HEADLINES

Aaron Berry

Jets Notes: Ryan, Berry, Walls

October 7th, 2014 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

While the Giants enjoy their three game win streak, things are decidedly less cheery for the Meadowlands’ other team. Here’s the latest on Gang Green..

  • Jets coach Rex Ryan says he expects to get fired if he can’t turn his team’s season around, writes ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “You’re right, if that’s the case and we don’t get this thing on the right track, I don’t think for a minute I’ll be here,” Ryan said on ESPN New York. “I know I won’t, but I believe this team will right itself and we’ll find a way.” The Jets have a 1-4 record as they get set to take on the Broncos and Patriots.
  • Gang Green worked out an old friend in cornerback Aaron Berry, Cimini tweets. That could be a sign that Darrin Walls‘ knee is in worse shape than previously believed.
  • The Jets, who are in desperate need of help in their secondary, worked out three defensive backs, according to Cimini (via Twitter). Malcolm Bronson, Jordan Sullen, and Rod Sweeting were all brought in for auditions. Meanwhile, linebacker Mario Harvey visited with the team.

Browns Sign Gerell Robinson, Cut Two Players

September 9th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns have added a pair of players to their 53-man roster, announcing today that they’ve signed tight end Gerell Robinson and activated wideout Marlon Moore from the reserve-suspended list (Twitter link). To make room for the incoming players, Cleveland has waived offensive lineman Ryan Seymour and released cornerback Aaron Berry.

Robinson had been on the Broncos’ practice squad, making him the latest player to make the move from Denver’s practice squad to Cleveland’s active roster. Offensive lineman Vinston Painter made the same jump a week ago. As for Moore, he has served his one-game suspension, but it’s hard to tell where he’ll fit in even on a Browns receiving corps that’s missing Josh Gordon. The 27-year-old has caught just 19 passes in four NFL seasons.

In addition to the changes made to their 53-man roster, the Browns also shuffled their practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, who tweets that linebacker Justin Staples was cut to make room for wideout Ifeanyi Momah.

AFC North Notes: Berry, Gray, Ravens

June 6th, 2014 at 8:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cornerback Aaron Berry is coming off an ACL injury, and his NFL future is questionable, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.

However, he is getting a chance to make the Browns‘ roster, thanks to his relationship with new head coach Mike Pettine. Pettine was the defensive coordinator for the Jets, and Browns’ defensive coordinator coach Jim O’Neil was the Jets’ defensive backs coach when Berry played for gang green.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

  • The Browns have a versatile weapon in former quarterback MarQueis Gray, writes George Thomas of the Beacon-Journal. Gray converted from a passer to a tight end last year, and this year is changing positions again as he familiarizes himself with the fullback position.
  • Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun highlights five second-year players in position to have a big impact for the Ravens in 2014.
  • While the Bengals have the seventh best roster in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, but could have been ranked even higher if not for the inconsistent performance of quarterback Andy Dalton, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, defensive tackle Geno Atkins, and receiver A.J. Green lead the charge for the Bengals’ high overall ranking.

Browns Sign Aaron Berry

June 2nd, 2014 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Browns have officially kicked off the post-June 1 free agent period, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed defensive back Aaron Berry. The team hosted Berry for a free agent visit back in March, then had him in for an audition more recently.

Berry, who played with current Browns head coach Mike Pettine in 2012 when Pettine was the Jets’ defensive coordinator, missed last season due to an ACL injury, and was never a regular, full-season contributor on defense during his previous stints with the Lions and Jets. Still, when given the chance to start three games and appear in 478 defensive snaps in 2011 in Detroit, he played well, recording 36 tackles and grading as an above-average coverage corner, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 25-year-old figures to compete for a roster spot in Cleveland and perhaps play on special teams if he makes the club.

As I explained last week, we should expect to see an increase in signings after June 1 passes, since a number of teams gained extra cap space as a result of post-June 1 cuts, and free agents are no longer tied to future draft pick compensation.

Browns Rumors: Cameron, Manziel, Berry

May 21st, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned the contract details on two Browns free agent pickups. Miles Austin got a $300K bonus to go with his $1.7MM deal while veteran Earl Bennett will have $75K of his minimum salary guaranteed. Both men will have the difficult task of coming to Cleveland and trying to help fill the void left by Josh Gordon‘s suspension. Here’s more on the Browns..

  • Browns tight end Jordan Cameron isn’t saying much about his contract negotiations, but he did address one rumor today, writes Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. It has been said that the Los Angeles native would prefer to play on the West Coast rather than re-sign with the Browns, but Cameron says there’s no truth to that. “If I didn’t say it, it’s not true,” Cameron said of a report last month. “I would love to play here. I started here, I want to finish up here. But the contract stuff is outside of here. I’ll let my agent deal with that. I’m trying to stay positive. Like I said, if it didn’t come out of my mouth it’s not true.“
  • The Browns are already mishandling Johnny Manziel and the attention that he brings, opines Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
  • Cornerback Aaron Berry had a tryout with the Browns, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today. Berry was released by the Lions after a pair of offseason arrests in 2012 and signed with the Jets in October. He appeared in seven games for Gang Green in ’12 but missed all of 2013 with a torn ACL. Cleveland coach Mike Pettine was the defensive coordinator of the Jets when they signed Berry.

FA Rumors: Hester, Melton, Harrison, Mack

March 18th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime return specialist Devin Hester is finally making his first free agent visit of the offseason, nearly a week after free agency officially began. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear is in Atlanta today meeting with the Falcons. As Field Yates of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), the Falcons were one of four NFL teams in 2013 that didn’t have a punt return of more than 25 yards or a kick return of more than 50 yards, so targeting Hester makes sense.

Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the board:

  • Free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton is on his way to meet with the Rams, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Melton, who left his visit in Dallas without a deal, remains in contact with the Cowboys, but plenty of teams are still in the mix. The Vikings, Raiders, Bears, and Seahawks all have some level of interest, depending on the 27-year-old’s price tag, says Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
  • Appearing on the NFL Network, free agent linebacker James Harrison, who was recently released by the Bengals, indicated that “everyone knows” he’d like to return to the Steelers (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explores why transition-tagged center Alex Mack has yet to generate much interest, and how Mack’s agents could ensure that he becomes an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
  • Running back Alfonso Smith has been informed he won’t be returning to the Cardinals, according to a tweet from the free agent himself. Smith had been eligible for restricted free agency this winter, but didn’t receive a tender offer from Arizona.
  • Former Jets cornerback Aaron Berry visited the Browns yesterday, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). As Costello notes, Berry played with Browns coach Mike Pettine in 2012 when Pettine was the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
  • The Vikings have confirmed that offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse visited Minnesota (Twitter link). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported last week that the visit was expected to happen.