Cameron Clear

NFL Suspends Cameron Clear, J.J. Worton

The NFL has suspended a pair of free agents, tight end Cameron Clear and wide receiver J.J. Worton, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The league banned Clear for 10 games and Worton for six.

Cameron Clear (vertical)

The reason for Clear’s suspension is unknown, but it’s not the first time the league has issued him a ban. Previously, it hit Clear with a four-game suspension in June. Clear went undrafted out of Texas A&M last year and then signed with the Steelers, who waived him early in the season as a result of injury issues. The 6-foot-5, 273-pounder didn’t hook on elsewhere until February, when Indianapolis signed him to a futures contract. The Colts ended up waiving Clear in May, and he hasn’t had a reported workout with any team since.

Worton, then with the Patriots, was arrested in January and charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 and over and one count of assault and battery. The Patriots eventually cut Worton, who was found guilty on the three charges in April and is now on probation through next March. Worton signed with the Rams in May, but they cut him a month later.

Extra Points: Clear, Jones, Hughes, Cowboys

A teammate of Johnny Manziel‘s at Texas A&M, tight end Cameron Clear joined the embattled quarterback among those suspended on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Like Manziel, Clear is also a free agent suspended for four games. The Colts signed him to a reserve/futures contract after the 2015 season but cut him in May.

A 6-foot-5 tight end who would be a second-year player if given another chance after this suspension, Clear spent time with the Steelers last season but did not see any game action.

Sheldon Richardson and Rolando McClain were also suspended on a news-dump Thursday before the July 4 weekend, with Demarcus Lawrence‘s four-game ban being upheld as well.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

  • Former Chargers, 49ers and Cowboys special teams contributor C.J. Spillman was convicted of sexual assault Thursday, Claire Z. Cardona of the Dallas Morning News reports. The 30-year-old spent most of his six-year career with the 49ers but last played as a Cowboys reserve defensive back in 2014. The incident that prompted the conviction, which carries a two- to 20-year prison sentence, occurred Sept. 20, 2014. Spillman played for the Cowboys for the rest of that season.
  • McClain’s suspensions in Dallas now total 14 games after the middle linebacker began the 2015 season with a four-game ban. Todd Archer of ESPN.com advocates the Cowboys cut ties with him despite re-signing the soon-to-be 27-year-old this offseason. McClain is signed to a one-year, $3.375MM deal as a stopgap until Jaylon Smith proves ready. The latter does not look like he’ll be ready to play this season, and the Cowboys now have three of their starting front seven — McClain, Lawrence and Randy Gregory — set to begin 2016 suspended.
  • After a potential felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor for resisting arrest, Seahawks reserve quarterback Trevone Boykin received probation on Thursday, Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com reports. The rookie UDFA incurred this charge after a Dec. 31, 2015 incident before TCU’s Alamo Bowl, a game for which Boykin did not dress.
  • Datone Jones will shift to a stand-up, edge-defending position after he relocated there late last season, Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com reports. The Packers plan to play their 2013 first-round pick at outside linebacker in a 3-4 set and on the outside in passing-down sets, which he did beginning with a two-sack game against the Vikings last November. Given the team’s depth at each position, Jones’ role adjustment is interesting. As Roster resource shows, the Packers are more stocked on the edge than they are inside in their 3-4 set. Julius Peppers, Nick Perry and a recently relocated Clay Matthews reside at outside linebacker.
  • The Bills will also look to move Jerry Hughes into more of a stand-up outside-linebacking role, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. Hughes had his best seasons as a 4-3 end in 2013-14, when he notched 10 sacks in each slate en route to signing a five-year, $45MM contract.

Colts Cut Khaled Holmes, Three Others

The Colts have waived offensive lineman Khaled Holmes and three other players, the team announced today in a press release. Tight end Cameron Clear, long snapper Forrest Hill, and tackle Mitchell Van Dyk will join Holmes on the free agent market, assuming they clear waivers.Khaled Holmes

Holmes, 26, is the most notable player in the group, having been a fourth-round pick in 2013 out of USC. The interior lineman started nine games for the Colts since joining the team, including seven in 2015. However, he played primarily at center in Indianapolis, and the club’s decision to draft Ryan Kelly in the first round on Thursday made Holmes expendable.

The salary cap impact of today’s moves will be negligible for the Colts. All four players were on minimum salary contracts, and only Holmes had any dead money left on his deal. His release will clear his non-guaranteed $675K base salary from Indianapolis’ books, leaving about $105K in dead money on the cap.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Colts Sign Cameron Clear

The Colts announced that they have signed tight end Cameron Clear. Clear will give the Colts a bit of insurance as tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen approach unrestricted free agency. Cameron Clear (vertical)

[RELATED: Colts Want To Re-Sign Adam Vinatieri]

Clear was in camp with the Steelers prior to the 2015 season before injuries led to him going on IR and, eventually, securing his release. The 6’5″ tight end is no stranger to the workout circuit, as his player page on Pro Football Rumors shows, but he has yet to see live action in the NFL. Needless to say, he will not solely serve as a replacement if Fleener and Allen sign elsewhere. However, he can be a low-risk reserve option with blocking ability for the Colts if one of the two players leave in free agency. The Colts also have backup tight ends Jack Doyle and Erik Swoope on the depth chart.

Allen made 16 catches in 13 games for the Colts this season. He hasn’t been able to match the production he put up as a rookie in 2011 in terms of receptions (45) and yardage (521), but he did amass a career-best eight touchdowns in 2014. Fleener, meanwhile, appeared in all 16 games, racking up 54 catches and 491 yards with three touchdowns. The 27-year-old (28 in September) tied Allen with a career-high 8 touchdowns in 2014.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Workout Notes: Steelers, Broncos, Bears

The Steelers, who have been leaning heavily on DeAngelo Williams since Le’Veon Bell went down for the year, worked out former Rams and Jets running back Daryl Richardson, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). It doesn’t appear Pittsburgh will sign Richardson at this point, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the free agent market, considering Jordan Todman and Fitzgerald Toussaint – Williams’ current backups – have combined for just four carries this season.

Here are more workout notes from Wilson:

  • The Broncos had a huge group of players in for tryouts this week, and Wilson (Twitter links) has the full list:
    • FB Ray Agnew
    • TE Brandon Barden
    • DT Alex Bienemann
    • TE Cameron Clear
    • WR Jace Davis
    • WR Antwan Goodley
    • WR R.J. Harris
    • C Alex Hill
    • T Cameron Jefferson
    • WR Jordan Leslie
    • QB Seth Lobato
    • WR Levi Norwood
    • QB Bryn Renner
    • T Jack Rummells
    • WR Demetrius Wilson
  • Tight end Rob Housler was part of the Bears‘ latest workout group, which also featured tight end Nick Kasa and wide receiver Marcus Lucas, according to Wilson (Twitter link). Chicago’s starting tight end, Martellus Bennett, is expected to return to action this weekend, so I wouldn’t expect the team to add another player at the position.
  • The Cardinals auditioned linebackers Josh Francis, Quayshawn Nealy, Markus Pierce-Brewster, and Mike Reilly, along with cornerback Jalil Brown, tweets Wilson.
  • In addition to working out offensive tackle Pierce Burton, who signed to the team’s practice squad, the Colts also took a look at defensive end Nordly Capi and defensive back Terrance Mitchell, says Wilson (via Twitter).
  • The Raiders tried out safety Dewey McDonald, tweets Wilson. McDonald was signed by the Patriots last week, but only lasted two days on New England’s roster.

Workout Notes: Raiders, Colts, Packers

Today’s workouts from around the league:

Workout Notes: Jets, Giants, Pats, Colts

Wednesday’s workouts from around the NFL:

West Notes: Armstrong, Floyd, Welker

Police are looking into whether Raiders linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong illegally taunted a police dog before a game against the Steelers on Sunday, as an Associated Press report outlines. Chief Deputy Kevin Kraus says a player lifted his shirt, beat his chest and barked at the K-9 before telling a deputy to release the dog. Needless to say, the deputy did not follow Armstrong’s orders.

Taunting a police dog is a third-degree felony in Pennsylvania, so the consequences could potentially be severe for the linebacker. It’s not a concern for Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio though, who downplayed the story during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (link via FOX Sports).

“I’ve caught wind of this story. I’m going to put it in the ‘silly’ category,” Del Rio said. “I think once the facts come to light I don’t think there’s going to be much of an issue. I wouldn’t make too much of it.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:

  • Chargers wide receiver Malcom Floyd suffered a torn labrum on Monday night, a source tells Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (Twitter link). According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Floyd plans to rehab the injury and “see how it goes,” with the hopes of playing through it. The 34-year-old has previously stated that 2015 will be his final season in the NFL, so it would be an unfortunate end if he had to shut it down early.
  • In his latest column for Bleacher Report, Mike Freeman examines the Rams‘ decision to sign Wes Welker, and – more importantly – Welker’s decision to continue his NFL career despite possible health risks. Freeman hears from a source that Welker has “taken great care of his finances,” and is returning to action because he doesn’t want to stop playing yet, not because he needs the money.
  • Linebacker Nico Johnson, who signed yesterday with the Giants’ practice squad, also had a workout this week with the Rams, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
  • Wilson also passes along the names of several players who auditioned for the Seahawks this week, including tight end Cameron Clear, quarterback Jake Heaps, defensive lineman Glenn Foster, safety Jonathan Dowling, and cornerback Keon Lyn (Twitter link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Workout Notes: Patriots, Texans, Chargers

The latest workouts from around the NFL:

Workout Notes: Patriots, Texans, Bucs, Eagles

Earlier today we learned that the Patriots worked out wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. As it turns out, they also auditioned two other players: running back Isaiah Pead and tight end Nick Kasa (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter).

Pead, 26 in December, was once expected to become a leading rusher for the Rams as the heir apparent to Steven Jackson. Things never worked out that way for the 2012 second-round pick, but he did spent three years and change with the club, playing in 27 games with one start. This year, Pead appeared in just two games and notched two carries for three yards before he was released.

Here’s a rundown of today’s workouts and auditions from around the NFL..