HEADLINES

Chad Johnson

Extra Points: Clausen, Quinn, Ponder

April 18th, 2014 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Former second-round pick Jimmy Clausen hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since his rookie year in 2010, but having undergone shoulder surgery last September, the 26-year-old feels like he’s healthy and ready to contribute somewhere. Clausen tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today that he’s looking for an opportunity to compete for a No. 2 job, then hopes to work his way up from there.

“I’m still really young,” Clausen said. “I’m going into my fifth year in the league. I feel great. This is probably right now the healthiest I’ve been since my junior year in college, to be honest with you.”

As the former Notre Dame signal-caller continues to look for NFL work, let’s check out a few other Good Friday updates from around the league….

  • Although the team has yet to do so, the Rams will exercise Robert Quinn‘s fifth-year option by next month’s deadline, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Quinn, like fellow defense end Muhammad Wilkerson, should be in line for a 2015 salary of $6.969MM.
  • Meanwhile, Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune takes a look at Christian Ponder‘s potential fifth-year option, which seems unlikely to be picked up by the Vikings.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp said newly-signed receiver Chad Johnson simply “wanted to be part of a team again,” and isn’t angling to make an NFL comeback (Twitter link).
  • North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen worked out for the Packers and could be a fit for the club, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
  • Five NFL teams have visited Wyoming to work out quarterback Brett Smith, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com, who says (via Twitter) that Smith is a likely late-round pick if he’s drafted at all.

Chad Johnson Signs With Montreal Alouettes

April 17th, 2014 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran wide receiver Chad Johnson, formerly known as Chad Ochocinco, has signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, the league announced today (via Twitter). The longtime Bengal last played a regular-season NFL game for the Patriots in 2011.

Johnson, who totaled 766 receptions for more than 11,000 yards and 67 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons, was signed by the Dolphins in 2012, but was released that summer following his arrest due to a domestic incident. The 36-year-old recently worked out for the Alouettes and GM Jim Popp indicated over the weekend that talks between the two sides had “escalated” (link via ESPN.com).

With Johnson on board, Montreal will be looking to bounce back after a season in which the team finished with an 8-10 record, its worst mark since 2007.