HEADLINES

Chris Carter

Minor Moves: Wednesday

December 3rd, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With just four weeks left in the NFL season, 19 of the league’s 32 teams are at least two games over .500, vying for 11 available playoff spots — the 12th will go to a team currently two games under .500, in the NFC South. With so many clubs still in the hunt, we can expect to see plenty of roster tweaks down the stretch, as coaches and front offices try to get the most out of their 53-man squads. Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

  • The Cowboys removed tight end Jordan Najvar from their injured reserve list with a settlement today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Jaguars tackle Austin Pasztor, who tore his hamstring during Sunday’s win against the Giants, has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). As O’Halloran adds, the Jags have signed linebacker A.J. Edds to replace Pasztor on the roster. Edds spent nearly two months with the Jets earlier this season, contributing on special teams and providing depth for the club’s linebacking corps.
  • The Bengals have filled the open spot on their 53-man roster by signing linebacker Chris Carter, the club announced today (via Twitter). Carter, who spent three seasons with the Steelers, was cut by the Colts nearly two months ago.
  • The Texans ended the season of inside linebacker Max Bullough today, placing him on injured reserve, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. Bullough, who had been slowed by a hamstring injury, was replaced on the roster by tight end Anthony Denham, whom the Texans promoted from their practice squad.

Workout Notes: Thursday

November 20th, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers, still somehow right in the thick of things in the NFC South race, took advantage of their bye week to bring in a number of players for auditions yesterday. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Carolina worked out the following players: Austin Pettis (WR), Uzoma Nwachukwu (WR), Zach Bauman (RB), Toben Opurum (RB), Brad Sorensen (QB), M.D. Jennings (DB), Kimario McFadden (DB), Anthony Walters (DB), and Lou Young (DB). Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds one more name to the list, tweeting that wide receiver Michael Preston also visited the team.

Wilson has details on several more tryouts for free agent players this week, so let’s round up his updates (all links go to Twitter):

Colts Sign Victor Butler, Waive Chris Carter

October 6th, 2014 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have signed free agent outside linebacker Victor Butler to the active roster and waived outside linebacker Chris Carter, according to team Assistant Director of Communications Matt Conti (via Twitter).

Butler, 27, was a former fourth round pick of the Cowboys and showed promise but unfortunately missed last year with a torn ACL while with the Saints. The pass rush specialist signed with the Cardinals in mid-September but his stay in Arizona was brief as he was released on October 1st. In his four seasons in Dallas (2009-2012), Butler totaled 11 sacks and 68 tackles.

Carter, 25, made a cameo in the Colts’ 41-17 win over the Titans last Sunday. Prior to joining the Colts, all of Carter’s NFL experience came in Pittsburgh where he appeared in 29 NFL games and made four starts.

Colts Sign Dion Lewis

September 9th, 2014 at 6:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have signed running back Dion Lewis, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Lewis, who last played for the Browns, gets a two-year deal with Indianapolis (link). The Colts have the powerful Trent Richardson at the top of their running back depth chart with veteran Ahmad Bradshaw in support and Lewis adds a little bit more talent and depth to the backfield.

Meanwhile, the Colts also picked up outside linebacker Chris Carter, who has played in 29 games and made four starts for the Steelers, according to Mike Chappell of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In related moves, running back Zurlon Tipton has been waived and quarterback Jeff Matthews has been dropped from the practice squad (Twitter links). Meanwhile, quarterback Dominique Davis will join the Colts’ taxi squad and linebacker Cam Johnson will head to the IR with a triceps injury.

Steelers Reduce Roster To 53 Players

August 30th, 2014 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have become the latest team to reduce their roster count to 53 players in advance of this afternoon’s deadline. Here are the 22 players cut from the club’s active roster today, per a press release:

AFC Links: Watkins, Shorts, Keisel, Raiders

June 28th, 2014 at 12:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Last night we not only passed along some Browns notes, but also asked whether Johnny Manziel’s off-the-field conduct was among the NFL’s most intriguing storylines. Let’s take a look at some more news from Cleveland, as well as the rest of the AFC:

  • Sammy Watkins revealed to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal that Browns general manager Ray Farmer met with him in Clemson just a few days before the start of last month’s draft. Watkins, of course, was thought to be an option for the Browns at pick No. 4, but Cleveland ultimately traded the pick to the Bills, who selected the 21-year-old receiver.
  • Negotiations between the Jaguars and Cecil Shorts could take awhile, but Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com thinks an extension could be signed sometime during the first half of the season. DiRocco agrees with a recent assessment that Doug Baldwin‘s contract with the Seahawks could be a template for a new Shorts deal, but cautions that if Shorts demands No. 1 receiver money, an agreement could stall.
  • In his latest mailbag, Scott Brown of ESPN.com writes that he still expects the Steelers to re-sign veteran Brett Keisel, though a reunion may not come until just before the start of training camp. Keisel would serve as a mentor to second-round pick Stephon Tuitt, and act as part of a rotation with the rookie and Cam Thomas.
  • 2011 Steelers fifth-round linebacker Chris Carter might be facing his last chance in Pittsburgh, according to R.J. Schaffer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Following the release of LaMarr Woodley, there is room for another pass-rusher to step up for the Steelers, but rumors persist that the team might add veteran James Harrison.
  • The Raiders still have more than $10MM left in cap space, and ESPN.com’s Paul Guiterrez wonders if the team should look to spend that money, while questioning why Oakland did not look into signing Brandon Flowers. Personally, I think it makes more sense for the Raiders to roll over that cap space into 2015, as there aren’t any high-impact free agents left on the market.