Extra Points: Smith, Browns, Texans, Hughes
Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini says there are a variety of reasons why the Jets wouldn’t trade Geno Smith this season. There wouldn’t be much of a market for the quarterback, and if the Jets ultimately make the playoffs, they wouldn’t want to rely on Bryce Petty as insurance to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Regardless, the writer opines that Smith will be on his way out during the offseason, as Cimini can’t see how the 25-year-old fits in the team’s future plans.
- The Browns worked out four tight ends on Friday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): Cameron Clear, Konrad Reuland, Brian Leonhardt and Connor Hamlett.
- Texans safety Eddie Pleasant was fined $8,681 for his unnecessary roughness penalty during last weekend’s loss to the Falcons, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes earned more than $30,000 in fines for his actions during his team’s contest against the Giants, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. One fine was for unnecessary roughness, while the other was for abusive language toward an official.
- Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes was fined $17,363 for his horse-collar tackle on Broncos wideout Emmanuel Sanders, reports ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling.
Workout Notes: Bears, Broncos, Packers
Here’s a roundup of today’s auditions from around the NFL. All links go to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle on Twitter), unless noted otherwise..
- The Lions worked out nose tackle Kenrick Ellis, nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and defensive end Jerel Worthy, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
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The Seahawks worked out cornerbacks Crezdon Butler and Chimdi Chekwa, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- The Bears worked out wide receivers Marcus Lucas and Nathan Palmer, guard Cole Manhart, and tackles Tyler Moore and Byron Stingily (link).
- The Broncos worked out punter Kasey Redfern (link).
- The Packers worked out running back Akeem Hunt, wide receiver Donatella Luckett, quarterback Phillip Sims, wide receiver Tyler Slavin, running back Dreamius Smith, linebacker Colton Underwood, and linebacker Matthew Wells (link).
- The Dolphins worked out wide receivers Isaiah Burse and Rannell Hall, defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, guards Vinston Painter and Anthony Steen, defensive tackle Olsen Pierre, linebacker Mike Reilly, strong safety Brandian Ross, and defensive end Quanterus Smith (link + link).
- The Saints worked out punter Steven Clark, guard Travis Bond, punter Robert Malone, guard Jacques McClendon, and punter Brian Moorman (link).
- The Giants worked out defensive end Jake Bequette, tight end Cameron Clear, quarterback Cody Fajardo, and tight end Brian Leonhardt (link).
- The Jets worked out defensive end DeAngelo Tyson (link).
- The Bucs worked out linebacker Ronald Powell (link).
- The Titans worked out David Arkin, James Brewer, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Alex Kupper, Joe Looney, and Cody White (link).
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano worked out for the Lions today (link).
Lions Work Out Bryce Brown, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Thomas
The Lions auditioned a trio of notable running backs on Wednesday, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Lions worked out Bryce Brown, Travaris Cadet, and Daniel Thomas all worked out for Detroit, though there are no deals with any of the tailbacks as of this writing.
Brown, 24, has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was bounced by the Bills late in the offseason and has yet to find a new home. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a whopping 126 yards off of 36 carries. Since getting cut loose by Buffalo, Brown has worked out for the Pats, Jets, Colts, and now the Lions.
Cadet, 26, was signed by the Pats as a free agent in March of this year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder spent the last three seasons with the Saints and saw time in only one Pats game this year before his release in late September. Cadet saw his first significant action for the Saints in 2014, hauling in 38 passes on 51 targets, totaling 296 yards and a touchdown on those receptions. Although he was listed as a running back and generally lined up in the backfield, the Appalachian State product only had 10 carries for 32 yards.
In four seasons with Miami, Thomas ran for 1,480 yards off of 409 attempts, good for just 3.6 yards per carry. Last year he saw time in 12 games, rushing for 168 yards off of 44 carries, good for a 3.8 yard average on each try. He landed with the Bears this offseason but his stay did not last very long. The Lions first looked at Thomas back in June, but they did not offer him a deal.
The Lions also auditioned tight end Cameron Clear and a few defensive tackles. One of those defensive tackles was Andre Fluellen and he reached agreement on a deal with Detroit this afternoon.
Workout Notes: 9/30/15
Today’s workouts from around the NFL..
- The Cardinals tried out offensive tackle Xavier Proctor and defensive back Tyrequek Zimmerman, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Panthers tried out long snappers Danny Aiken and Patrick Scales, Wilson tweets.
- The Lions tried out defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi, Wilson tweets.
- The Colts tried out defensive backs Kevin White, Trovon Reed, Ri’Shard Anderson, and Tay Glover-Wright prior to signing Shaun Prater, Wilson tweets. Linebackers Jayson DiManche and Julian Stanford also worked out for Indy. The Colts also tried out defensive tackle Eric Crume and offensive tackle Aundrey Walker (link).
- The Vikings tried out Tevin Westbrook before he landed on the Buccaneers’ taxi squad, Wilson tweets.
- The Giants tried out long snappers Luke Ingram and Tyler Ott, Wilson tweets.
- The Jets tried out linebackers Jeff Luc and Quayshawn Nealy and running back Joe Banyard, tweets Wilson.
- The Seahawks tried out quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson and wide receiver L’Damian Washington, tweets Wilson.
- The Buccaneers tried out tackle Sean Hickey, Wilson tweets.
- The Chargers tried out tight end Cameron Clear, defensive end Xzavier Dickson, Tevin Westbrook (prior to his signing with the Bucs’ practice squad), tight end Brian Vogler, and offensive tackle Byron Stingily, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
Steelers Reduce Roster To 75 Players
The Steelers added one player to their roster today, acquiring Josh Scobee in a trade with the Jaguars, but most of the day’s transactions for the team involve removing players onto reserve lists, or cutting them from the team entirely.
Here are the rest of the moves completed today by Pittsburgh in order to get the roster down to 75 players, according to the club’s transactions log:
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- T Mike Adams
Placed on injured reserve:
- CB Senquez Golson
- K Garrett Hartley
Waived/injured:
- TE Cameron Clear
- DE Niko Davis
- TE Ray Hamilton
Cut:
- G Miles Dieffenbach
- WR Kenzel Doe
- WR C.J. Goodwin
- RB Braylon Heard
- DE Joe Kruger
- DT Joe Okafor
- OL Collin Rahrig
- CB Jordan Sullen
- T Kevin Whimpey
- S Ian Wild
Steelers Reach Agreements With 12 UDFAs
The Steelers have agreed to deals with 12 undrafted free agents, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Here are the names:
- Cameron Clear, TE, Texas A&M
- Nigel Crawford-Kinney, DT, Saint Augustine
- Dominique Davis, DE, Liberty
- Miles Dieffenbach, OG, Penn State
- Reese Dismukes, OG, Auburn
- B.J. Finney, C, Kansas State
- Tyler Murphy, QB/WR, Boston College ($4,500 bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- Brandon Prate, DE, Illinois State ($1k bonus, per Wilson)
- Collin Rahrig, OG, Indiana
- Eli Rogers, WR, Louisville
- Ross Scheuerman, RB, Lafayette
- Kevin Whimpey, OT, Utah State
North Notes: Bears, Perriman, Draft, Peterson
As the Bears search for Brandon Marshall‘s replacement at receiver, they’ve brought in one of the top draft prospects at the position for a visit, meeting with UCF receiver Breshad Perriman today, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Perriman, who posted a 4.25 40-time at his Pro Day, is fighting with Louisville’s Davante Parker to be the third receiver chosen behind Amari Cooper and Kevin White.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The Steelers met with three prospects today, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter), who says the club visited with Texas A&M tight end Cameron Clear, West Virginia guard Quinton Spain, and Auburn receiver Sammie Coates.
- Having already brought in UAB return specialist J.J. Nelson for a visit, the Lions met with another special teamer/receiver — Utah’s Kaelin Clay — today, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- Though Adrian Peterson was in Minneapolis over the weekend, he did not meet with any Vikings officials, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
- Rob Housler‘s one-year, $1.76MM deal with the Browns contains $750K guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.
- Washington defensive end Andrew Hudson just wrapped a predraft visit with the Browns, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), and he’ll meet with the Buccaneers next.