Giants Sign Hakeem Nicks; Victor Cruz To IR
3:08pm: The Giants have officially signed Nicks, placing Cruz on injured reserve, the team announced today in a press release.
8:31am: After auditioning for a handful of potential suitors this year, veteran wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has finally found a new team — his old team. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), with Victor Cruz heading to the injured reserve list, the Giants are re-signing Nicks.
Nicks, 27, spent the first five years of his career in New York with the Giants, enjoying the most productive stint of his career with the team. Posting consecutive seasons of 75+ receptions and 1,000+ receiving yards in 2010 and 2011, Nicks totaled 311 catches, 4,622 yards, and 27 TDs from 2009 to 2013.
However, prior to the 2014 season, the former first-round pick signed a one-year deal with the Colts, and struggled to get much going with Andrew Luck and company, establishing new career-lows in receptions (38) and yards (405). Nicks signed with another AFC South team, the Titans, earlier this year, but was cut by Tennessee a week before the regular season got underway.
Since becoming a free agent in September, Nicks has worked out for several teams, including the Rams, Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys, and Saints. The North Carolina product also had an audition with the Giants, and will now return to his old team in the hopes of providing some veteran depth and perhaps replacing a little of the potential production lost when Cruz went down with a season-ending calf injury.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/15
Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Colts announced that they activated cornerback D’Joun Smith from the Injured Reserve/Designated for Return list. Smith, a third round pick in the 2015 draft, was initially placed on IR-DTR on September 18th. In 44 career games at Florida Atlantic, Smith totaled 120 tackles (78 solo), nine interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 1.0 sack and 29 passes defensed.
- The Panthers waived tight end Richie Brockel from injured reserve, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Giants are set to sign offensive lineman Emmett Cleary to the active roster, a source tells Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. Cleary, 25, spent the first ten weeks of the season on the Giants’ practice squad and he had a strong training camp and preseason. Cleary has also spent time with the Bucs, Colts, Raiders, and Bengals in recent years. To make room, the Giants cut defensive back Tramain Jacobs, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.
- The Seahawks were awarded defensive tackle A.J. Francis off waivers from the Dolphins, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. To make room, fellow defensive tackle David King was cut loose.
- The Eagles released Wade Keliikipi from injured reserve, Wilson tweets.
- Wide receiver Kaelin Clay took to Twitter to announce that the Ravens have signed him off the Lions‘ taxi squad.
Victor Cruz Undergoing Season-Ending Surgery
In a video for Bleacher Report’s Uninterrupted series, Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz announced today that he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the 2015 season. According to Cruz, he’s undergoing a season-ending surgical procedure on his injured left calf.
Cruz, who turned 29 last Wednesday, had been working his way back from a torn patellar tendon that forced him to miss most of the 2014 season. However, during his recovery, he injured his calf, which has plagued him all season.
The Giants had hoped to see the veteran wideout back on the field earlier this year, and Cruz indicated in early October that he was “thoroughly convinced” he’d return and would be “playing at a high level” at some point in 2015. Repeated setbacks have made that impossible, however, and Cruz will undergo this procedure on his calf with the intention of getting back to 100% for the start of the 2016 campaign.
Whether Cruz’s return in 2016 happens in New York, with the Giants, remains to be seen. While the team would certainly like to hang onto him, the receiver’s cap number is set to jump to $9.9MM next year, including a $7.9MM base salary, and the Giants could create more than $6MM in cap savings by cutting him. I’d expect New York to explore the possibility of a pay cut and/or restructuring, since it’s unlikely the club would want to commit that sort of money to a player who has missed the last season and a half with major injuries.
The Giants haven’t made it official yet, but they’ll certainly place Cruz on the injured reserve list at some point this week, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster.
Extra Points: Mayo, Pats, Welker
While there’s virtually no way he’ll return to the Patriots on his current contract, linebacker Jerod Mayo‘s time in New England may not be over after this season, says Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. In his latest mailbag, Howe suggests that if Mayo can get healthy, it’s possible he and the Pats could work out a reworked contract to bring him back. In my look last week at the Patriots’ 2016 cap situation, I identified Mayo as the team’s most likely cap casualty.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- If you’re a fan of the Steelers, Cowboys, Chargers, Ravens, or Packers, and you feel like your team has had worse-than-usual injury luck this year, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com is inclined to agree. In his latest piece, Seifert identifies those five teams as the ones that have been hit hardest by injuries this season.
- The Giants are scheduled to work out free agent linebacker Alex Singleton next Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Singleton, who was waived by the Seahawks prior to the regular season, has also auditioned for the Chiefs, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, and Washington this year.
- According to reports from Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Wes Welker‘s new one-year deal with the Rams includes a $200K signing bonus to go along with a base salary worth approximately $456K (prorated total of $970K). The veteran wideout can also earn up to $200K in per-game roster bonuses ($25K per game), plus another $100K via catch- and yard-based incentives.
NFC Notes: Stafford, Palmer, Lockette
After surveying seven NFL coaches and personnel men, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com say the results were unanimous, with those sources suggesting the Lions would be “foolish” to part with Matthew Stafford in 2016. Although Stafford could net a nice haul of draft picks for Detroit, the fact that there’d be no obvious replacement in free agency or the draft makes it unlikely that the Lions make a move.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- With Carson Palmer having another strong season in Arizona, the Cardinals now firmly believe that the veteran can be the team’s quarterback “for years to come,” according to Schefter and Mortensen. Assuming Palmer doesn’t run into any serious health problems, the Cards believe Palmer can play out his current contract – which voids after the 2017 season – and may want to retain him beyond that.
- Defensive back DeShawn Shead wasn’t the only player to receive a $25K signing bonus from the Seahawks this week — according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Seattle did the same thing for wide receiver Ricardo Lockette. While $25K isn’t a huge amount for an NFL player, teams don’t often simply give a player a mid-season bonus without making any other changes to his contract, so it’s a commendable move by the Seahawks — particularly if it happened after Lockette underwent season-ending neck surgery.
- With a game against the Bears on tap this weekend, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher admitted to reporters that he viewed Jay Cutler as the top quarterback prospect in the 2006 NFL draft, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. Of course, Fisher – who was coaching the Titans at the time, and didn’t yet have final say on draft decisions – ended up with Vince Young, the third overall pick in that draft.
- The Giants will work out former Eastern Washington tackle Jake Rodgers next Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Rodgers was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round of this year’s draft, but was cut prior to the regular season.
East Notes: Patriots, Cowboys, Jeffcoat
With running back Dion Lewis out for the season, the Patriots are on the lookout for potential additions at the position, bringing in a couple more veteran free agents for workouts this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport tweets that Pierre Thomas and Robert Turbin, recently cut by the 49ers and Browns respectively, auditioned for the Pats.
Thomas, in particular, could be a good fit in New England, since catching passes out of the backfield is one of his strength. However, in his brief stint in San Francisco, it looked like he was still attempting to shake off some rust after sitting out most of the 2015 season. The Pats also tried out Daryl Richardson earlier this week, so it’ll be interesting to see if they add another back within the next week or two, or if they try to get by with a combination of LeGarrette Blount, James White, and Brandon Bolden for now.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s East divisions:
- As if the Cowboys‘ locker room wasn’t already a tense place to be these days, with the team having lost six straight games, and the presence of Greg Hardy drawing increased scrutiny, things got even more emotional today. As Eric Prisbell of USA Today outlines, wide receiver Dez Bryant yelled and cursed at multiple reporters today in the Dallas locker room, believing one had called teammate Devin Street a racial slur, though that charge was uncorroborated by other media members in the area.
- With a game against the Patriots looming, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin admitted that he regrets the fact that Julian Edelman isn’t wearing a Giants uniform this weekend (link via Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com). The Pats receiver visited New York as a free agent in 2013, but ultimately opted to re-sign with New England.
- Linebacker Jackson Jeffcoat showed that he could be a good reserve player for Washington, but he ultimately came up short on special teams, Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Jeffcoat was quickly placed on IR and released from IR with a settlement this week.
- Speaking to Colin Cowherd this week, former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman – who hasn’t played in the NFL in 15 years – said he still has the arm strength to go out and play in the league (link via the Dallas Morning News). So if quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Tom Brady want to play well into their forties, arm strength shouldn’t be the issue — it’ll be a matter of avoiding injuries like the chronic back issue that forced Aikman into retirement.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Beatty, Cowboys, Crawford
The Giants approached Will Beatty about a position change on the offensive line that might have allowed him to play in 2015, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. However, rather than moving to guard or right tackle for the remainder of the season, Beatty opted to have season-ending surgery. The Giants’ thinking was that Beatty’s inside shoulder strength would have been compromised had he returned to left tackle, but he wasn’t on board with that plan.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- After the Cowboys worked to upgrade their pass rush in the offseason, Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News wonders where the improved sack and turnover totals are. Despite the addition of Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy and using a second-round pick on end Randy Gregory, the Cowboys rank 25th in the NFL with 14 sacks. That’s nearly identical to 2014 when they finished 28th in the league with 28 sacks.
- Only time will tell if the Cowboys jumped the gun by giving Tyrone Crawford a hefty contract extension, George writes, though it’s clear that he hasn’t been living up to that deal so far this season. In September, the Cowboys inked Crawford to a five-year, $45MM pact that includes $17.5MM in fully guaranteed cash. At the time, the 25-year-old (26 in a few weeks) was coming off a year where he rated as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best defensive tackle out of 81 graded.
- By accepting his behavior, the Cowboys have given Hardy absolutely no reason to change, Christine Brennan of USA Today writes. While the world wants to see Hardy be contrite and change, Brennan is less than optimistic.
Giants Won’t Activate Will Beatty
The Giants were hoping to get a boost on the offensive line this season by welcoming tackle Will Beatty back into the fold. Unfortunately, that will not happen. Coach Tom Coughlin told reporters that Will Beatty will remain on the PUP list and have rotator cuff surgery, ending his season before it could begin (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com). The rotator cuff issue is a different injury than the one which initially kept him sidelined, but it’s possible that one problem triggered the other.
Back in May, Beatty suffered a torn pectoral muscle which instantly ruled him out for the first half of the 2015 season. Beatty’s injury was a huge blow for the Giants, who used their first-round pick in this year’s draft on a tackle in an effort to solidify their offensive line. Beatty was one of the league’s more effective left tackles in 2014, grading as a positive contributor as both a run- and pass-blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF ranked him 14th overall out of 84 qualified players at the position.
With Beatty out for the year, the Giants will continue to use first-round pick Ereck Flowers at left tackle. This offseason, the Giants will have to figure out whether they want to retain Beatty given his health struggles in 2015. Beatty is set to earn $5.5MM in 2016 and Big Blue can clear out roughly ~$4MM in cap space by letting him go. By the same token, Beatty has been a strong presence on the Giants’ O-Line for years now and he did not miss a game from 2012-2014.
East Notes: Cameron, Washington, Bills
Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron wants a bigger role in the team’s offense, but he won’t demand it either, as Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald writes. Cameron came to Miami as a free agent this offseason and signed a two-year, $15MM pact with $5MM fully guaranteed. However, midway through his first season in Miami, he has just 20 catches and 263 receiving yards with 43 total targets. When asked if he’s gone to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor to demand a bigger role, he didn’t offer up a direct answer.
“All I know is, not that I do what I’m told, but in football, you’re asked to do different things and your role may change,” Cameron said. “Some weeks they throw you the ball. Some weeks they don’t. It’s one of those things that you’ve got to be mentally prepared for. It’s a tough adjustment, but I’ve been in the NFL long enough. It’s about being a pro and being professional about the role you’re given.”
Cameron is under contract through 2016 and his cap number jumps from $4.6MM this year to $9.5MM next year. However, the Dolphins would be on the hook for just $2MM of that if they cut him.
Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC East:
- Washington tried out running backs Cyrus Gray and Storm Johnson, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Gray, who turns 26 in a little over a week, appeared in 35 games with the Chiefs from 2012 through 2014. Johnson, 23, had some hype in his rookie season but never took control of the running game as some expected him to. The former seventh-round pick was dropped by the Jags on Sept. 5th.
- The Bills tried out defensive backs Jonathan Dowling and Phillip Thomas over the weekend, Wilson tweets.
- Linebacker Jasper Brinkley could prove to be a key signing as the Giants make their playoff push, James Kratch of The Star-Ledger writes. Brinkley fell to the Giants when the Cowboys cut him at the end of training camp, despite having given him a two-year, $2MM guaranteed deal in the offseason. Brinkley got off to a slow start, but he had a strong showing against the Bucs over the weekend.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- The Saints have signed linebacker James Anderson, as Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune tweets. The Saints have been thin at linebacker recently, with injuries to strongside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha (ankle), weakside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip/groin), and backup Ramon Humber, so Anderson will provide additional depth for New Orleans. To make room for Anderson, the Saints have cut fellow linebacker Mike Mohamed, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Vikings announced that they have signed linebacker Jason Trusnik while placing fellow linebacker Audie Cole on IR. Trusnik, a former Division-III standout, was cut by the Panthers before the final trim down to a 53-man roster. He first broke into the league as a UDFA with the Jets in 2007. The Ohio native has played in 109 career games with 24 starts, tallying 146 total tackles, 4 PDs, 4 FRs and 1 FF in his first eight NFL seasons. Cole wasn’t a factor on the Vikings’ defense, but he was playing more than half of the club’s special teams snaps before fracturing his ankle.
- The Giants announced that they have added defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the active roster while placing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on IR. Hankins suffered a torn pectoral muscle over the weekend, ending his 2015 season prematurely. Hughes, who stands at 6’4″ and weighs 350 pounds, played in 16 games for the Colts between 2013 and 2014.
- The Browns announced that they have activated defensive back Charles Gaines and running back Glenn Winston. Both players were previously sidelined with injuries.
- The Buccaneers announced that they have signed safety Kimario McFadden, who played with them in the preseason. To make room for McFadden on the 53-man roster, the Buccaneers waived defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.
- The Chargers announced that they have signed tight end Sean McGrath while waiving guard Craig Watts. McGrath briefly retired following his second season in 2013, a season in which he caught 26 balls for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
- The Chiefs will promote safety Saalim Hakim from the practice squad, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Bears will promote wide receiver Deonte Thompson to the 53-man roster from the taxi squad, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune tweets.