Eagles Reduce Roster To 53 Players
The Eagles have officially finalized their 53-man roster, according to the team. In a press release, the Eagles announced the roster moves they made to get down to the regular-season limit. They are as follows:
- Kenjon Barner, RB (waived with injury settlement)
- Roc Carmichael, CB (cut)
- Kevin Graf, OL (cut)
- Alex Henery, K (cut)
- Damaris Johnson, WR (cut)
- Keelan Johnson, S (cut)
- Lane Johnson, OT (placed on reserve-suspended list)
- Josh Kaddu, LB (cut)
- Wade Keliilipi, DT (cut)
- Curtis Marsh, CB (cut)
- Will Murphy, WR (cut)
- Ed Reynolds, S (cut)
- Damion Square, DT (cut)
- Matthew Tucker, RB (cut)
The Eagles’ other eight roster-trimming moves were reported yesterday.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Bryant, Garrett, Giants
Although undrafted free agent Carey Spear’s performance wasn’t worthy of wresting a roster spot from incumbent Eagles kicker Alex Henery, it appears recent Philadelphia acquisition Cody Parkey has in fact unseated the veteran. Sources tell Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com that Parkey has won a place on the Eagles’ 53-man roster — if confirmed, the news doesn’t bode well for Henery, as most teams don’t carry two kickers. Parkey, acquired from the Colts on August 20, made two field goals from 50-plus yards in Philadelphia’s preseason game against the Jets on Thursday. More from Philly and the rest of the NFC:
- The Eagles are trying to trade third-year receiver Damaris Johnson, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter). It sounds like the 24-year-old Johnson, who saw just 53 offensive snaps last season, will be waived if Philadelphia can’t find any takers.
- Though progress has been made towards an extension, “there’s nothing all that close” to a new deal between Dez Bryant and the Cowboys, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
- Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is entering the final year of his contract, and owner/GM Jerry Jones tells Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News that he’s content to let Garrett lead the team as a lame duck coach. “I, in no way, have shut that door [on extending Garrett’s deal],” said Jones. “But I have already decided that we were going to operate this year with his contract status the way that it is.”
- Unsurprisingly, Garrett’s name is on Adam Caplan of ESPN.com’s list of coaches entering 2014 on the hot seat. Mike Smith and Jeff Fisher are the other NFC head men that Caplan thinks could be in trouble.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post looks at some Giants who could be on the roster bubble.
Eagles Begin Trimming Roster Down To 53
The Eagles released offensive lineman Josh Andrews, according to his agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter). Tessler adds that his client won’t be “unemployed for long.” Meanwhile, the Eagles have informed quarterback G.J. Kinne that he’ll be released, tweets Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. Kinne played well in the preseason but there was simply no room for him with Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley set to back up starter Nick Foles. We’ll keep track of all of the Eagles’ cuts here:
- Emmanuel Acho (LB) (via Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter, 8:48pm)
- Josh Andrews (OL)
- Arrelious Benn (placed on injured reserve, via Aaron Wilson on Twitter, 2:23pm). Benn will be placed on the short-term IR, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).
- Henry Josey (RB) (via Adam Caplan on Twitter, 1:58pm)
- G.J. Kinne (QB)
- Travis Long (LB) (placed on injured reserve, via Shorr-Parks on Twitter, 8:48pm)
- Ifeanyi Momah (WR) (via Zach Berman on Twitter, 1:58pm)
- Quron Pratt (WR) (via Berman on Twitter, 2:43pm)
NFC Notes: Mankins, Eagles, 49ers, Bears
At his introductory press conference, new Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins admitted that he has a lot of work to do (via Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald). “It’s going to be tough, we have a week before the first game and I’m going to take it in stride. I’ve got all weekend to try and get down some of the mental part of it and then all next week at practice. I’m sure the guys are going to help me as much as possible and I’m going to try my best to be up to speed with those guys, I don’t know if it will happen, but I’m shooting for it,” said the veteran. More from around the NFL:
- Having recently been cut by the Bills, quarterback Thad Lewis had an audition for the Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
- Blaine Gabbert looked shaky in the 49ers‘ preseason finale while Josh Johnson has looked good over the last few weeks, which could prompt the club to carry three quarterbacks, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Gabbert, who has a $2MM guaranteed salary, won’t be going anywhere, but SF might want to have Johnson in place as a failsafe.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh sounds intent on keeping quarterback Johnson in addition to Gabbert, writes Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. However, he won’t commit to putting Johnson ahead of Gabbert on the depth chart, despite the former first-round pick’s struggles.
- After giving himself a “B+” grade for his Thursday night performance, Michael Sam believes that he’ll be on an NFL roster somewhere, even if it’s not with the Rams, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I’m very confident,” Sam said. “I’m going to sleep really well tonight and I’m very confident I’m going to be on a team, the Rams or any other team in the NFL.”
- Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times believes that Matthew Mulligan will have a spot on the Bears‘ roster as the tight end behind Martellus Bennett and Dante Rosario thanks to his blocking ability. The injury to Zach Miller opened the door for Mulligan, who is a solid blocker.
- The Bears have done their homework on long snappers and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) hears that they worked out four long snappers last week. Currently, Brandon Hartson has the job in Chicago.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that he has met face-to-face with Dez Bryant, something he doesn’t do with every player who is seeking a new deal, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. “We have had good visits,” Jones said. “It’s a little different to be talking directly, for me to be talking directly with the player. I know of two that I’ve spent a lot of time directly talking with in some pretty sensitive areas when you’re talking about money. We all understand what that means. One of them Michael Irvin. He asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later and Emmitt Smith, he asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later. Troy [Aikman] always had Leigh Steinberg there, but we kind of talked straight in there together.”
NFC East Notes: Brent, Hynoski, Eagles
Eagles linebacker Brandon Graham was unsure about his future just a few months ago, but it looks like the former first-round pick will make the roster and remain in Philadelphia, writes Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News. “When we first came back for the minicamps, I kept hearing all this talk about being traded,” he said. “I thought I was going to get traded before I got back [for the start of training camp]. But they stuck with me, and I feel I owe the team and the fans a lot because I know things haven’t gone the way they’re supposed to for a first-rounder. But I know I can play. It’s time to take off.” More from the NFC East..
- The Cowboys are expecting a decision from the NFL on defensive tackle Josh Brent, maybe as soon as today, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Dallas is bracing for a four-game suspension.
- Henry Hynoski‘s shoulder injury could mean that John Conner – the man known as The Terminator for the other Meadowlands team – will make the Giants‘ roster at fullback, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “I don’t wish that on anybody,’’ Conner said. “He’s a tough guy, he’s having a great camp and hopefully comes back all right.’’
- Giants wide receiver Preston Parker was once again the team’s first punt returner in Thursday night’s preseason finale, which indicates to Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News (on Twitter) that he’ll be one of the receivers on the final 53-man roster.
- Cody Parkey made a strong case to be the Eagles‘ kicker after connecting on three field goals, including a 53-yarder and a 54-yarder, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Alex Henery, who did not attempt a field goal, entered the game 1 of 3 in the preseason with a career long of 51 yards.
- The competition for the Eagles‘ final wide receiver spot comes down to a three-man race between Damaris Johnson, Arrelious Benn and Jeff Maehl, writes Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine. His pick is Maehl, a fomer Oregon Duck.
East Notes: Thomas, Pats, Wright, Barkley
Daniel Thomas, who was once looked at as the best tailback in Miami, may not make the Dolphins‘ roster, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. The former second-round pick has been hampered by a hamstring injury this summer and has to make a big impression tomorrow night to solidify his spot. More from the AFC and NFC East..
- The Patriots‘ acquisition of Tim Wright doesn’t have much to do with the health status of Rob Gronkowski, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Wright, a converted wide receiver, doesn’t block the way that Gronk can but will probably be utilized in the passing game.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer expects the Eagles to retain Matt Barkley at their third quarterback. There had been some speculation that G.J. Kinne could beat out Barkley for the final spot, or that the Eagles could carry only two quarterbacks, but Barkley solidified his standing after a rough spring, and Kinne is probably practice-squad bound.
- Free agent addition Malcolm Jenkins could be the key to elevating the Eagles‘ secondary, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Eagles have been searching for a quality safety since the departure of Brian Dawkins six years ago and Jenkins could be just that. Jenkins was displaced in New Orleans when the Saints signed Jairus Byrd, and he’s surely anxious to show what he can do for a new club.
NFC East Notes: Bryant, Cowboys, Giants
With talks starting up again between the Cowboys and Dez Bryant, Jason Fitzgerald of the National Football Post asks how much the wide receiver is worth. Bryant reportedly wants to be paid like a top five wide receiver and Dallas will have a hard time convincing agent Eugene Parker that his client should make less than Dwayne Bowe $56MM over five years, $26MM in guarantees). More out of the NFC East..
- Today’s release of quarterback Caleb Hanie by the Cowboys likely bodes well for undrafted free agent QB Dustin Vaughan, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- The Giants traded kicker Brandon McManus to the Broncos rather than cutting him outright because the rival Eagles had interest in him, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- Antrel Rolle is upset that cornerback and special teams contributor Charles James was let go by the Giants, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. When Big Blue dropped 15 players to go from 90 to 75, the release of the 23-year-old James came as a surprise to some.
Saints, Eagles, Bears Down To 75 Players
The Saints have officially announced their roster cuts down to 75 players, and many of the names – most notably linebacker Victor Butler – have previously been reported. However, three players’ releases had previously been unreported. According to the team (via Twitter), quarterback Logan Kilgore, linebacker Kevin Reddick, and defensive back Rod Sweeting are among the players who didn’t make the cut down to 75.
The Eagles, who were vanquished from last year’s playoffs by New Orleans, have also finalized their 75-man roster in advance of this afternoon’s deadline. Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com tweets that offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde has been waived by the team with an injury settlement. In a series of tweets, Vandervelde thanked the organization for the opportunity.
Meanwhile, a third NFC playoff contender has also trimmed its roster down to 75 players, with the Bears announcing today (via Twitter) that offensive lineman James Brown and cornerback Isaiah Frey are the latest roster casualties in Chicago.
All three teams, as well as the NFL’s other 29, will have until Saturday afternoon to further cut their rosters down to 53 active players.
East Notes: Sanchez, Hill, Schwartz, Cowboys
As one of the league’s premier backups, Eagles signal-caller Mark Sanchez figures to be the subject of trade rumors when starting QBs like Sam Bradford go down for the season. However, as he tells Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sanchez isn’t interested in listening to that sort of speculation.
“I’m an Eagle. I love being an Eagle,” Sanchez said. “There’s a ton of quarterbacks. Talk about someone else.”
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- With final cuts approaching, some trade chatter is starting to surround Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter) notes that the team has already tried to move Hill this summer, with no takers so far, while Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter) is skeptical that the Jets could get anything for the wideout. On the other hand, one AFC exec tells Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com that he thinks there’d be some interest, since the free agent market for receivers is thin.
- The Giants received some good news on Geoff Schwartz’s foot injury, announcing today in a press release that the guard will be in a walking boot for the next seven to 10 days, then will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. The timetable suggests that Schwartz will avoid hitting any sort of PUP or IR list.
- Cowboys linebacker DeVonte Holloman tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that it was an “easy decision” to retire after sustaining his latest neck injury, though he admitted it’ll be “tough not to be out there” on the field with the team.
- As Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram outlines, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones weighed in on position battles at a few key positions in Dallas as the team prepares to cut its roster down to 53 players.
Lions Claim Michael Egnew
3:49pm: The Seahawks also put in a claim on Egnew, according to Pelissero (on Twitter), but the Lions had waiver priority and were awarded the tight end.
MONDAY, 3:22pm: The Lions have claimed Egnew off waivers from the Dolphins, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today, who also reports that Detroit has claimed fellow TE Emil Igwenagu from the Eagles. The Lions are certainly stockpiling tight end talent, as they already have Brandon Pettigrew, Joseph Fauria, and 2014 first-rounder Eric Ebron under contract.
FRIDAY, 2:00pm: With roster cutdown deadlines approaching, the Dolphins will part ways with a player they drafted in the third round just two years ago, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Schefter, Miami is waiving third-year tight end Michael Egnew.
Egnew, 24, was inactive for most of his rookie season, and grabbed just seven balls in 2013 while struggling as a run blocker. The former 78th overall pick out of Missouri also dealt with a concussion earlier in camp. With the Dolphins’ front office having undergone significant changes this offseason, including Dennis Hickey replacing Jeff Ireland as general manager, the organization had less incentive to Egnew around, and has decided to cut its losses.
The move will leave Miami with an opening on its 90-man roster, though it’s not clear if the team will sign a replacement. Rosters must be cut down to 75 players by next Tuesday afternoon.