As Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com observes, the Williams deal continues a trend for GM Martin Mayhew, who has acquired late-round draft compensation for a handful of players within the last few months.
- The Saints will have some decisions to make when it comes to their defensive line, and Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune examines some of the players who are on the roster bubble and who could hit waivers next week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/15
Here are Monday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- The Patriots waived Brian Tyms, who will revert to their IR (foot injury) if he goes unclaimed, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Lions waived/injured linebacker Kevin Snyder, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Bears made a change on their offensive line today, signing former Raiders guard Lucas Nix to a one-year contract and waiving offensive lineman Jason Weaver with an injury designation (Twitter link). Nix, who started 10 games for Oakland in 2013, worked out for Chicago earlier in the month.
- The Dolphins have waived wide receiver Michael Preston, the team announced today (via Twitter). Preston himself broke word of the move yesterday, with a tweet thanking the club for the opportunity.
- The Eagles have added one safety to their roster and removed another, signing Brandan Bishop and reaching an injury settlement with Earl Wolff (Twitter links via agent David Canter and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Wolff, a 2013 fifth-round pick, will become a free agent as he recovers from his knee surgery. The Eagles also waived/injured defensive tackle Wade Keliikipi, who suffered a Lisfranc foot injury this weekend, replacing him with defensive tackle Jeremy Towns (Twitter links).
- The Falcons have parted ways with 2014 fifth-rounder Marquis Spruill, placing him on waivers today, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Spruill, whose rookie season was wiped out by a torn ACL, never played a regular-season down for Atlanta.
- The Giants formally announced several moves today, including the signing of veteran linebacker Ashlee Palmer, who started 15 games over the last two seasons in Detroit. The club also signed rookie defensive back C.J. Conway, and waived/injured safety Justin Currie (ankle) and linebacker Tony Johnson (knee).
- The Jaguars announced a series of moves today (via Twitter and press release), adding wide receiver Erik Lora, linebacker Mister Alexander, and offensive lineman Will Corbin to their roster. The outgoing players are receiver Damian Copeland (waived/injured), offensive lineman Brennan Williams (waived/injured), and wideout Arrelious Benn (placed on IR).
- The Panthers have waived/injured defensive end Frank Alexander, signing tight end Dallas Walker to replace him on the roster, the team announced today (Twitter link). Alexander, who sustained a torn Achilles, is in the final year of his contract, so Carolina isn’t worried about another team claiming him.
- The Saints‘ tight end carousel continues, as the club is cutting Michael Egnew just a week after signing him, per Kristian Garic of WWL 870AM (Twitter link).
- The Seahawks have cut defensive back Jeremy Crayton, using the newly-created roster spot to re-sign wide receiver DeShon Foxx, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- The Jets signed tight end Matt LaCosse and waived/injured defensive lineman Davon Walls, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
Injury Update: 8/23/15
Here’s the latest on the injuries suffered during this weekend’s preseason games…
- Falcons wideout Roddy White is scheduled to have a “minor procedure” on his elbow, but Andrew Hirsh of AtlantaFalcons.com reports (via Twitter) that the veteran should be ready for the start of the season. Vaughn McClure of the ESPN.com notes (on Twitter) that White isn’t a fan of surgeries, so there must not have been any other options.
- Bills coach Rex Ryan doesn’t expect cornerback Leodis McKelvin to end up on the physically unable to perform list, tweets Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. This would be an indication that the former first-rounder would be ready sometime in the first six weeks.
- Saints wideout Nick Toon is expected to miss two to three weeks with a high-ankle sprain, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com. The suggested recovery time would mean Toon could miss the team’s opener.
- Jaguars receiver Arrelious Benn fractured his collarbone, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union says the 26-year-old is set to have surgery on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Brees, Mathis, Seahawks
Let’s take a look at the latest from around the NFL as Saturday comes to a close…
- Saints quarterback Drew Brees spent two months working with coach Tom House to improve poor throwing mechanics that came as a result of an oblique injury last year, ESPN’s Ed Werder tweeted. “There was a lot I needed to fix,” said Brees (Twitter link). Despite the injury, Brees still appeared in all 16 games in 2014 and completed over 69 percent of his passes for 4,952 yards, 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
- Free agent guard Evan Mathis’ visit with the Seahawks on Saturday went well, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). While a signing doesn’t appear imminent, Garofalo tweeted that Seattle will remain an option for the two-time Pro Bowler.
- Although 49ers safety Eric Reid has suffered three concussions during his first two NFL seasons, ex-teammate Chris Borland‘s offseason decision to retire over head-trauma concerns didn’t tempt Reid to do the same. “No. Not at all,” Reid said, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com. “Football is a violent sport, but you know what you sign up for when you put those shoulder pads on. I agree with certain aspects of it. I disagree with certain aspects of it. But you have to respect his decision either way. I’ve had concussions and I’m still here. I still love the sport. I think I’m still very healthy.”
- One of the main focuses of the Steelers’ Keith Butler is making sure his defense is unpredictable. Butler, who’s taking over for longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, is loath to call Pittsburgh a 4-3 or 3-4 team. “We are not strictly anything,” he said, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We just can’t be a 3-4 team and can’t just be a 4-3 team. I don’t think you can get around that. Offenses are multiple, so you have to do what you have to do to stop them. In order to do that, you try to match up your people with their people.”