Minor Moves: Wednesday
We’ll keep tabs on 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 Bills have placed linebacker Stevenson Sylvester on injured reserve with a torn patella tendon, ending his season, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak. Because Sylvester had four years of NFL experience, he didn’t have to pass through waivers before being put on the team’s IR list.
- The Raiders have waived-injured safety Jeremy Deering, replacing him on the roster with kicker Kevin Goessling, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- After reporting earlier today that Eric Kettani worked out for the Jaguars, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post now says the team is signing the fullback, so his audition must have gone well. Kettani was cut by the Chiefs earlier this year. Wilson adds in a tweet that tight end Fendi Onobun, who will miss the season with a torn quad, has been waived-injured.
- The Broncos have waived-injured defensive end Greg Latta, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The Purdue product was one of more than a dozen undrafted free agents signed by Denver immediately following the draft.
- The Buccaneers have reduced their receiving corps by one, cutting ex-Titan Lavelle Hawkins today, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
- On the heels of acquiring Kenjon Barner from the Panthers, the Eagles have cut rookie running back David Fluellen, the team announced today (Twitter link). A roster move wasn’t necessary to make room for Barner, so Philadelphia now has one opening on its roster.
- Punter Blake Clingan has been cut by the Redskins, a source tells Tom Schad of the Washington Times (Twitter link). That leaves Robert Malone as the only punter on the club’s roster.
Eagles Acquire Kenjon Barner From Panthers
WEDNESDAY, 8:30am: According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Barner will need to be on the Eagles’ active 46-man roster in at least four games this year in order for the Panthers to receive the seventh-round pick in the deal.
TUESDAY, 8:53pm: The Eagles have acquired running back Kenjon Barner from the Panthers in exchange for a conditional 2015 seventh-round draft choice, the Eagles announced in a press release. Barner played under Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly while at Oregon, who praised Barner in a statement:
“Kenjon will hopefully bring some depth to both our running back and return positions,” said Kelly. “He’s obviously a guy I know really well from Oregon, where he had a very productive career. He has a lot of speed, explosiveness and had a knack for making some really big plays. But our plan with him right now is get him in Philadelphia as soon as we can and plug him in at running back and returner and let him compete.”
Barner, 25, was a sixth-round choice by Carolina in last year’s draft. He didn’t play much, registering just 24 offensive snaps and 28 on special teams (per Football Outsiders). However, as Kelly notes, speed is the name of Barner’s game, as he ran multiple sub-4.4 40-yard-dashes leading up to the draft. Barner will probably feel comfortable after being reunited with his college coach, but as ESPN’s Adam Caplan notes (via Twitter), Kelly’s NFL playbook has a few tweaks, a lesson fellow ex-Duck Josh Huff learned early on in training camp.
With the Eagles, Barner will fight for a backup running back position behind LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. Chris Polk, currently third on the depth chart, is battling an injury, and as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets, the acquisition of Barner probably doesn’t bode well for Polk as he tries to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. However, Jeff McLlane of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds (Twitter link) that the Eagles likely added Barner to cover for the potential special teams loss of Huff (who is also injured), rather than to push Polk.
East Notes: Bills Sale, Branch, DRC, Jackson
Bids for the Bills franchise are due in about two weeks, a source tells John Wawrow of the Associated Press. Morgan Stanley, the bank supervising the sale of the team, hopes to have a new owner in place by October, and as of now, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula is considered the favorite to land Buffalo’s club. Former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly recently turned down an offer from rocker Jon Bon Jovi to join forces, while entrepreneur Donald Trump and former Sabres owner Tom Golisano are also among the contenders to purchase the team.
More from the NFL’s East divisions:
- The Bills signed Alan Branch to a contract extension last December, but they might already be looking to rid themselves of the defensive tackle. Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at how a release of Branch would affect Buffalo’s cap.
- As Steve Serby of the New York Post details, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie almost chose to sign with the Jets rather than the Giants during the offseason. In hindsight, it seems as though the Jets should have pressed harder for Rodgers-Cromartie, as their secondary has struggled during camp and the preseason.
- DeSean Jackson‘s failure to get separation against press-man coverage last season has been cited among the reasons why he was released by the Eagles. Now that referees intend to crack down on illegal defensive holding this season, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if Jackson, and other less physical receivers, will benefit from the rule change.
- Guard Dallas Thomas is among the Dolphins whose stock is falling, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Thomas was beat several times by Gerald McCoy in Miami’s last preseason game, and it looks like free agent signee Shelley Smith might be able to regain his spot among the starters in place of Thomas.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with additional transactions added to the top of the list throughout the afternoon and evening:
- The Colts added guard Andre Cureton, an undrafted free agent who was let go by the Cowboys last week, per Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). He takes the roster spot of kicker Cody Parkey, who was waived.
- Chargers defensive end Damik Scafe has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season, reports Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
- Linebacker Dom DeCicco has cleared waivers and reverted back to the Vikings’ injured reserve, tweets Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
- Receiver Shaq Evans, one of the Jets’ three fourth-round picks, has been placed on injured reserve, and will miss his rookie year after suffering a shoulder injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Players with no NFL experience have to pass through waivers before being placed on IR at this point, so it’s unclear if the Jets will actually make this move official until September.
Earlier updates:
- Defensive lineman Jibreel Black (Buccaneers) and quarterback Pat Devlin (Dolphins) have been removed from their respective teams’ injured reserve lists with injury settlements, according to ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, respectively (Twitter links).
- Nothing is official yet, but ex-Bears receiver and returner Eric Weems, who was just cut this weekend, is set to sign with the Titans, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Weems had been released by Chicago when the team signed Santonio Holmes.
- Although linebacker Jason Phillips was said to be recovered from the ACL injury that sidelined him for the 2013 season, he was cut by the Eagles today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Philadelphia’s first transaction since June, the move was made because the special teams ace wasn’t going to make the team and the Eagles wanted to give him a chance to catch on elsewhere, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Tight end Colt Lyerla, who suffered a knee injury during training camp, has been waived-injured by the Packers, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Per Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin (Twitter link), Green Bay intends to place Lyerla on injured reserve for the season if he clears waivers.
- It appears the Bills may be getting an early start on next week’s roster cutdowns. The team has opened a couple roster spots by waiving offensive lineman Edawn Coughman and wide receiver Kevin Elliott, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (Twitter links). No corresponding signings to fill the two openings have been announced yet.
East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Redskins, Wilson
Although Jim Kelly ultimately decided not to team with Jon Bon Jovi‘s Toronto-based group in an effort to buy the Bills, a source tells John Kryk of the Toronto Sun that Morgan Stanley – the investment firm handling the sale of the franchise – recommended Bon Jovi’s group meet with the Kellys as a way of making their bid “more Buffalo friendly.” As we heard this morning, it was the Kellys’ lack of confidence in the Toronto’s group’s intentions to keep the team in Buffalo that scuttled any potential agreement.
Here’s more from around the league’s two East divisions:
- The Dolphins‘ problems at guard are disappointing, but hardly surprising, writes Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald also tackles the topic of the team’s struggling offensive line, suggesting that he doesn’t believe the Dolphins will try to acquire Alex Boone “based on issues relative to Boone’s personal life and other matters.”
- Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link) weighs in on the Redskins‘ quarterback situation, as Robert Griffin III continues to adjust to a new offense while hearing some footsteps from Kirk Cousins.
- Hhis NFL career has come to an end, but former Giants running back David Wilson is training in the hopes of competing at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the triple jump, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News.
- While Eagles head coach Chip Kelly didn’t rule out the possibility of a Mark Sanchez trade, the team is certainly in no hurry to move its backup quarterback, writes Jake Kaplan of the Philadelphia Daily News.
NFC East Notes: Coughlin, Henery, Redskins, Minter
The Giants‘ offense was sloppy in 2013, with Eli Manning struggling with turnovers early in the season. The team was unable to get on track in time to salvage a playoff run, and it ultimately cost offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride his job. The team hired Ben McAdoo to pick up the pieces and turn the offense around, but the team has been unable to do so as of yet. Head coach Tom Coughlin is unhappy with the progress being made on that side of the ball, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
“It’s obvious, I think we got to work on a lot of things,’’ Coughlin said. “We got to basically work on everything. Last night we didn’t run it, we certainly didn’t throw the ball with any consistency, we don’t have people that are definitely running open, our protection does break down from time to time and we don’t react well under pressure when we do realize there has to be a hot or a sight adjust involved and just getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hand and trying to accomplish a positive play in the face of the pressure.’’
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- Eagles‘ kicker Alex Henery seems to be winning the position competition, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Despite his struggles in 2013 and this preseason, he has been the only kicker to see action during the team’s two preseason games. Head coach Chip Kelly also noted that Henery has been very good in practice during pressure situations.
- The Eagles have a number of preseason storylines that are becoming clearer as the preseason progresses. Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com updates a few storylines, including the ongoing injury situation, the progression of the offense in Kelly’s second season, and some recent roster moves.
- Final roster cuts are approaching, and the Redskins have a number of players on the bubble of making the team. Rich Tandler and Tarik El Bashir take a look at a few defensive players fighting for the last few spots. They both agree that outside linebacker Rob Jackson and safety Bacarri Rambo will both make the team, while cornerback Richard Crawford will fall short of making the team.
- Cowboys‘ defensive tackle Zach Minter made an impression in his first preseason game, writes Brandon George of DallasNews.com. Playing against the Ravens on Saturday after being signed on Thursday, Minter had four tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. That performance could help to earn him a spot on a defense that is in need of talent.
Poll: Best Quarterbacks Available By Trade
There always seems to be a shortage of legitimate quarterbacks to fill the needs of all 32 NFL teams. Some franchises are left searching for a starter every year, while others are left without a viable backup plan in the event that they lose their starter.
With so few quarterbacks to go around, even middling talents can become sought after every offseason. Untapped potential on one team could represent a beacon of hope to another front office or fan base. Sometimes, even the shakiest résumé could seem like an improvement.
The 49ers are having issues finding a backup quarterback at the moment, a scary proposition for any Super Bowl contender. That is only magnified by the fact that their starter, Colin Kaepernick, is known to take off with the football, exposing himself to more open field hits than a traditional pocket passer. The 49ers are built on defense and running the football, and even competent quarterback play could be able to keep them afloat in Kaepernick’s absence.
For that reason, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com suggested (via Twitter) that the team inquire on Vikings‘ quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was able to bring a defensive minded Vikings squad to the playoffs in 2012, mostly on the back of Adrian Peterson and his 2,097 rushing yards.
Another option for a team looking for a strong backup, or even a low end starter, would be Eagles‘ quarterback Mark Sanchez. Earlier today Chip Kelly admitted that he wasn’t beyond listening to trade offers for Sanchez. While the former Jets passer is generally considered to have been a disaster during his first stop, it is worth noting that he played with some of the worst offensive weapons in the league. During his rookie and sophomore campaigns, when he had slightly more to work with, Sanchez brought the Jets to the AFC Championship game in both years, making him an intriguing candidate for a trade.
Redskins‘ backup Kirk Cousins has been a leader amongst the trade rumor community, most commonly being linked with his former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. With Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel competing for the Browns’ job, there is no obvious need for Cousins there. Still, his body of work is good enough in a small sample size, and he has not had the time to tarnish his reputation in the same way that Ponder and Sanchez have.
The Patriots also are prepared to move on from Ryan Mallett, making it known so by drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of this past draft. Mallett had a high potential upside coming out in the 2011 draft, but never saw a meaningful snap and is now at the end of his rookie contract. The Patriots would certainly be willing to move him, but could find it difficult to get anything substantial for him.
Most would agree that none of these options represents a savior at quarterback, and all 32 teams are more or less set on their options for a starter in 2014. Even teams that have the least certain options at quarterback, such as the Vikings with Matt Cassel, the Texans with Ryan Fitzpatrick, or the Jets with Geno Smith have reason to pass on making a big move. The Vikings have hope of developing first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater. The Texans have a stopgap in Fitzpatrick, and head coach Bill O’Brien likely does not see any available options markedly better than the journeyman. The Jets have a better in-house option in Michael Vick in the event that Smith does not improve in 2014.
Even still, if a team less prepared to handle an injury to their top passer, these options could become very sought after. Other players, such as Drew Stanton of the Cardinals, Brock Osweiler of the Broncos, and Jason Campbell of the Bengals could also bring interest to a team desperate for some level of quarterback play to get through a rough patch. These players will likely not be seen as franchise quarterbacks to any team, but a front office could talk themselves into bringing one of these players in to salvage a season.
Who Is The Best Quarterback Available By Trade?
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Kirk Cousins (Redskins) 48% (338)
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Ryan Mallett (Patriots) 19% (135)
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Christian Ponder (Vikings) 16% (111)
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Mark Sanchez (Eagles) 12% (86)
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Other 4% (30)
Total votes: 700
Eagles Would Listen To Offers For Mark Sanchez
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly told reporters today, including John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com, that he would be open to fielding trade offers for backup quarterback Mark Sanchez. Kelly was responding to a direct question about Sanchez’s trade value, so it’s not as if he broached the topic himself. Nevertheless, it’s uncommon for a team official to openly discuss dealing a player under contract.
“I mean, we’ll listen to anything for anybody,” said Kelly. “We’re not just going to put our head in the sand and say no. It better be a pretty good deal in terms of what it is. But that’s not in any of our thought process.” Kelly also noted that no team has asked about Sanchez’s availability as of yet. “Mark has played well, but we haven’t had anybody call or ask us anything. That’s not something we’re talking about because you’re just spending time on things that could happen, should happen. I don’t know. But I know we’re really happy about him.”
Sanchez, of course, was the fifth overall selection in 2009, and went on to start 62 games for the Jets, leading New York to the AFC Championship game twice. He did not take a snap for the Jets last season after shuffling a shoulder injury. He was released in March, and after presumably failing to land a starting job, signed a one-year, $2.25MM deal with the Eagles. Sanchez has reportedly been impressive during practice sessions, and has completed 18-of-22 passes for 196 and two touchdowns in a pair of preseason games.
It’s just my speculation, but I’m guessing Sanchez would welcome a trade if it meant returning to a starting role. In signing with the Eagles, Sanchez was probably hoping that Kelly’s offensive system, which vaulted the relatively unheralded Nick Foles into the upper echelon of quarterbacks, could do the same for him. It’s likely that Sanchez believed that shining during the preseason or in backup duty would allow him to secure a No. 1 job next offseason. A trade now, after just a summer of work under Kelly, would validate that line of thinking.
For the Eagles, it wouldn’t seem prudent to trade Sanchez at this point. Matt Barkley, a fourth-round pick in 2013 who has shown little in the way of development, would be next in line for the No. 2 QB role. If starter Foles were to suffer an injury, Kelly and Co. would surely rather have the experienced Sanchez under center than the second-year Barkley. However, if a team is impressed with Sanchez to the point of offering draft pick compensation, it could be a worthwhile return on a $2.25MM risk.
East Notes: Eagles, Cousins, Branch
Although there was a great deal of cyberspace dedicated to the Jets this morning, there are also a few relevant notes to pass along from some of the league’s other east division teams. Let’s have a look:
- Despite Eagles kicker Alex Henery‘s missed 47-yard field goal attempt in last night’s preseason game, Kelly affirmed that Henery is in no immediate danger of losing his job to Carey Spear, tweets Mosher.
- In reference to the Eagles‘ kicking competition, Kelly stated, “It’s clear in our mind Alex is number one over Carey.” Henery has performed well in training camp, but as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, if Kelly is convinced that Henery is the guy–and apparently he is, since Spear has not even had a kick in a preseason game–why is Spear still on the roster?
- In a separate piece, McLane notes that Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry got a few reps with the starters on Friday against the Patriots and that he acquitted himself well. McLane believes that, despite speculation that Curry may be traded since he is not a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s defensive scheme, the Eagles are unlikely to deal the player who may be the team’s best pass rusher, particularly since they did little to address their pass rushing group in the offseason.
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that the Giants‘ offensive line did nothing to assuage concerns during its lackluster showing against the Colts on Saturday night.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes that one of the few bright spots for the Giants yesterday was the performance of tight end Adrien Robinson.
- Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes that Redskins backup quarterback Kirk Cousins has continued to be a “good soldier” as he awaits an opportunity to start in the NFL. Cousins, of course, was the subject of trade rumors this offseason and will probably get a legitimate chance to establish himself as a starter at some point in his career.
- James Walker of ESPN.com writes that Dolphins guard Dallas Thomas is now on the hot seat after his weak performance against the Buccaneers on Saturday.
- Two Bills players who were seemingly roster locks several months ago–Thad Lewis and Alan Branch–are now in danger of being cut, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Rodak elaborates in a separate post.
Eagles, Patriots Notes: Garoppolo, DBs, Curry
The preseason penalty flag epidemic is affecting (Read: annoying) everyone who chooses to consume exhibition games for any extended period of time, and last night’s Eagles-Patriots game was borderline unbearable (which is saying something for a preseason game). Twenty-eight penalties were called, prompting Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to call it a “travesty.”
Here’s some more notes from the Eagles and Patriots:
- In a matter of eight days, Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has staked his claim to the backup job, writes Jeff Howe in the Boston Herald. Howe also notes “Jordan Devey also started for the second straight week, adding right guard to his resume last night after opening at left guard against the Redskins. Devey can also play center, so his versatility has been a valued asset in camp.” Devey went undrafted out of Memphis last year before spending the season on the practice squad.
- Patriots cornerbacks Kyle Arrington and Logan Ryan are seeing time at safety, reports NESN’s Doug Kyed.
- Experimenting and taking advantage of the secondary’s interchangeable parts has been made possible by the encouraging play of Malcolm Butler, who started opposite Darrelle Revis, notes Boston.com’s Erik Frenz. An undrafted free agent out of West Alabama, Butler has gone from bubble player to strong roster candidate.
- Eagles cornerback Curtis Marsh had a rough night, according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks: “Marsh has been having a good camp, but in his moment to play against NFL competition, he showed he didn’t belong.”
- Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham are two of the Eagles’ best pass rushers, but they don’t fit the defensive scheme, says CSN Philly’s Reuben Frank, who calls for Curry to be traded to a 4-3 team. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo feels similarly about Graham, as evidenced by a couple tweets.