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North Notes: Steelers, Vikings, Bengals, Pack

June 18th, 2015 at 7:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look at what’s happening in the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Steelers’ defense isn’t going to be one whose linemen merely occupy opposing blockers. Instead, new coordinator Keith Butler is encouraging them to attack the football, writes Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com.“Coach Buts said early on, ‘I’m not going to hold you back. I want the linebackers to fend for themselves. I expect you guys to make plays for yourself,” lineman Cameron Heyward said. Heyward added that he’s excited about Butler’s philosophy. “I’m salivating. I can’t wait until the season starts.”
  • The Packers have a breakout candidate in second-year wide receiver Davante Adams, who caught 38 passes during the regular season and added a seven-catch, 117-yard showing against Dallas in the playoffs. Head coach Mike McCarthy is excited about Adams’ output at minicamp. “Davante Adams, if you want a clear illustration and example of a first-year player taking a jump in his second year, you just saw it here the last four weeks,” McCarthy told the Associated Press. “Davante, if you wanted me to pick an MVP or an all-star (of the offseason), he would definitely be atop the list.”
  • Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil wants more from third-year linebacker Barkevious Mingo, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “He is going to have to compete for playing time on early downs. He’s going to have a role in our sub-packages,” said O’Neil, who did acknowledge that Mingo is the team’s best outside linebacker in coverage. Mingo’s role last year mainly focused on coverage, not rushing the passer, as he played through a torn labrum. Mingo has racked up just seven sacks since going sixth overall in the 2014 draft.
  • Vikings safety Harrison Smith is under team control for just two more seasons, but he’s not thinking about a contract extension. “I’m really just focused on playing the best type of football I can. That stuff will work itself out,” Harrison said Thursday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’m happy to be here and happy to be a part of the Vikings, but all I’m thinking about right now is playing well in 2015.” Whether it’s with the Vikings or someone else, Smith is primed to cash in big if his career stays on its current course. Smith totaled a career-best five interceptions in 2014, giving him 10 in three seasons, and earned a spot on Pro Football Focus’ All-Pro team.
  • Two of Harrison’s fellow Vikings defenders, end Brian Robison and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, expect to be ready for training camp in July after suffering offseason injuries, per the Pioneer Press’ Brian Murphy.
  • Bengals wideout Marvin Jones impressed as an NFL sophomore in 2013, amassing 51 catches and 10 touchdowns, before missing all of last season with ankle and foot injuries. Healthy again, ESPN’s Coley Harvey writes that the 2012 second-round pick is returning to form. “You’re starting to see a play here, a play there of the old Marv, and the quickness, suddenness and explosiveness,” Bengals receivers coach James Urban said.
  • The performance of backup quarterback A.J. McCarron in spring workouts greatly impressed the Bengals and helped convince them to release Terrelle Pryor on Thursday, writes Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “If he can do what he did here live, that will be the next step,” said quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese. Head coach Marvin Lewis expressed similar sentiment regarding the 2014 fifth-round pick and three-time national champion from the University of Alabama. “I’m pleased with his ability to handle the huddle, to handle the team. These nine practices have been awesome for him,” Lewis said.
  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco heaped praise on second-year receiver Jeremy Butler, who stood out at the team’s minicamp. “He was incredible. He caught the ball extremely well,” said Flacco, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson. “He’s just a big, strong body and catches the ball really well. It’s exactly what he showed last year in training camp, I thought, and he’s just coming out here and doing more of that.” Butler went undrafted out of Tennessee-Martin in 2014 and missed his entire rookie season because of a shoulder injury.

AFC North Notes: Bell, Steelers, Ravens

June 17th, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Zachary Links

For the past two years, veteran defensive end Chris Canty has lined up with the Ravens‘ starting defense. He anticipates continuing that in 2015. “I’ve been a starter in this league for a decade, I don’t really see that changing,” Canty said, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “That’s what I foresee. Things change. It’s a very fluid situation, but that’s what I have in mind for my role being on this football team on our defensive unit.” Canty, a 10-year veteran, signed a two-year deal worth $4.65MM with Baltimore back in March. Here’s more from the AFC North..

  • The three-game suspension for Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell was announced more than two months ago, but Bell says his appeal has yet to be heard, and he’s not sure when it will be, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In most cases, an appeal hearing takes place within a few weeks of the appeal being filed, so I’m not sure why there’s such a delay for Bell’s case.
  • Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele says that he feels good about his body of work as he enters his contract year, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The former second-round draft pick is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, when his four-year rookie deal expires. “I feel really good about what I’ve shown,” said Osemele. “Obviously, it helps to come in here and win a Super Bowl. That’s always a good thing, but, on top of that, I’ve had great teammates and a great coaching staff behind me.” Wilson hears that no deal is imminent for Osemele or teammate Marshal Yanda.
  • After restructuring his deal earlier this offseason, cornerback Lardarius Webb is passionate about taking on a special teams role as the Ravens‘ primary punt returner, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. However, it remains to be seen whether Baltimore will greenlight that given his injury history. Webb’s new deal takes him through 2017 but his base pay in 2016 and 2017 is non-guaranteed.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

June 17th, 2015 at 7:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional transactions added to the top of the list throughout the evening:

  • Bills defensive back Deon Broomfield has reverted to the reserve-injured list after being waived-injured and going unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Broomfield was waived on Tuesday to make room for defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.
  • The Raiders cut former Michigan receiver Jeremy Gallon from IR, Wilson tweets. Gallon joined Oakland on a reserve deal in December.
  • Having been waived yesterday with an injured designation after suffering a torn ACL, tight end Zach Sudfeld went unclaimed and reverted to the Jets‘ injured reserve list today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.

Earlier updates:

  • The Panthers have signed former Chiefs guard Ricky Henry, waiving center Ronald Patrick to create room, the team announced today (via Twitter). Henry spent the 2014 season on Kansas City’s practice squad before signing a futures contract with the team and being waived last month.
  • The Steelers have also made a minor change on their offensive line, signing interior lineman Collin Rahrig and waiving tackle Micah Hatchie with an injured designation, per Burt Lauten (Twitter link). Rahrig initially tried out for Pittsburgh after the draft in May.
  • Back-of-the-roster players often find themselves being frequently signed and waived during the regular season, as teams shuffle their regular season rosters, but that back and forth is happening for running back Rasheed Williams during the offseason. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Lions cut Williams again today. It’s the second time Williams has been let go by the club since first being signed as an undrafted free agent last month.

AFC Notes: Clemons, Ravens, Mathis

June 15th, 2015 at 9:39pm CST by Zachary Links

As expected, veteran pass rusher Chris Clemons reported to the Jaguars today, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Clemons hadn’t been present for Jacksonville’s voluntary OTAs this year, but would have forfeited his workout bonus if he hadn’t shown up this week. More from the AFC..

  • The Ravens could use another pass rusher and wouldn’t hesitate to add another defensive back, but the team doesn’t have any significant holes right now, so any veteran signings still to come would be more of a luxury than a necessity, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wonders if the Raiders should pursue guard Evan Mathis. The Raiders do not have a set starter at right guard, they have nearly $17MM in cap room, and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was on the Eagles’ staff last year. However, the Raiders are happy with their trio of right guards and Mathis’ age (33) could be a deterrent for them, in Williamson’s view. However, one offensive lineman to keep an eye for the Raiders could be tackle Sam Baker, who was cut by the Falcons on Monday.
  • Landry Jones‘ future with the Steelers could hinge on how he performs in the preseason, Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The third-year quarterback has had a difficult time adjusting since he was taken in the fourth round out of Oklahoma. Quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner speculated that his spread offense background has been a hindrance to his development so far.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Ten Teams Placed Claims On Tim Wright

June 15th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Tim Wright returned to his old team last week, when the tight end, having been cut by New England, landed with the Buccaneers, who have the NFL’s No. 1 waiver priority this offseason. However, Tampa Bay was far from the only club to place a claim on Wright. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), nine other teams – 10 in total – submitted claims for the former Patriot.

Besides the Buccaneers, the teams that tried to land Wright before he reached free agency were the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, says Yates. Most of those clubs have somewhat uncertain tight end situations — for instance, the Browns and Saints recently lost Jordan Cameron and Jimmy Graham, respectively, and the Bears aren’t sure when Martellus Bennett will report to the team.

The myriad suitors for Wright makes it even more surprising that the Patriots simply waived him last week. The young tight end just turned 25, and had racked up 80 receptions, including 11 touchdowns, in his first two years in the NFL. With Scott Chandler now in New England, Wright may not have fit into the team’s future plans, but the number of waiver claims placed for him suggests that the Pats might have been able to squeeze at least a late-round pick out of an interested club.

The Bucs have taken advantage of their top waiver priority multiple times so far this offseason, with the addition of Wright simply acting as the latest example. Tampa Bay also added former Browns punter Spencer Lanning via waivers last week, and claimed veteran safety D.J. Swearinger back in May.

AFC Notes: Freeman, Steelers, McCourty, Anderson

June 13th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Ben Levine

Josh Freeman is trying to make the most of his opportunity with the Dolphins, but the quarterback understands that he could be on the outside looking in:

“We’ve got four quarterbacks on the roster and a limited amount of time,” Freeman told Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel. “Some days, I might not get the reps in practice.

“I don’t think anybody can see the future. You don’t really think of those scenarios that haven’t really come up in your mind at times. I’m just taking it in stride. Whatever it becomes, I’m trying to make the most of it.”

When asked about this chances to make the team, Freeman had an honest outlook:

“I couldn’t tell you either way. The coaches are the decision-makers. All I know is I’m going to keep giving it my best, continue to improve and let the people whose call it is to make make the call.”

Let’s see what else is happening around the AFC…

  • Keith Butler waited patiently a dozen years for his opportunity, but he’s finally the man in charge of the Steelers‘ defense. This offseason, the team did not renew the contract of Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, giving Butler the opportunity to ascend to defensive coordinator. Prior to that, Butler had opportunities to be someone else’s defensive coordinator, as Dan Scifo of The Associated Press writes. “To me, if you’re going to coach in this game, you want to win a Super Bowl,” said Butler. “I always thought the best chance for me to win a Super Bowl as a coordinator would be (in Pittsburgh).”
  • The Patriots lost several notable defenders this offseason, including veterans Darrelle Revis and Vince Wilfork, and that makes safety Devin McCourty the de facto “face” of the defense. Of course, the All-Pro defensive back would never admit that. “We have a lot of really good players on defense,” McCourty said to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “Last year, a lot of guys stepped up and made plays, and I think that is going to continue to happen. I don’t really think we have a face. We have guys that have been here a longer time than other guys…There’s so much that goes into being a good team and a good defense that you can’t put it on one guy to be the so-called face of the defense.”
  • Broncos running back C.J. Anderson signed a new contract yesterday, but it had nothing to do with his football career. The 24-year-old inked a sponsorship with Storm – The Bowler’s Company, essentially making the running back a professional bowler. “This could also be something after football,” he told Rod Mackey of Colorado’s 9News. “A lot of people pickup golf, I might be picking up bowling.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

North Notes: Heyward, Lions, Bennett

June 10th, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward is due for a big-time contract and will likely ink one before training camp opens, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes.

“I try to stay out of the process and just focus on what I can control,” Heyward said. “I’d love to get a contract, but I have to just continue to keep my eyes on the prize. I would love for it to happen. I think they want it to happen.”

Last season, Heyward was the first defensive end to lead the Steelers in sacks in a decade as he and Jason Worilds tied with 7.5 a piece. Heyward says he plans on being even more of a force this season and topping that total. Here’s more out of the North divisions..

  • There are a number of Steelers entering their walk years, but Heyward might be the only one to sign a new deal, Bouchette writes. The Steelers may try to sign tackle Kelvin Beachum, but they may not pay him what he’s likely worth on the opening market. Last year, Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth best left tackle in the game.
  • The Lions hosted a ton of notable veteran free agents on Wednesday but did not sign any of them immediately after the session, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Wide receivers Brad Smith and Robert Meachem and running backs Ben Tate and Daniel Thomas were among the free agents in Detroit today but none of them have deals – at least not yet. The Lions appear set at running back after drafting Ameer Abdullah in the second round to pair with Joique Bell, but Bell is still recovering from offseason surgeries. Tate and Thomas, in theory, could be called upon if Bell’s recovery takes longer than expected.
  • Bears head coach John Fox is unsure if Martellus Bennett will attend the team’s mandatory minicamp, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. The tight end is pushing for a raise from the $4.9MM base he’s scheduled to earn in 2015. The 2014 Pro Bowler has two years left on a four-year, $20.4MM deal he signed in March of 2013.

North Notes: Lions, Flacco, A. Brown

June 8th, 2015 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Special teams standout Brad Smith, who has played all over the field in his NFL career, will pay a visit to the Lions on Tuesday, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While Smith has seen time at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver during his NFL career, and was a very productive kick returner a few years ago, his primary contributions at this point in his career will come in kick and punt coverage.

Meanwhile, a Lions free agent, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, is visiting an unknown team today, per Birkett. There were conflicting reports last week on whether Detroit has interest in re-signing Mosley, and Birkett notes that while the Lions have engaged with the defensive lineman about a possible return, no agreement is imminent.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco would like to play in the NFL until he’s at least 40 years old, as he tells Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Of course, we should probably take Flacco’s comments with a grain of salt at this point, considering he just turned 30 earlier this year.
  • While the Steelers may not adjust Antonio Brown‘s contract this year, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, with the help of former NFL salary cap analyst J.I. Halsell, attempts to identify a potential extension scenario that could work for both sides.
  • Judge David Doty will hear the NFLPA’s motion to hold Roger Goodell in contempt of court in the Adrian Peterson case on August 13, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Doty ruled in favor of the NFLPA back in February, granting the union’s motion to overturn the league’s decision on Peterson’s suspension, but the NFL didn’t reinstate the Vikings running back until mid-April.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along word of a couple auditions taking place this week, reporting (via Twitter) that center/guard Ben Gottschalk is trying out for the Packers today and former Hawaii defensive end Beau Yap is working out for the Bengals tomorrow.

Extra Points: Spikes, Carroll, Steelers, Rams

June 7th, 2015 at 7:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Just weeks after signing a one-year deal with the Patriots, linebacker Brandon Spikes may soon find himself in legal trouble.

A car registered to Spikes was found abandoned on I-495 in Foxborough, Mass., early Sunday morning, according to FOX 25. An OnStar representative told Massachusetts State Police that the driver reported hitting a deer, but no deer was found in the vicinity and the car had front-end damage. Shortly after, police responded to a hit-and-run report nearby. The occupants, who said they were rear-ended by a car they didn’t see, were treated for minor injuries at an area hospital.

Per Massachusetts law, fleeing a hit-and-run scene in which human injuries occurred carries up to two years in jail, tweeted Sports Illustrated’s Michael McCann.

When asked for comment, Patriots spokesman Stacey James said, “We are aware of the report and are looking into the matter, but I don’t have any additional comment at this time.”

Whether this will lead to serious ramifications for Spikes remains to be seen, but it’s an inauspicious start to his second stint with the Pats. The 27-year-old left the team in an acrimonious manner last offseason after four seasons and subsequently signed with AFC East rival Buffalo. Upon returning to New England, Spikes said of head coach Bill Belichick,“I just want to show him I’ve changed as an individual, as a player, as a man. I’m going to just show him; better than just saying it, I’m going to show him.”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The Eagles are looking for a cornerback to start opposite the newly acquired Byron Maxwell, and they have a strong contender in five-year veteran Nolan Carroll, writes Jeff McLane of Philly.com. Carroll has fared well during spring workouts and drawn praise from head coach Chip Kelly and defensive backs coach Cory Undilin. “He’s not satisfied with where he was yesterday,” said Undilin. “So every time he comes into the building his mind-set is telling him, ‘Listen, I’m going to find a away to get better than I was yesterday.’ I believe he’s done that every single day he’s been here.” Carroll, whom Philly signed as a free agent last year, appeared in 16 games in 2014 and made 31 tackles. He has five career interceptions, including three in 2013.
  • Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant spent the first six games of 2014, his rookie season, on the inactive list and then impressed when finally given a chance, averaging over 21 yards per catch and racking up eight touchdowns in 10 games. The 23-year-old spent the offseason working hard in hopes of making an impact immediately in his second year, he told the Associated Press. “I am more prepared,” the former fourth-round pick said. “I have more confidence. I just trained and did karate and ran routes the whole offseason to get better. I worked on the whole route tree that we run so people can see that I can do more than just catch the deep ball.”
  • The Rams waived sixth-round receiver Bud Sasser earlier this week because of a heart condition that, in the team’s opinion, will prevent Sasser from playing. Sasser went unclaimed on waivers and is now on the Rams’ non-football illness list for 2015. Teams don’t have to pay players who are on the NFI list, and the Rams will take advantage of that, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Sasser will, however, keep the $113k signing bonus the Rams gave him when they signed him. There is no word on whether the team will relinquish Sasser’s rights, which would give him the opportunity to catch on with another club. Sasser would want that, it seems, given that he believes he’s physically well enough to play.

AFC North Notes: McCown, Carter, Thomas

June 7th, 2015 at 9:43am CST by Rory Parks

Much has been made of the Browns‘ quarterback situation heading into 2015, with a great deal of the discussion revolving around second-year signal-caller Johnny Manziel. But there has been significantly less attention devoted to the man who will more than likely be under center when Week 1 rolls around, Josh McCown.

McCown, signed to a three-year, $14MM contract this offseason, is not the solution at quarterback that Cleveland fans desperately seek. He is 35, and he has largely served as a backup in his 12 seasons in the league, compiling a 17-32 record as a starter. However, head coach Mike Pettine thinks that even if McCown is not the long-term answer, he does represent the next best thing. Pettine had this to say at yesterday’s Fan Fest (from Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal):

“Until you feel you’ve found what you would call a long-term solution, I don’t think we could have done any better than bringing in a guy like Josh McCown…It’s like having another coach on the field, and it’s all genuine. That’s the thing you like the most. Despite his age, people that have been at practice agree, he can still spin it. We didn’t just look to bring in a guy who was just going to be a mentor. We wanted a guy who we think can still play a little bit if you put him in the right circumstances. He’s been more than advertised.”

As Ulrich writes, Pettine’s comments, which were echoed by GM Ray Farmer, suggest that McCown is not only the favorite to win the starting job out of training camp this season, he is a lock.

Let’s check out a couple of more links from the AFC North:

  • As we learned several weeks ago, Browns safety Tashaun Gipson is the only restricted free agent who appears demonstratively unhappy with his contract situation, as he was offered a second-round tender rather than a first-round tender. As Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, the Browns should have gone the extra mile and extended the first-round offer, which would have cost the team an extra $1MM but would have set a positive tone for extension talks. Grossi believes, however, that the situation could still be resolved amicably.
  • By releasing Jacoby Jones this offseason, the Ravens left themselves a hole at kick returner. One of the early favorites for that role, Michael Campanaro, has struggled with injury in his young career, and though cornerback Lardarius Webb was an effective returner a few years ago, injuries have taken their toll on him as well, and Baltimore does not want to risk losing their No. 2 corner to a special teams injury. As Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes, that leaves the door wide open for undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, the diminutive receiver who showed explosive speed at Sacramento State and whose chances to stick on the 53-man roster seem to increase with each passing day.
  • Shamarko Thomas has battled injury in his first two seasons in the league, but in the wake of Troy Polamalu‘s retirement, he now has the chance to establish himself as the Steelers‘ long-term answer at strong safety. Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review describes the work that Thomas has put in this offseason to ensure that he capitalizes on his opportunity, work that has not gone unnoticed by Thomas’ running mate st safety, Mike Mitchell.
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