NFC Notes: Amukamara, Bucs, Packers, Boldin
Let’s look at some of the news coming out of NFC locales Saturday afternoon.
- Prince Amukamara‘s latest injury, a partially torn pectoral muscle expected to sideline the Giants cornerback for multiple games, could cost him millions in free agency, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Currently playing on his fifth-year option, Amukamara profiles as one of the top corners on next year’s market, joining Sean Smith and Leon Hall in a thin class. A former first-round pick, the 26-year-old Amukamara’s played in 16 games just once (2013) and has been available for double-digit contests just twice in four seasons. Vacchiano reports the talented-yet-brittle corner’s injury history represents why Big Blue hasn’t been negotiating an extension with him.
- Now back with the Bucs, Connor Barth generated a public apology of sorts from Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht, who expressed regret over choosing rookie Kyle Brindza over the veteran Barth. “In hindsight, I shouldn’t have let him go,” Licht told Sirius XM radio (via Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune). The Bucs cut Brindza after he endured a horrendous start that included two errant extra points and six misssed field goals, and brought back Barth, an accurate field goal specialist but one with a weaker kickoff leg. “(Barth) has always been a steady kicker, but his kickoff leg has always been inconsistent, to put it mildly,’’ Licht said. “But (after Barth hit five touchbacks in eight kickoffs in Week 5) I asked him where that came from and he said he had been working on it. I think he realized that was his best chance to stick around for a long time.”
- After Steve Spurrier announced his retirement this week, former Packers GM Ron Wolf recalled twice trying to offer him the Packers’ head-coaching job — once in 1999 and again in 2000 — but the longtime SEC coach showed no interest in American pro sports’ smallest city, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Packers hired Ray Rhodes to succeed Mike Holmgren in 1999 then after firing him brought in Mike Sherman instead of Spurrier, who ended up coaching in Washington from 2002-03.
- 49ers wideout Anquan Boldin acknowledged he achieved what he wanted to with the Ravens and now accepts his former team’s decision to trade him for a sixth-round pick. “I went there to win a championship, so job done,” Boldin told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I understand the business part of it now. No team is the same the following year. It wasn’t a big surprise.”
Workout Updates: 10/16/15
We’ve passed along a few of the more notable updates from the last few days on workouts and free agent visits, including the Giants trying out wide receivers like Terrelle Pryor and the Cowboys bringing in running back LaMike James. However, there are plenty more tryout updates from this week to round up, and we’ve got them all below. All links point to the Twitter account of Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, unless otherwise indicated.
Arizona Cardinals
- Sean Baker, S (link)
Dallas Cowboys
- Kenrick Ellis, DT (link)
- Darius Eubanks, LB
- Zaviar Gooden, LB
- Chuka Ndulue, DT
- Isaiah Pead, RB
- Casey Walker, DL
- Jerel Worthy, DL (link)
Detroit Lions
- David Arkin, OL (link)
- Connor Hamlett, TE
- Eric Herman, G
- Eric Hipolito
- Rich Ohrnberger, C
Indianapolis Colts
- Michael Palardy, P (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star)
- Byron Stingily, T (link)
- Colton Underwood, LB
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Marion Grice, RB (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- George Atkinson III, RB (link)
- Bryce Brown, RB
- Bronson Hill, RB
- Brandon McGee, DB
- Steven Means, LB (link)
- Isaiah Pead, RB
- Greg Scruggs, DE
- Quanterus Smith, DE
Miami Dolphins
- Devin Gardner, WR (link)
- Josh Harper, WR
New England Patriots
- Bill Bentley, DB (link)
- Matt Daniels, DB
New Orleans Saints
- Vaughn Martin, DT (link)
- Matt Shaughnessy, OLB
- Quanterus Smith, DE
- Kevin Vickerson, DT
New York Giants
- Devin Gardner, WR (link)
- Bryn Renner, QB
- Mike Williams, WR (link)
New York Jets
- Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo, LB (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Steven Means, DE (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- Martin Wallace, T (link)
Tennessee Titans
- Josh Keyes, LB (link)
- Michael McAdoo, OLB (link)
- Markus Pierce-Brewster, LB
- Mike Reilly, LB
- Julian Stanford, LB
- Jeff Tarpinian, LB
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/15
Thursday’s practice squad signings and cuts are listed below. You can check out the full 10-man practice squads for all 32 teams right here.
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Vince Mayle (Twitter link via Rob Phillips of DallasCowboys.com)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Bronson Hill (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Brandon McGee, OL Xavier Proctor (press release)
- Cut: OL Adam Gettis, TE Dominique Jones
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams, LB Eric Pinkins (press release)
NFC East Notes: Kelly, Giants, USC, Cowboys
The Eagles are 2-3 and Southern Cal just fired coach Steve Sarksian. Naturally, people have started connecting Chip Kelly, who was a successful coach with Oregon, to the Trojans. At a Thursday morning press conference, Kelly did his best to quiet down that talk. Kelly said that no one from USC, or any college, has contacted him about its head coaching opening, as Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Kelly went on to say that he hopes to reach a level of success like Giants coach Tom Coughlin so that he doesn’t have to answer questions about returning to college football.
Here’s more out of the NFC East..
- Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara will be out for 2-4 weeks with a partial pectoral tear, Coughlin told reporters (via the Giants on Twitter).
- Former Colts/Dolphins/Raiders linebacker Philip Wheeler was among those working out for the Giants on Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Over the course of his seven-year career, he has played in 108 games (60 starts). Overall, he has registered 455 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2013 with the Dolphins, he led the team with a career-high 118 tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Wheeler as the 18th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set last season, giving him an overall grade of 2.6.
- The Giants also worked out defensive backs Brandon McGee, Garry Peters, Greg Reid, and Dax Swanson this week, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter) adds wide receiver A.J. Jenkins of Illinois to that list.
- Cowboys special teams coach Rich Bisaccia could have interest in the South Carolina job recently vacated by Steve Spurrier, as Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram writes.
East Notes: Amukamara, Williams, Dolphins
Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara has a partial tear in his pectoral area, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link). Amukamara shouldn’t miss a huge chunk of time, but he may be sidelined for at least three or four weeks, so we’ll see if the Giants make any roster moves to add depth to the secondary. For what it’s worth, New York still has its IR-DTR slot available, but it doesn’t sounds as if Amukamara will be a candidate for it.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Jets defensive tackle Leonard Williams was considered the most talented player in this year’s draft class, so it came as a bit of a surprise when Washington passed on him with the fifth overall pick. However, as Brian Costello of the New York Post writes, Williams and Jets coach Todd Bowles are happy the rookie defender didn’t end up in Washington. “I think this was the best place I could have landed out of all the top teams,” Williams said. “I’m just fortunate to be here. I’m glad they picked me even though they had a stout D-line. It paid off just because I could learn from all these guys.”
- For all the hype and coverage the Dolphins‘ free agent signing of Ndamukong Suh received last March, there have been no real winners in that saga, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. As Rothstein observes, with the Dolphins and Lions having combined for a single victory through five weeks, the only real winner of the blockbuster move so far is Suh’s bank account.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, only one team – New Orleans – has more dead money on its 2015 salary cap than Miami, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com outlines. Corry points out that the teams with the most sunk costs on their caps this year are, for the most part, among the league’s worst this season — the seven clubs with the most 2015 dead money have a combined 9-25 record.
Extra Points: Dolphins, Wright, Saffold
Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell told reporters, including ESPN.com’s James Walker (on Twitter), that he’s talked to Bill Parcells since taking over the job and that he has been a good “resource.” Parcells is said to still have a lot of sway in Miami’s operations, which has led some to speculate that Sean Payton could be a fit for Miami since he once served as his assistant in Dallas.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Earlier this week, Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith heard that Shareece Wright was leaning toward signing with the Seahawks. Smith, not wanting Seattle to beat Baltimore to the punch, put in recruiting call to Wright, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Smith joked that he’s the reason the ex-49ers/Chargers corner signed with the Ravens, but it’s possible that he moved the needle. Wright rode the bench in SF and he’s looking to get playing time with his new squad.
- Former Baylor wide receiver Antwan Goodley worked out for the Giants today, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- Rams right guard Rodger Saffold is not expected to return to the playing field soon, if at all this season, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe has a high ankle sprain and will likely be out for a few weeks, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com tweets.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Pryor, Cards
The Cowboys are making a quarterback change for Week 7, giving the nod to Matt Cassel, and that’s not the only starting lineup move they’re considering on offense. As Ed Werder of ESPN.com reported this morning (via Twitter), Dallas may also start recently acquired running back Christine Michael over Joseph Randle, and rookie guard La’el Collins over Ronald Leary.
Head coach Jason Garrett has since confirmed that Collins will indeed start at left guard in place of Leary, though it’s not clear yet what the team’s running back rotation will look like. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears from a Cowboys source that the team definitely plans on using Michael more, though Randle may still get the start.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- The Giants are the latest team to work out at Terrelle Pryor as a wide receiver, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). While several clubs that have auditioned Pryor are likely just seeing what the former quarterback looks like in his new position, New York might require some additional depth at WR, with Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle banged up, and Victor Cruz‘s availability going forward still up in the air. The Giants also tried out wideouts T.J. Graham and A.J. Jenkins, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Former Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers is among the players working out for the Cowboys this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- Free agent cornerback Robert McClain has been busy over the last month and a half, working out for a handful of teams — Wilson tweets that McClain auditioned for the Cardinals this week, the veteran’s fifth tryout since the start of September.
- In an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link), Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians explained his team’s decision to sign veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney, suggesting that the club had been in touch with Freeney multiple times since June.
East Notes: Bills, Taylor, Fells, Jets, Dolphins
The Bills signed quarterback Josh Johnson earlier today for depth purposes, but before they did, they looked into re-signing Matt Simms, who was with the team in camp, says Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links). Simms, who knows the Bills’ playbook, would’ve been Buffalo’s preferred option, but he’s currently on the Falcons’ practice squad and thinks he has a better future in Atlanta, so he turned down the opportunity, says Carucci.
Why did the Bills need another quarterback in the first place? Carucci (Twitter link) hears that Tyrod Taylor is “hurt pretty bad,” noting that the team considered the passport status of potential QB additions, in advance of a Week 7 trip to London. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), Taylor could miss multiple games due to a sprained MCL, which figures to open the door for EJ Manuel to start.
As the Bills wonder whether they should have kept Matt Cassel, let’s check in on several other items from out of the NFL’s East divisions….
- Doctors treating Giants tight end Daniel Fells for his MRSA infection are increasinly more optimistic that Fells won’t lose his foot, sources tell Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Fells remains hospitalized, and multiple reports have indicated that his NFL career is likely over, but it sounds as if a combination of surgical procedures and antibiotics have improved his outlook over the last few days.
- The Jets almost certainly won’t be able to extend both Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, and “every indication” is that the team would prefer to lock up Richardson if he stays out of further trouble, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- Multiple people around the NFL that have spoken to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suspect the Dolphins will pursue a high-profile head coach for the permanent job after the season. Cole identifies Mike Shanahan as one notable potential target for Miami.
- Former 49ers and Dolphins running back LaMichael James – who now goes by LaMike James – is working out on Wednesday for the Cowboys, tweets Ross Jones of FOX Sports.
NFC Notes: Cards, Payton, Giants, Lions
While initial estimates suggested Cardinals outside linebacker Alex Okafor would miss two to four weeks, it’s now believed his calf injury will sideline him for up to six weeks, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
Okafor’s extended recovery timetable, along with Kenny Demens‘ season-ending ACL injury, makes Arizona’s signing of Dwight Freeney even more important. And speaking of Freeney, Ed Werder of ESPN.com provides a few more details on his contract with the Cards, tweeting that the veteran pass rusher can earn up to $1MM in sack incentives — $200K for four sacks, then another $100K for each one after that, up to 12 ($1MM).
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Saints head coach Sean Payton addressed the annual rumors about his potential departure from New Orleans on Monday, suggesting that he has no plans to go anywhere in the near future: “I’ll say what I said before. This is where I see myself. And I’ve said that now, for however many years.” Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune noted (via Twitter) that he can’t picture the Saints firing Payton.
- After Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle got banged up in Sunday night’s game against the Niners, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin acknowledged that the team may have to look at adding a receiver this week, though he’s optimistic his players will be ready to go next week (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network). Jordan Raanan of NJ.com examines some potential outside options for the team in the event that a free agent signing becomes necessary.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell admitted on Monday that team owner Martha Firestone Ford isn’t happy with Detroit’s play so far this season, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. For now, the Lions don’t intend to make any coaching changes, but we’ll see if that changes in the coming weeks.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly praised the job Caleb Sturgis did for the team on Sunday, telling reporters on Monday that Philadelphia won’t have any kicker tryouts this week (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News). Sturgis missed another extra point in his second game for the Eagles, but made seven other kicks, including four field goals.
- Although Sunday’s loss was a tough one for Washington, there have been signs that the team’s culture is changing, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com, who identifies Terrance Knighton, Chris Culliver, and Dashon Goldson as newcomers who are helping to change the attitude in the locker room.
Cole’s Latest: Payton, Fells, Lions, Cowboys
Saints head coach Sean Payton is “intrigued” by the idea that teams like the Dolphins and Colts could pursue him after the 2015 season, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
That doesn’t mean Payton would leave New Orleans, or that he’d be able to get out of his contract even if he wanted to. However, Cole notes that there are some questions surrounding the ownership situation in New Orleans – presumably a reference to the Benson family’s legal drama – and Payton also may not be able to rebuild the Saints around Drew Brees quickly enough to compete again before Brees reaches the end of his career.
Payton’s situation will be one worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks and months, as we wait to see how the season plays out in New Orleans, Miami, Indianapolis, and elsewhere. In the meantime, Cole has published several more video reports on noteworthy topics, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- A weekend report indicated that Giants tight end Daniel Fells was at risk of losing his foot due to an MRSA infection, and Cole suggests that the issue has been even more serious than that, calling it “life-threatening.” While Fells is in good shape for the time being, he has undergone several procedures and had parts of his foot removed already, according to Cole, who says the tight end’s playing career is over.
- After a blowout home loss to the Cardinals, several Lions players expressed concern about the relationship between the team and head coach Jim Caldwell, says Cole. Per Cole, some Lions players were dissatisfied with the way Caldwell handled the aftermath of last Monday night’s loss to the Seahawks, when he didn’t appear to fight hard over the fumble call that cost the team the game. For what it’s worth, Caldwell said today that the club isn’t making changes to its coaching staff this week (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com).
- Citing two sources, Cole reports that Matt Cassel is “highly likely” to be the Cowboys‘ starting quarterback in Week 7, following the team’s bye.
- The Chiefs are split on whether Knile Davis or Charcandrick West will be Jamaal Charles‘ primary replacement going forward, assuming the star running back is indeed out for the season. According to Cole, head coach Andy Reid prefers West, since his running style is similar to Charles’, but Davis has plenty of support within the organization from those who believe he’s a better overall back than West. We heard this morning that Kansas City is also bringing in veteran back Ben Tate for a workout tomorrow.