Saints Sign Vick Ballard
The Saints have signed running back Vick Ballard to a reserve/futures deal, as Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune writes. 
After consecutive years of tearing his ACL, Ballard’s status with the Colts was said to be on the rocks prior to the 2015 season thanks to a hamstring injury. Ultimately, he was unable to make an impression on the coaching staff and front office in the offseason and his health situation led him to getting waived in mid-September.
Ballard, 26 in July, broke out in 2012, his rookie season with the Colts. The fifth-round draft pick ran for 814 yards off of 211 carries, good for an average of 3.9 yards per attempt. However, he has yet to do much ever since thanks to the aforementioned ACL problems. He did not sign with another NFL team last season and, last we heard, he auditioned for the Bears in December. Nearly five months later, he has finally found his new NFL home.
Reserve/futures contracts essentially function like regular free agent deals, except that only players who didn’t finish the previous season on an NFL team’s active roster can sign them. So a player on a practice squad could ink a futures contract, and many have in recent weeks. These deals are known as “futures” contracts because they don’t technically go into effect until the new league year begins. For more on reserve/futures deals, check out this detailed explanation from Pro Football Rumors.
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Jets Sign Dri Archer
The Jets have signed former Steelers third-round running back and return man Dri Archer to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today in a press release. Archer finished the 2015 season as a free agent after being cut by Pittsburgh, meaning he didn’t have to wait until March to sign with a club.
Despite being selected with the 97th overall pick in 2014, Archer didn’t see much action after joining the Steelers, with all 17 of his offensive touches coming in his rookie year. He had been Pittsburgh’s primary kick returner in 2015 before his release, averaging 25.3 yards on 14 attempts, but was cut when the team picked up Jacoby Jones to fill that role.
A report shortly after Archer’s release in November suggested that he had received and passed on offers from 10 teams to join their practice squads. At the time, the Kent State product reportedly planned to wait and see whether he got any offers to join a 53-man roster, but apparently such an opportunity never arose, since Archer didn’t sign anywhere for the rest of the season.
Archer, who worked out for the Jets in November, could have a decent opening to earn a roster spot in New York this season. The club’s three top running backs – Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell, and Stevan Ridley – are all eligible for free agency, and no player on the roster has a stranglehold on the kick return duties, which were split last season by Zac Stacy and Antonio Cromartie.
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Washington Signs Ziggy Hood
WEDNESDAY, 3:15pm: Washington has officially signed Hood to a reserve/futures contract, the team confirmed in a press release.
TUESDAY, 8:54am: Washington has agreed to a one-year contract with free agent defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, reports Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan in Washington (Twitter link). Hood didn’t finish the 2015 season on any NFL roster, making him eligible to sign a new deal before the new league year begins in March.
Hood, a first-round pick back in 2009, spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Steelers before signing with the Jaguars for the 2014 season. In 2015, Hood was placed on IR by the Jaguars to open the season, but was released when he got healthy, allowing him to sign with the Bears in October. Although he spent nearly two months on Chicago’s roster, Hood didn’t see the field much, and was ultimately cut in December.
Although he hasn’t produced much value since leaving Pittsburgh, Hood had some solid years for the Steelers, averaging three sacks and more than 40 tackles per season during his last two years with the team. In Washington, Hood will be given the opportunity to earn a roster spot and a place in the team’s defensive line rotation.
Hood is unlikely to be the final defensive line addition of the offseason for Washington, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. The position figures to be an area of focus for the club in free agency and/or the draft.
Before agreeing to a one-year deal with Washington, Hood worked out for the team last month.
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Minor NFL Transactions: 2/3/16
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Bengals have signed tight end John Peters to a reserve/futures deal, the team announced today (on Twitter). Peters spent time with Cincinnati last summer after being signed as an undrafted free agent, but was waived by the club before the regular season began.
Earlier updates:
- After striking gold a year ago with Delvin Breaux, who was New Orleans’ most reliable cornerback in his first season with the club, the Saints have signed another defender from the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Linebacker Erik Harris has inked a contract with the Saints, according to Drew Edwards and Justin Dunk of 3DownNation.com. Harris, who played with Breaux in 2014, recorded 43 tackles and a pair of interceptions this past season.
- The Bills have signed cornerback Javier Arenas to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). A former second-round pick, Arenas has logged a total of 69 career regular season games, including 12 starts, during stints with the Chiefs, Cardinals, and Falcons. However, he didn’t play for an NFL team in 2015 after being cut by the Jets last August.
East Notes: Jets, Curry, Cox, Deflategate
As first reported on Tuesday night by Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Jets have hired Brant Boyer as their new special teams coordinator, the team announced today in a press release. Boyer arrives in New York from Indianapolis, where he has served as the Colts’ assistant special teams coach for the last four seasons, working with Pro Bowlers Adam Vinatieri, Pat McAfee, and Matt Overton.
The Jets took their time finding a new special teams coordinator, after parting ways with Bobby April nearly a month ago. As Todd Bowles and the Jets considered their options, April found a new home in Tennessee, where he’ll serve as the Titans’ special teams coach.
Let’s round up a few more Wednesday notes from around the NFL’s East divisions….
- Appearing today on ESPN’s First Take (video link), Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall was asked about the latest Colin Kaepernick rumors, and replied that he’d prefer the team to bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick rather than going after Kaepernick.
- Having signed a lucrative new long-term deal with the Eagles, Vinny Curry said that it wouldn’t have happened if not for the team’s scheme change, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). With Jim Schwartz replacing Billy Davis as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator, the club will be shifting from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 base, which should better suit Curry.
- Curry added that he has been in constant contact with Fletcher Cox, and he thinks his fellow defensive lineman will get a contract extension done with the Eagles (Twitter link via Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal).
- More than a year after the NFL began looking into the Patriots for what became known as Deflategate, the league is still mishandling the situation, writes Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports. As Wetzel notes, Roger Goodell‘s assertion that the NFL didn’t keep any of the information logged during the 2015 season on the air pressure of game-day footballs creates more questions than answers.
- Eagles fans will see some familiar faces in this week’s Super Bowl, writes Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, who points to Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and safety Kurt Coleman as “Eagles discards” who are thriving in Carolina.
Rams Have Discussed Pursuing Peyton Manning
It remains to be seen whether this Sunday’s game against the Panthers will be the last of Peyton Manning‘s playing career, but most people around the league believe it will be his last game as a Bronco, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, the Rams are monitoring the Manning situation, and have had internal discussions about bringing him to Los Angeles if he wants to continue his career.
A report surfaced earlier this week suggesting that Manning has told some friends that he expects to retire following the Super Bowl, and that comes on the heels of the veteran quarterback telling Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship game that this could be his “last rodeo.” However, speaking to reporters this week, Manning downplayed his “last rodeo” comments, and said he’d like to meet the “close friends” who are privy to his plans, suggesting that he hasn’t made a decision on his future yet.
Manning is coming off the least productive season of his long NFL career, and will turn 40 in March. Throw in the fact that he’s owed a $19MM base salary for 2016, and it’s easy to see why he might not be in the Broncos’ plans for next season, even if he decides not to retire. Brock Osweiler is eligible for free agency this winter, and Denver is expected to try to lock him up to a deal that would pay him starter-type money.
If Manning’s career continues somewhere besides Denver, Los Angeles seems like a viable destination — last week, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identified it as perhaps the most logical potential landing spot for the former first overall pick. From the Rams’ perspective, adding a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback like Manning would help build some buzz as the team moves west from St. Louis. Currently, Nick Foles and restricted free agent Case Keenum are projected to compete for the starting job, so the team could use some veteran help at the position.
In 2015, Manning nearly led the league in interceptions, with 17, despite only playing 10 regular-season games. He also completed just 59.8% of his passes, his lowest mark since his rookie year, and his QB rating of 67.9 was a career worst. However, he has looked a little better in the postseason, having not thrown an interception in wins over the Steelers and Patriots.
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NFC West Notes: Kaepernick, Irvin, Fitzgerald
A New York Daily News report on Tuesday suggested that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick would prefer to leave San Francisco this offseason, with the Jets named as his potential destination of choice. Kaepernick is still recovering from surgeries on his thumb and knee, and the 49ers don’t have to make a decision on his future until April 1st, so there likely won’t be any resolution to the QB’s situation anytime soon.
There’s little doubt that Kaepernick would prefer a fresh start, but even if he prefers to join a team like the Jets, he doesn’t control his own fate, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. As Maiocco points out, new head coach Chip Kelly will be the one deciding whether or not Kaepernick remains a Niner — if Kelly wants Kaepernick on the roster, he’ll stay on the roster. While it’s possible that Kaepernick will ultimately be traded or released, a new coaching staff in San Francisco could help give him the fresh start he seeks.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Even if the Jets don’t want Kaepernick, they could use his reported interest in them as leverage in negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) opines. If the 49ers still haven’t made a decision on their quarterback by the time free agency opens on March 9th, it’ll be interesting to see how that situation affects the Jets — if at all.
- Vinny Curry‘s new deal with the Eagles should provide a good “data point” for Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin and his contract talks, tweets Corry. Seattle turned down its fifth-year option on Irvin, so he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency this winter.
- Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald is entering the final season of his contract, and it’s possible it will also be the final season of his NFL career, though he has yet to directly address the issue. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic discusses that possibility.
- The 49ers have added J.P. Crowley Hanlon, who worked under Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, as an assistant to the coaching staff, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
Broncos Notes: Murphy, Manning, HGH
Well, this isn’t how you want to make the news on Super Bowl week. Broncos practice squad safety Ryan Murphy was involved by San Jose police in a prostitution sting, according to CBS Bay Area. Sources say that police detained a suspected prostitute in Santa Clara County and she told law enforcement that she had to go to a car to retrieve some property. Murphy was inside of that car with his brother. The safety was ultimately released by police but his brother was cited for his involvement.
The Broncos have responded by sending Murphy home to Denver, as Lindsay Jones of USA Today tweets.
Here’s more on the Broncos as they get ready for Sunday:
- A report earlier this week indicated that Peyton Manning told close friends that he is going to retire after Super Bowl 50. However, the quarterback denies that’s the case, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. “I mean, close friends that I’m supposedly telling, I’d like to meet them,” Manning said. “The close friends that I have — and I do have close friends, but I don’t think any of them are close to anybody who works for the NFL Network.”
- After the AFC Championship game, boom mics picked up Manning telling coach Bill Belichick that SB50 could be his “last rodeo.” Manning says that comment isn’t as telling as the media is making it out to be. “I may play against these guys 10 more times. Brady’s going to play till he’s 70, Belichick is going to coach till he’s 90. Maybe I hit the fountain of youth in the next couple of months and play another 10 years. Who knows? But in case it was the last time I played against them in the championship,’’ Manning said, (emphasis ours, via Klis).
- Manning sat down with CBS’ Bill Cowher (Twitter link) to address the allegations of HGH use made against him late last year. In the clip, Manning says that he “welcomes” the NFL’s investigation and termed the allegations as being “complete junk.”
- Defensive end Malik Jackson sounds like a player who knows that Sunday is his last game with the team (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). “I can make myself a lot more money if I go out there and do what I know how to do and do what I’ve been doing,“
Saints Retain Dennis Allen As DC
FEBRUARY 2nd: The Saints have formally announced that Allen will stay on as the team’s defensive coordinator. They have also confirmed their other moves on the staff, including the appointment of Dan Campbell as tight ends coach/assistant head coach.
JANUARY 13th: If the Saints haven’t already officially agreed to a deal with Dennis Allen to remain the team’s defensive coordinator, they’ll do so soon, says Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Allen, who replaced Rob Ryan during the 2015 season as the interim defensive coordinator in New Orleans, will be retained as the Saints’ permanent DC.
[RELATED: Sean Payton to remain Saints’ head coach]
A week ago, Saints head coach Sean Payton was asked during his end-of-year press conference if Allen would be brought back as the team’s defensive coordinator, and declined to say one way or the other. However, Payton indicated at the time that Allen did a good job stepping in for Ryan, and would likely return for the 2016 season.
Allen, who was on the Saints’ coaching staff from 2006 to 2010, working with the defensive line and the secondary, earned his first defensive coordinator job with the Broncos in 2011 before becoming the head coach of the Raiders. After leaving Oakland, Allen returned to New Orleans in 2015 as a defensive assistant.
The Saints’ defense was one of the NFL’s worst in 2015, ranking 31st in the league in yards allowed per game (413.8) and dead last in points allowed per game (29.8) for the season. Still, those numbers improved slightly under Allen. In the team’s six games following the change at defensive coordinator, New Orleans gave up 395.3 yards and 26.8 points per contest.
If and when the Saints officially name Allen as their permanent defensive coordinator heading into the 2016 season, the club will become the third club this month to announce a DC hire. The Colts hired Ted Monachino and the Dolphins hired Vance Joseph within the last week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles, Vinny Curry Agree To Extension
The extensions just keep on comin’. The latest one has been inked by Vinny Curry, who now has a new deal worth $47.25MM with the Eagles, as Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. In total, the deal includes $23MM in guaranteed cash. Curry also gets $10MM immediately upon signing, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The new deal means that Curry will be under contract through 2020.
The defensive end’s overall numbers took a hit in 2015 — after recording nine sacks and four forced fumbles in 2014, he had 3.5 and zero, respectively, this past season. Still, Pro Football Focus graded him 10th among interior defensive linemen as a pass-rusher, so he was putting pressure on quarterbacks even if he wasn’t bringing them down.
Having been selected in the second round of the 2012 draft, Curry’s old rookie contract was set to expire this winter without a fifth-year option. Now, instead of hitting the the open market in March, Curry is slated to remain in Eagles green for a long time. The rival Giants were among the clubs believed to be eyeing him, but they’ll now have to shift their focus elsewhere.
Curry came to the Eagles in a rather notable draft-day trade in 2012 The Eagles selected defensive lineman Jerel Worthy at No. 51 overall for the Packers and, in return, they got Curry (No. 59) and cornerback Brandon Boykin. Former coach Chip Kelly jettisoned Boykin from Philadelphia prior to the 2015 season, but the Eagles refused to let Curry go anywhere else.
Curry’s deal is not unlike the one given to Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen. Griffen, a former third-round pick out of USC, got a five-year deal worth $42.5MM with $20MM guaranteed roughly eleven months ago. After getting this monster deal, Curry is now cemented as a starter and a key fixture in the Eagles’ front seven. Curry is expected to serve as an edge rusher in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 scheme which should be a much better fit for him that the club’s previous 3-4 set.
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