Sunday Roundup: Manziel, Marciano, Chiefs
As teams try to improve upon their performances from the first week of preseason games, let’s take a look at some links from around the league:
- Citing a team source, ESPN’s Bob Holtzman tweets that Browns‘ rookie QB Johnny Manziel has overtaken Brian Hoyer in the team’s quarterback competition after Manziel’s promising performance in last night’s preseason opener in Detroit.
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com believes the NFL will hand down an indefinite suspension for Browns‘ WR Josh Gordon, but he also believes that the league will allow Gordon to apply for reinstatement in less than a year; perhaps after eight games.
- Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that Joe Marciano will serve as the Vikings‘ interim special teams coordinator during Mike Priefer‘s suspension.
- Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union writes that Jaguars‘ QB Chad Henne will continue to work with the first team offense, as the team wants to get Henne into a rhythm before allowing rookie Blake Bortles to get reps with the starters.
- Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer provides five takeaways from the Panthers‘ preseason opener and projects the team’s 53-man roster.
- Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune offers his predictions on the Saints‘ 53-man roster.
- The Falcons are planning to get running back Antone Smith more involved in the offense, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune details what went wrong for the Buccaneers‘ offensive line in the team’s preseason contest against Jacksonville. The unit’s performance prompted Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com to write that Tampa Bay should trade for 49ers’ holdout Alex Boone.
- Adam Teicher of ESPN.com tweets that the Chiefs will look for veteran safety help after the abrupt retirement of Steve Gregory.
- Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star says there is a reason that Cyrus Gray is one of only 16 Chiefs players from prior regimes, but he wonders if Gray will still be on the team when the 2014 regular season opens.
NFC South Links: Bell, Griffin, Robinson
The Panthers‘ offensive line had a poor showing in their first preseason game, getting dominated by the Bills’ defensive line, writes Tom Sorenson of the Charlotte Observer. Granted, the team was without their top two running backs, the unit was unable to open holes for their running game. The offensive line was one of the biggest questions heading into 2014, especially without finding a legitimate replacement for Jordan Gross, who retired unexpectedly this offseason.
Here are some other links from around the NFC South:
- Byron Bell filled in at left tackle for the Panthers and did not allow any sacks, but has not locked himself into the starting job just yet, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. Nate Chandler, who took the position on the second team, did give up a sack fumble, and the depth for the unit is not good.
- The Saints might have found a long-term backup to Drew Brees in second year man Ryan Griffin out of Tulane, writes Chris Wessling of NFL’s Around the League (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport reports that the Saints agree with Wessling’s assesment (via Twitter).
- Patrick Robinson is holding on to the Saints‘ second starting cornerback job, after a strong showing against the Rams, writes Larry Holder of NOLA.com. Corey White is entrenched as the nickel corner, and with Champ Bailey struggling with injury and second-round pick Stanley Jean-Baptiste struggling with performance, it has become Robinson’s job to lose.
- The Falcons are getting safety Dwight Lowery and linebacker Pat Angerer back from concussion, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, as part of his training camp report.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Joseph, Packers
Jimmy Clausen looked better than Jordan Palmer in the Bears’ first preseason game versus Philadelphia, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Clausen had a 73-yard scoring strike and showed encouraging command for a signal caller who only has two months worth of exposure to a new system. Biggs’ “10 thoughts” on the game is full of information:
- Suspended tight end Martellus Bennett was not with the team, and head coach Marc Trestman did not have any news about Bennett’s return. Biggs says that while the suspension is “indefinite,” the CBA states a ‘conduct detrimental to the team’ suspension can only last four weeks. Additionally, Bennett can only be fined up to one week’s pay, which would be approximately $282k. “A logical return date would be at training camp Sunday, when the team gets on the field again,” speculates Biggs.
- Chris Williams, who the Bears plucked off the Saints practice squad, showed legitimate speed in beating the Eagles’ secondary for a 73-yard touchdown, but he suffered a mild hamstring pull and did not get the chance to return kicks, presumably the reason the Bears got him.
- Second-year right tackle Jordan Mills has been sidelined with a sore left foot (the same foot he had surgery on in January), but X-rays showed no structural damage.
- For years the Bears’ special teams were the envy of the league under the command of Dave Taub (now in Kansas City), but the unit fell off last year under Joe DeCamillis, and Friday night was inauspicious to say the least, as the Bears had a field goal blocked, yielded a kick return score, were inconsistent punting and were called for multiple penalties.
- Defensive end Trevor Scott, a darkhorse roster candidate, played well. Shea McClellin and Jon Bostic did not.
Here’s some more NFC North notes:
- With Bennett suspended, Zach Miller raised eyebrows with six catches for 68 yards and a pair of scores, writes ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson. Miller’s career was derailed by injuries, but when healthy, he’s a capable receiving tight end. He’s on a one-year, $645k deal with the Bears.
- In a team-issued release, the Vikings say nose tackle Linval Joseph‘s calf was struck by a bullett during a Minneapolis nightclub shooting last night. The team says Joseph was an innocent bystander, was treated and released from the hospital and will return to the team next week.
- Former Bear Julius Peppers hasn’t made a splash yet in Packers camp, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wonders if the veteran is pacing himself or if there’s just not much left in the tank.
- Myles White and Kevin Dorsey are the top candidates for the Packers’ fifth receiver job, says Robert Zizzo of the Press-Gazette.
Extra Points: McNair, Smith, Brent, Dalton
After a 10-month ordeal in which he battled two forms of cancer under an assumed name at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texans owner Bob McNair has been given a clean bill of health by the team of doctors that treated him, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Here’s a look around the NFL as we enjoy some preseason football..
- It was originally scheduled for Friday, but 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith actually met with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier today, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Goodell is expected to discipline Smith, perhaps with a multiple-game suspension, to start the season.
- Former Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent also met with Goodell and a source tells Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com that the meeting went well. Owner Jerry Jones said earlier that he’ll create a roster spot for the defensive lineman if he’s not suspended.
- In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry gives his take on Andy Dalton‘s new contract with the Bengals. Corry writes that the deal sets a new middle salary tier for quarterbacks, one that hasn’t been in place since Mark Sanchez was cut by the Jets and Matt Schaub took a paycut from his Texans deal upon joining the Raiders. The pact may also set a salary ceiling for teammate A.J. Green.
- Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes that everything is “lined up for” his team in 2014, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I feel like everything’s lined up for us, with the buildings and the upgrades and everything. It’s all about progress and growth. That’s the way we run our football operations, and I feel like we’re just getting ready to have our best run, hopefully,” the coach said. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is excited about their young talent at the skill positions, Jordy Nelson‘s new contract, and the addition of Julius Peppers on the defensive line.
- Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon might have been the only person in Tampa Bay who was upset to see coach Greg Schiano go, writes Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times. Schiano was absolutely convinced Glennon was not only the Bucs’ franchise quarterback of the future, but the present. Now that Schiano is out and Lovie Smith is in, Glennon has gone from starter to backup.
- The Saints traded Darren Sproles to the Eagles this offseason but they might have a clone in UDFA Derrick Strozier, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today. It won’t be easy landing a spot in a backfield that includes veterans Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, and Travaris Cadet, but the diminutive Strozier looks good so far.
Extra Points: Graham, Seahawks, Packers
Some have criticized Jimmy Graham for his contract wrangling with the Saints this offseason, but those people should consider his history before judging him in any fashion, writes Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. Duncan outlines Graham’s childhood history which included being abandoned by his mother and stepfather before landing in a less-than-desirable foster care situation. “Obviously I know where I came from, and I know how hard it was to get here and so I’m going to cherish every moment of it and do everything in my power to never go back,” Graham said. More from around the NFL..
- As the Seahawks prepared for the 2014 draft, their execs considered game tape, player statistics, and all the typical barometers of future success. But they also studied players’ backgrounds, looking deep into the DNA of each young man’s character, writes Dan Pompei of Sports On Earth. True to their word, each of the first six players the team chose in the draft overcame adversity in some manner, though some was of their own doing. “If people have had a lot of adversity and have proven they can overcome that adversity, the chances for them to have success at the next level are going to be better,” General Manager John Schneider said. “It’s important to us to find guys who have a chip on their shoulder and feel they have something to prove.” Second-round choice Paul Richardson was arrested for stealing a backpack as a UCLA freshman, and was subsequently dismissed from the school. He later transferred to Colorado to start over, but he missed his junior year after tearing his ACL before coming back to have a very productive senior season. Like Richardson, fellow second-round pick Justin Britt tore his ACL in 2012 but also bounced back strong.
- The Packers have had the fortune of employing some legendary GMs, writes Martin Hendricks for the Journal Sentinel. Current GM Ted Thompson ranks No. 4 on the list while the great Vince Lombardi occupies the top spot.
- While Browns rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert is finding his niche at his position, it’s been a bit of a rougher road for fellow rookie Pierre Desir, the team’s fourth-round selection this year, writes George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal. Desir finds himself listed third at one corner spot behind Joe Haden and Isaiah Trufant on the recently released depth chart.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
We’ll round up Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Raiders announced that they have signed journeyman safety Larry Asante and waived/injured fellow safety Shelton Johnson. Asante joins the Raiders following stops with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Colts. For his career, the 6’0″, 210-pounder has played in 17 games and totaled 12 tackles (nine solo), one interception, one pass defensed, and one forced fumble. He played in five games last season for the Colts, seeing time primarily on special teams.
- Saints defensive tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson have cleared waivers, tweets Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune.
- Former BYU linebacker Spencer Hadley has signed with the Raiders, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, who tweets that the club has waived-injured linebacker Marshall McFadden to make room on the roster.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) passes along a couple new roster updates, reporting that the Cowboys have waived undrafted rookies Dashaun Phillips and Joe Windsor to make room for their defensive back signings (noted below). According to Wilson, the Lions also cut Cody Wilson from their IR with an injury settlement.
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have cut undrafted tight end A.C. Leonard, who left practice last week with a headache, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Just a day after signing him, the Seahawks have waived defensive back Trey Wolfe, replacing him with DB Michael Dobson, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Dobson participated in the club’s rookie minicamp in the spring.
- In order to make room for new signee James Shaw, whose deal was reported yesterday, the Steelers have waived-injured wide receiver Danny Coale, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
- Another signing reported yesterday, the Titans‘ addition of defensive lineman Lanier Coleman, was finalized today, with Tennessee also agreeing to terms with tight end Chase Coffman, per Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. To clear two spots on the roster for the new players, the Titans waived-injured tight end Dorin Dickerson and cut quarterback Tyler Wilson (Twitter links). Wilson was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Raiders, and was signed by the Titans off Oakland’s practice squad last season.
- The Cowboys have added a pair of defensive backs to their roster to bolster a secondary that has been hit hard by injuries in training camp, signing Korey Lindsey and Johnny Thomas, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram had indicated yesterday that Dallas was eyeing those two free agents. The club will need to cut two players to make room for Lindsey and Thomas.
Saints Sign Greg Jones
The Saints have filled the open spot on their 90-man roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed veteran fullback Greg Jones. The club made a series of moves yesterday that left just 89 players on the roster, creating an opening for Jones.
A former second-round pick, Jones spent nine seasons with the Jaguars before playing for the Texans in 2013. Primarily serving as a blocker, the 33-year-old has nonetheless accumulated 272 career carries, racking up 913 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Jones was the league’s best blocking fullback in 2010, and has ranked among the top 10 in that category in the years since.
With Jed Collins departing in free agency, New Orleans signed fullback Erik Lorig to a four-year deal that included $1MM in fully guaranteed money earlier in the offseason. However, Lorig has not been in attendance at the Saints’ training camp for the last several days, and the team has not explained his absence or commented on any injury he may have sustained.
Jones also visited the Falcons this offseason.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are the NFL’s minor transactions for Tuesday, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening:
- The Bears waived linebacker Conor O’Neill to make room for the addition of Greg Herd, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
- The Browns reached an injury settlement with James Oboh, Wilson tweets.
- The Broncos waived defensive end Hall Davis with a left squad designation, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Denver signed Davis to a reserve/futures contract in February.
- The Vikings waived Lestar Jean from injured reserve, tweets Wilson. The wideout has ten career receptions for 186 yards and one touchdown.
- Running back Kendall Hunter will spend the season on the 49ers’ injured reserve list after he cleared waivers on Tuesday, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- The Dolphins announced that they have signed kicker Danny Hrapmann and waived linebacker Ryan Rau, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Hrapmann was one of at least three kickers Miami auditioned recently.
- The Bears added wide receiver Greg Herd today, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Chicago must make a corresponding roster move for Herd, who had short stints with the Cowboys and Seahawks after entering the NFL in 2013.
Earlier updates:
- The Colts agreed to sign former Eagles outside linebacker Phillip Hunt, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To make room for Hunt, the Colts dropped wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, who signed with the club just two days ago.
- The Browns announced that they have signed tight end Martell Webb, linebacker Keith Pough, and wide receiver Tim Smith, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Originally signed by Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Webb has spent time on the practice squads of the Jets (2011), Bucs (2011), Colts (2012), Titans (2012), and Lions (2013).
- The Browns waived defensive back Darwin Cook, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).
- The Titans will sign Lanier Coleman, a defensive lineman who has spent time with the Jets and Packers, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Tennessee has a full 90-man roster, so the team will need to cut someone to make it official.
- The Saints have signed former second-round tight end Richard Quinn, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). In a separate tweet, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com adds a few more Saints moves courtesy of Yates: New Orleans also signed wideout Tobais Palmer, waiving receiver Steve Hull (injured designation), defensive tackle Tyrone Ezell, and linebacker Marcus Thompson.
- As first reported by NFL Draft Diamonds, the Browns have reached a deal to sign tight end Kyle Auffray, writes Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk. Cleveland entered the day with four open roster spots, so there’s plenty of room for Auffray, who spent some time with the Patriots in the spring.
- The Buccaneers completed a series of roster moves today, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed defensive ends Ryne Giddins and James Ruffin, and waived-injured linebacker Jeremy Grable and safety Mycal Swaim.
- The Steelers are set to sign wide receiver James Shaw, who previously played for the Arena League’s Pittsburgh Power, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Pittsburgh has a full 90-man roster, so the club will need to make a corresponding roster move to make room for the latest signee.
- Jermaine Cunningham, who tore his Achilles tendon during training camp, has been waived-injured by the Jets, who signed offensive lineman Bruce Campbell to fill Cunningham’s roster spot, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York (Twitter link). Campbell attended the team’s minicamp back in June on a tryout basis.
- Armed with an open spot on their 90-man roster, the Broncos have signed former Browns defensive end Brian Sanford, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post details. Sanford, who turns 27 next month, has been active for 13 career regular-season contests for Cleveland and Oakland.
- The Seahawks have waived-injured safety Dion Bailey and signed defensive back Trey Wolfe to replace him, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Satele, Salas
While Jon Bon Jovi may have been trying to endear himself – and his group of bidders – to Western New York by writing in the Buffalo News over the weekend that he wanted to see the Bills succeed in Buffalo, that letter appears to have violated the non-disclosure agreement he signed with the franchise, says Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. In fact, by speaking publicly about their bids, both Bon Jovi and Donald Trump may be in violation of that agreement, leaving Terry Pegula as the only bidder who hasn’t breached it. As Graham writes, “ramifications for confidentiality breaches are not spelled out within the document,” but it’s still an ominous start for Bon Jovi and Trump as they pursue a purchase of the Bills.
Here’s more from around the AFC East, including another note on the Bills’ sale:
- New York senator Charles Schumer remains optimistic about keeping the Bills in Buffalo, as Denise Jewell Gee of the Buffalo News details. However, Schumer added, “Words are nice, but they are not sufficient. We need an iron-clad commitment for whoever buys the team to keep the Bills in Buffalo.”
- The Patriots were one of at least four teams to place a claim on former Seahawks tackle Michael Bowie when Seattle tried to sneak him through waivers and onto injured reserve, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Pats, of course, made a similar move last month, claiming rookie running back Tyler Gaffney when the Panthers tried to move him to their IR. Per Florio, the Saints and Cowboys also submitted claims for Bowie, who was ultimately awarded to the Browns.
- Veteran center Samson Satele, who last played for the Dolphins during the 2008 season, is happy to have come “full circle” after signing with Miami this weekend, as he tells James Walker of ESPN.com.
- Greg Salas‘ path to a roster spot with the Jets got a little more difficult after the team addressed the position in free agency this offseason by signing Eric Decker and Jacoby Ford. But as Dennis Waszack Jr. of The Associated Press writes, Salas has been making a case this summer that the Jets ought to keep him around for the regular season.
Extra Points: Lions, Saints, Panthers, Redskins
Let’s take a look at some leftover notes on this Saturday evening…
- Even though the Lions re-signed Brandon Pettigrew and drafted Eric Ebron, incumbent tight end Joseph Fauria is confident there will be enough targets and snaps to go around. “We’re all going to complement each other,” Fauria said (via Justin Rogers of MLive.com). “There’s a bunch of pieces to the pie. Maybe one week one guy will have a big game with a lot of catches, and the next weekend, it will be a different guy. It’s an interesting situation in this offense and it will be awesome to see how it plays out.”
- 56 of the 90 players on the Saints roster are between 23 and 27-years-old, and Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com writes that the team is full of breakout candidates.
- Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer suggests that the Panthers pursue a free-agent wide receiver instead of sticking with Tiquan Underwood or Marvin McNutt.
- Redskins president Bruce Allen noted some differences under new coach Jay Gruden. “It’s a different style,” Allen said (via John Keim of ESPN.com). “Each coach and each team takes on the personality of its coach and Jay has been very involved with the guys. His evening meetings really set the tone for the next day’s work.”