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Billy Cundiff

Minor Moves: Saturday

December 13th, 2014 at 5:10pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list:

  • The Packers have placed backup linebacker Jamari Lattimore on the injured reserve, tweets Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo. The team will promote safety Chris Banjo from the practice squad to take the open roster space (also via Garafolo).
  • The Dolphins have promoted defensive back T.J. Heath, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The former Jacksonville State standout previously spent time with the Jaguars, Bengals, Bills and Browns.
  • The Seahawks have released cornerback Kennard Cox from their practice squad, tweets The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. Taking his place will be linebacker Allen Bradford, who was cut from the team’s active roster earlier this week.

Earlier updates:

AFC North Notes: McPhee, Ravens, Browns

December 12th, 2014 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

With Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee approaching the end of his rookie contract, he’ll be a hot item if he hits the open market this winter. However, as he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, the pass rusher would like to work out a long-term deal that keeps him in Baltimore.

“I would love to be here,” McPhee said. “It’s a business. I hope they’ll want me back. I hope so, man. I don’t know if they’re talking, but I hope so. This is where I was born in the NFL, and I wouldn’t mind continuing to live here and keep it going.”

Here’s more on the Ravens and one of their AFC North rivals:

  • Ravens wide receiver Aldrick Robinson is being paid an upgraded practice squad salary of $10K per week, above the usual rate of $6,300 per week, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • Wilson (via Twitter) also has the goods on the Ravens‘ deal with defensive back Antoine Cason. The deal is worth the veteran’s minimum of $730K and he’ll earn the prorated portion of that for the last three games (~$129K). Cason, a former first-round pick, signed with Baltimore earlier this week to help provide depth in a secondary that has been hit hard by injuries.
  • There was some speculation earlier in the week, particularly after the club worked out multiple kickers, that the Browns would replace kicker Billy Cundiff, who has been inconsistent this season. While Cleveland initially elected not to sign another kicker due to Cundiff’s performance, the team may have to do so anyway, with the veteran listed as questionable on this week’s injury report due to a knee injury, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. The Browns took a look at Garrett Hartley, Zach Hocker, and Nate Freese this week.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

 

Extra Points: Goodell, Raiders, JPP, Browns

December 10th, 2014 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

On the same day the NFL announced that its owners have approved a new personal conduct policy for the league, Outside the Lines reporter Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN.com has published a story suggesting commissioner Roger Goodell‘s testimony during Ray Rice‘s suspension appeal hearing was inconsistent with his public statements.

On September 10, Goodell wrote a memo to the league’s 32 owners in which he said that “on multiple occasions, we asked the proper law enforcement authorities to share with us all relevant information, including any video of the [Rice elevator] incident.” However, the 631-page transcript of Rice’s appeal hearing, a copy of which was obtained by Outside the Lines, suggests that the NFL never actually formally requested the elevator video from the one law enforcement agency that actually had it, the Atlantic City Police Department.

With Goodell and the NFL once again under scrutiny for questionable handling of investigative and disciplinary matters, let’s round up a few other notes from around the league:

  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Raiders have “a much better chance” of moving to Los Angeles in 2015 than he had realized, adding that the possibility of the team relocating from Oakland to L.A. is “very legitimate.”
  • While NFL teams rarely let their starting quarterbacks reach the open market, the early returns for the teams that locked their QBs up this year haven’t been good, writes Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead. The Bears (Jay Cutler), Bengals (Andy Dalton), Chiefs (Alex Smith), and 49ers (Colin Kaepernick) likely aren’t thrilled with the new deals for their respective signal-callers, considering all four teams project to finish with worse records in 2014 than 2013.
  • Asked about his impending free agency, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul said he’d “love to be a Giant for life,” but isn’t sure yet how things will play out (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).
  • Although Browns kicker Billy Cundiff missed another key field goal on Sunday against the Colts, head coach Mike Pettine says Cundiff remains the team’s kicker, but “he knows he has to pick it up” (Twitter link via Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald).
  • Adrian Peterson is still awaiting arbitrator Harold Henderson’s decision on his suspension appeal, and the Vikings running back continues to hold out hope that he’ll be able to return the field this season, NFLPA executive George Atallah tells Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion will be represented by Athletes First agents Andrew Kessler and Dave Dunn for the 2015 NFL draft, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal.

Extra Points: Browns, Harbaugh, Peterson

December 7th, 2014 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes as we wrap up the weekend…

  • The Browns quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002 took a hit today, but don’t expect the team to make any drastic changes. Following Cleveland’s 25-24 loss to the Colts, coach Mike Pettine addressed the play of quarterback Brian Hoyer (via David Campbell of Cleveland.com). “He did not play well enough for us to win,” Pettine said. “The entire team did not play well enough for us to win.” So, will the team make the switch to rookie Johnny Manziel? “I haven’t even thought about it,” said Pettine. “It’s something we’ll get together and discuss. It’s too fresh after this one.”
  • There isn’t only a quarterback controversy in Cleveland. According to Branson Wright of The Plain Dealer, the Browns may be looking for another kicker after veteran Billy Cundiff missed another key kick. “It’s obviously concerning,” said Pettine. “We get field goal attempts, we get a chance to put points on the board against a good team and you’ve got to be able to convert.”
  • There have been plenty of rumors regarding Jim Harbaugh‘s future with the 49ers, but the head coach was adamant that the whispers have not distracted his team, saying “it can’t be a factor.” The coach was also clear that he’s focused on this season. “My priorities are No. 1, winning football games,” Harbaugh said (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “No. 2, the welfare of our players, coaches and staff. And, lastly, is what my personal professional future is.”
  • A resolution to the Adrian Peterson appeal will come eventually, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes the running back will be on the field in 2015 if a deal is reached. If a deal isn’t reached, the writer warns that a lawsuit could be the next option.

Cundiff, Browns Agree To One-Year Deal

March 6th, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Kicker Billy Cundiff will return to Cleveland for another season, having agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year, $1.02MM contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Cundiff, who will turn 34 later this month, made all 34 of his extra point tries for Cleveland in 2013, along with 21 of his 26 field goal attempts. While those numbers didn’t put him among the league’s most accurate kickers or top scorers, Cundiff’s production was solid and he performed particularly well on kickoffs, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

We’ve already seen kickers like Graham Gano, Nick Folk, and Dan Bailey sign contracts this offseason that will pay them in excess of $3MM per year, so a salary in the neighborhood of $1MM for Cundiff looks like a good deal for the Browns.