AFC Notes: Von, Texans, Browns, Pats
Broncos linebacker Von Miller is a rarity – a star from the 2011 draft class who hasn’t yet signed a mega-extension, writes Mike Klis of 9News.
Miller, who went second overall, has piled up 49 sacks in 56 regular-season games, three Pro Bowl bids and a pair of All-Pro selections. While he’s had to watch as fellow draft class members Cam Newton, Marcell Dareus, A.J. Green and J.J. Watt have signed huge deals, Miller isn’t concerned.
“I’d like to think that the way I handle stuff, I handle stuff a whole lot different than a normal guy would. I’m good,” he said.
The Broncos are currently maxed out on their 2015 payroll and won’t be able to extend Miller until next offseason, according to Klis, so Miller will have to wait a little longer for his colossal payday. In the meantime, Miller’s in a contract year and will look to build on last season’s 14-sack output.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- The Texans won’t be particularly adventurous with their two-point conversion usage this year, head coach Bill O’Brien told Jeff Adams of the Houston Chronicle. “As far as going for two, we probably don’t think much about it much until the fourth quarter unless it’s something that an oddity comes up during the game and we feel like we have to do that.”
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine is confident that recently released Terrelle Pryor will turn into a quality NFL receiver, but the timing wasn’t right in Cleveland. “The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”
- The Patriots worked out a linebacker, Darius Eubanks, and two defensive backs, Tay Glover-Wright and Joel Ross, on Friday (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com).
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/15
Here are Sunday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- The Bills re-signed defensive Erik Williams and waived/injured receiver Justin Brown, ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweeted.
- The Colts have signed former Ball State cornerback Eric Patterson, according to Indy PR man Matt Conti (Twitter link). Patterson, who went undrafted earlier this year, was cut by the Patriots in June.
- The Browns signed CB Joe Rankin yesterday, and according to Nate Ulrich of The Akron Beacon Journal, the team has also signed TE Manasseh Garner. To make room for the new additions, Cleveland has cut LB Darius Eubanks and TE Kevin Haplea.
Latest AFC Moves: Bills, Raiders, Browns, Jags
A handful of AFC clubs have announced roster moves this morning as they look to reduce their rosters to 75 players. Teams now have less than five hours until 2014’s first cutdown deadline arrives. Here’s the latest:
- Linebacker Kiko Alonso has been moved to the Bills‘ reserve/non-football injury list, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Buffalo had already reduced its roster to 75 players, so the team actually has room to make an addition today, if it so chooses.
- Although the Raiders hadn’t been expected to make an official decision on D.J. Hayden‘s status to open the season until the weekend, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the club has indeed decided to place the cornerback on the PUP list, meaning he’ll be sidelined for at least the first six weeks of the regular season.
- The Browns have placed a pair of players – offensive lineman Michael Bowie and linebacker Darius Eubanks – on injured reserve, the team announced today (Twitter link). Both players underwent shoulder surgeries earlier in August. Cleveland will have to make one more roster move to cut down from 76 players to 75.
- Jaguars cornerback Aaron Colvin has also landed on the reserve/non-football injury list, tweets John Oesher of Jaguars.com. The move puts Jacksonville’s roster at 75 active players.
