D.J. Coles

Minor Moves: Browns, Jets, Raiders

We’ve already taken a look today at some minor moves from around the NFL. Let’s take a look at some more transactions from the AFC…

  • The Browns have signed receiver Anthony Armstrong, reports ProFootballTalk.com (via Twitter). The 31-year-old has 54 catches for 986 yards and five touchdowns over 34 career games.
  • Running back Jourdan Brooks has signed with the Browns, announced agent Scott Bergman (via Twitter). Brooks spent last season with the Bengals.
  • The Browns also announced the signings (on Twitter) of receiver Taylor Gabriel, offensive lineman Randall Harris, defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel, defensive back Robert Nelson and tight end James Oboh.
  • The Browns announced that they have waived running back Jamaine Cook, receivers Josh Cooper and Tori Gurley, offensive lineman Anthony Dima, fullback Chris Pressley, tight end Andre Smith and defensive lineman Elhadji Ndiaye.
  • The Jets have signed linebacker A.J. Edds and offensive lineman Markus Zusevics, reports Randy Lange on NewYorkJets.com. To make room on the roster, the team cut receiver Dwight Jones and offensive lineman Jacolby Ashworth.
  • The Raiders have signed linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu and cornerback Jansen Watson, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The team added wideout Greg Little earlier today.
  • The Raiders also waived receiver D.J. Coles and cornerbacks Johnny Adams and Frank Beltre, reports Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune (via Twitter).
  • The Texans made an assortment of moves (via Aaron Wilson’s Twitter): they added receiver Lacoltan Bester and defensive tackle Julius Warmsley, cut defensive lineman Tyrone Ezell and receivers Nathan Slaughter and Andy Cruse, and waived injured offensive tackle Chris Martin.
  • The Dolphins added former North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen, the team announced on Twitter. Miami also inked linebacker Chris McCain.

Raiders Sign 12 Undrafted Free Agents

SUNDAY, 9:36pm: The Raiders have brought in another undrafted free agent, Utah State LB Bojay Filimoeatu, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).

FRIDAY, 12:54pm: The Raiders have become the last of the 32 NFL teams to formally announce their rookie free agent signings, revealing in a press release that they’ve added 11 undrafted players to the roster. Here’s the list of the newest Raiders:

  • George Atkinson III, RB, Notre Dame
  • D.J. Coles, WR, Virginia Tech
  • Mike Davis, WR, Texas
  • Carlos Fields, LB, Winston-Salem State
  • Noel Grigsby, WR, San Jose State
  • Dan Kistler, OT, Montana ($12.5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Erle Ladson, OT, Delaware
  • Jake Murphy, TE, Utah
  • Seth Roberts, WR, West Alabama
  • Scott Simonson, TE, Assumption
  • Karl Williams, FB, Utah

NFC Links: Rams, Cowboys, Eagles, Draft

Rumors continue to swirl linking the Rams to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, but Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is skeptical that there’s any weight to those rumblings. According to Thomas, most sources he has spoken to are saying variations of the same thing — no one around the league believes St. Louis will actually select Manziel, and the Rams are attempting to drum up trade interest for the pick.

We only have two more days until we know for sure what to believe on draft night. In the meantime, let’s check out a few NFC items….

  • The Cowboys would remove a player who failed his drug test from their draft board, but the team won’t do so with Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, who remains a potential target for the club, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) keeps hearing that there will be a cornerback run in the middle of the first round and that the Eagles may be in a position to draft a wide receiver with their 22nd overall pick.
  • Xavier Su’a-Filo, one of the top guards among this year’s draft class, had workouts with the Rams and Falcons, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds that the UCLA lineman also visited the Broncos.
  • The Cardinals worked out Virginia Tech wide receiver D.J. Coles, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. According to Wilson, Coles has also drawn interest from a handful of AFC teams, including the Texans, Broncos, and Raiders.

Pauline’s Latest: Pryor, Evans, Gaines, Pats

Here’s the latest draft buzz from Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net:

  • Sources close to the club say that Louisville safety Calvin Pryor will be a priority for the Lions if he drops to the second day of the draft. I imagine that’d be the case for most teams, considering Pryor is widely considered one of the top two or three defensive backs in the draft.
  • There’s a consensus that Texas A&M wideout Mike Evans will be a top-10 pick, and the team that lands him may ultimately trade up or down to do it. Pauline identifies the Rams, Eagles, and Ravens as possible landing spots for Evans. Philadelphia could also be in the mix for receivers like Brandin Cooks or Marqise Lee.
  • Rice cornerback Phillip Gaines had dinner with the Jaguars last month and has worked out for the Bengals and Buccaneers. Gaines also has trips lined up with the Giants, Cardinals, and Dolphins.
  • The Patriots recently worked out Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas and D.J. Coles, and Pauline suggests that there’s a belief New England will draft a quarterback this year, since the team expects to lose Ryan Mallett a year from now. As for Coles, the Pats had the receiver do plenty of tight end work during position drills.
  • Prior to tearing his ACL during a workout with the Saints, offensive lineman Brandon Thomas had official visits set up with the Raiders, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Panthers. He was also scheduled to work out for the Buccaneers and Giants. The workouts are obviously off the table now, but it’s not clear which of the visits will still happen, if any, says Pauline.
  • Towson running back Terrance West was impressive during his Pro Day and appeared to solidify himself as a fourth-round pick, according to Pauline.