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AFC East Notes: Patriots, Revis, Bills, Tyrod

December 11th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s take a quick spin around the AFC East, with notes on three of the four clubs in the division:

  • The Patriots had wide receiver DeAndre Carter in for a workout and Thursday, then took a look at wideout Eric Rogers today, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Rogers was the leading receiver for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders this season, racking up 1,448 yards and 10 touchdowns on 87 receptions.
  • The Jets spent big money to bring Darrelle Revis back to the team last offseason, committing $39MM in guaranteed money to the star cornerback. However, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes, while Revis makes the team better, he looks like he’s past his peak years.
  • Within his weekly column for NFL.com, Albert Breer of the NFL Network touches on a number of noteworthy topics, discussing the possibility of an extension for Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the likelihood of a DeMarco Murray trade, and the rising value of Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.

North Notes: Browns, Tulloch, Monroe

December 11th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Whatever differences of opinion might exist within the Browns‘ organization, one thing that head coach Mike Pettine, GM Ray Farmer, president Alex Scheiner and the rest of the front office should agree on is that “it’s a teardown job” in Cleveland, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. As Pelissero argues, it’s impossible to look at a club that has lost 15 of 17 games by an average of two touchdowns and say that the team just needs to fill a few holes.

While Pelissero acknowledges that tearing down the Browns’ front office structure multiple times within the last few years is hardly ideal, he suggests that the dysfunction within the organization – along with the relative lack of promising young talent – makes it the most logical move for owner Jimmy Haslam to make more big changes this winter.

As we wait to see how the Browns address their front office, coaching staff, and roster this offseason, let’s check in on a few more notes from around the NFL’s North divisions….

  • Veteran Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch is due to make a $5.5MM salary, and is in line for a $500K roster bonus in March, raising questions about his future in Detroit, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Tulloch has played well in recent weeks, but it’s been an up-and-down season overall, and he remains a liability against the pass. The Lions could create $6MM in cap savings by cutting him this offseason, so the team will have to think about such a move.
  • Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe hasn’t seen his injured shoulder make much positive progress over the last several weeks, and may be ticketed for the injured reserve list, which would end his season, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Cornerback Deveron Carr and wide receiver DeAndre Carter had workouts for the Bengals this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Carr most recently spent time on Washington’s practice squad, while Carter was on Oakland’s practice squad earlier in the season.
  • Wilson also passes along word of a Lions tryout, tweeting that Detroit took a look at defensive back Kendall James. James was just cut from the Browns’ practice squad on Tuesday.

Workout Notes: 12/8/15

December 8th, 2015 at 6:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There were a plethora of workouts around the NFL today. Here they are:

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/16/15

September 16th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: T Tony Hills (via Aaron Wilson on Twitter)
  • Cut: QB Bryn Renner

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • To be signed: T Joe Treadwell (via Wilson on Twitter)

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: WR DeAndre Carter (via Vic Tafur on Twitter)
  • Cut: LB Josh Shirley

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: TE Connor Hamlett (via press release)
  • Cut: DE Brian Mihalik

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington

Workout Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Raiders, Bucs

September 8th, 2015 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

With 53-man rosters set, teams around the NFL will start to frequently bring in players for workouts and auditions, keeping up-to-date on which free agents are out there, in case injury replacements or practice squad fill-ins are required.

Here are a few of the latest updates on teams working out players, or bringing them in for visits:

  • The Bills, who are exploring other possible options at kicker after an underwhelming preseason from Dan Carpenter, worked out Alex Henery, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Henery’s last game in the NFL, the one that cost him his job, came last October, when he missed three field goals for the Lions against Buffalo.
  • Before they signed linebacker Adrian Hubbard, the Dolphins worked out Hubbard and several other players, according to Wilson (Twitter link). The players who earned an audition with Miami included former Raiders safety Jonathan Dowling, ex-Cardinals linebacker Glenn Carson, former Bengals linebacker Nico Johnson, ex-Cowboys cornerback Robert Steeples, and former Eagles safety Chris Prosinski.
  • The Raiders brought in a number of players for workouts, with a focus on wide receivers, quarterbacks, and defensive backs. According to Wilson (Twitter links), wideouts Phil Bates, John Harris, DeAndre Carter, and T.J. Graham, quarterbacks Jeff Tuel and Phillip Sims, and defensive backs Tommie Campbell, Phillip Thomas, B.W. Webb, and Ty Zimmerman auditioned for the club. Offensive lineman Dillon Farrell also had a tryout with Oakland.
  • Offensive lineman Austin Reiter, a 2015 seventh-rounder waived by Washington over the weekend, is working out for the Buccaneers this morning, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
  • After being waived by the Chargers last week, wide receiver Titus Davis paid a visit to the Lions, tweets Wilson.

Ravens Waive Eight Players

August 31st, 2015 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens are the latest team to announce a handful of cuts, reducing their roster from 90 players to 82. Baltimore will have to make at least seven more roster moves before tomorrow afternoon’s deadline to ensure its roster is down to 75 players.

Here are the players who were waived by the club today, according to a press release:

  • Leon Brown, G
  • DeAndre Carter, WR
  • Tramain Jacobs, CB
  • Marcel Jones, G/T
  • Justin Manton, P
  • Aldrick Robinson, WR
  • Patrick Scales, LS
  • Trent Steelman, WR

AFC North Notes: McCown, Carter, Thomas

June 7th, 2015 at 9:43am CST by Rory Parks

Much has been made of the Browns‘ quarterback situation heading into 2015, with a great deal of the discussion revolving around second-year signal-caller Johnny Manziel. But there has been significantly less attention devoted to the man who will more than likely be under center when Week 1 rolls around, Josh McCown.

McCown, signed to a three-year, $14MM contract this offseason, is not the solution at quarterback that Cleveland fans desperately seek. He is 35, and he has largely served as a backup in his 12 seasons in the league, compiling a 17-32 record as a starter. However, head coach Mike Pettine thinks that even if McCown is not the long-term answer, he does represent the next best thing. Pettine had this to say at yesterday’s Fan Fest (from Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal):

“Until you feel you’ve found what you would call a long-term solution, I don’t think we could have done any better than bringing in a guy like Josh McCown…It’s like having another coach on the field, and it’s all genuine. That’s the thing you like the most. Despite his age, people that have been at practice agree, he can still spin it. We didn’t just look to bring in a guy who was just going to be a mentor. We wanted a guy who we think can still play a little bit if you put him in the right circumstances. He’s been more than advertised.”

As Ulrich writes, Pettine’s comments, which were echoed by GM Ray Farmer, suggest that McCown is not only the favorite to win the starting job out of training camp this season, he is a lock.

Let’s check out a couple of more links from the AFC North:

  • As we learned several weeks ago, Browns safety Tashaun Gipson is the only restricted free agent who appears demonstratively unhappy with his contract situation, as he was offered a second-round tender rather than a first-round tender. As Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, the Browns should have gone the extra mile and extended the first-round offer, which would have cost the team an extra $1MM but would have set a positive tone for extension talks. Grossi believes, however, that the situation could still be resolved amicably.
  • By releasing Jacoby Jones this offseason, the Ravens left themselves a hole at kick returner. One of the early favorites for that role, Michael Campanaro, has struggled with injury in his young career, and though cornerback Lardarius Webb was an effective returner a few years ago, injuries have taken their toll on him as well, and Baltimore does not want to risk losing their No. 2 corner to a special teams injury. As Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes, that leaves the door wide open for undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, the diminutive receiver who showed explosive speed at Sacramento State and whose chances to stick on the 53-man roster seem to increase with each passing day.
  • Shamarko Thomas has battled injury in his first two seasons in the league, but in the wake of Troy Polamalu‘s retirement, he now has the chance to establish himself as the Steelers‘ long-term answer at strong safety. Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review describes the work that Thomas has put in this offseason to ensure that he capitalizes on his opportunity, work that has not gone unnoticed by Thomas’ running mate st safety, Mike Mitchell.

Ravens Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents

May 8th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

With rookie minicamps getting underway around the NFL, teams continue to officially confirm which undrafted free agents have been added to their rosters in time for the weekend. The Ravens announced today in a press release that they’ve signed 15 UDFAs, and we’ve got the full list below, including known bonus information, via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun:

  • Darius Allen, OLB, Colorado State-Pueblo ($1K bonus)
  • Darryl Baldwin, T, Ohio State ($9K bonus)
  • Brennen Beyer, OLB, Michigan ($6K bonus)
  • DeAndre Carter, WR, Sacramento State ($7.5K bonus)
  • Blaine Clausell, T, Mississippi State ($10K bonus)
  • Trey DePriest, ILB, Alabama ($5K bonus)
  • Nick Easton, T, Harvard ($9K bonus)
  • Kaleb Johnson, G, Rutgers ($6.5K bonus)
  • Jerry Lovelocke, QB, Prairie View A&M ($5K bonus)
  • Terrence Magee, RB, LSU ($3K bonus)
  • Justin Manton, P, Louisiana-Monroe
  • Nick Perry, S, Alabama ($5K bonus)
  • De’Ondre Wesley, T, BYU
  • Julian Wilson, CB, Oklahoma ($9K bonus)
  • Cam Worthy, WR, East Carolina ($2.5K bonus)

Extra Points: Dez, Johnson, Cooper, Draft Visits

April 17th, 2015 at 10:03pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The recent falling out between Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and longtime mentor David Wells makes it unlikely Bryant will stay in Dallas long term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The Cowboys view Wells as crucial to keeping Bryant out of trouble off the field, and if Wells isn’t going to continue on as part of Bryant’s life, Cole doesn’t expect the team to risk giving the wideout a long-term deal. Bryant, on whom the Cowboys placed the franchise tag earlier this offseason, is scheduled to become a free agent next year.

Rounding up the rest of the latest NFL news as Friday comes to a close:

  • Colts receiver Andre Johnson spent the first 12 years of his career with the Texans and caught over 1,000 passes before the team released him in March. Despite subsequently signing with AFC South rival Indianapolis, Johnson doesn’t harbor ill will against his old team. “It wasn’t about circling (game) dates or nothing against the Texans. I had 12 great years [in Houston],” Johnson said Friday, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. “I have nothing bad against the Texans.” 
  • The Giants could draft a receiver with the ninth overall pick, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (Twitter link), who believes Amari Cooper of Alabama tops their wideout big board. However, Raanan tweets that it’s unlikely Cooper will fall to the Giants.
  • Speaking of Cooper, multiple teams rate him as the best player in the draft, per Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter).
  • University of Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree visited the Rams on Friday, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter).
  • Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter will visit the Patriots on Monday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter).
  • Washington visited with University of Pittsburgh linebacker Todd Thomas on Friday, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net.
  • The Colts on Friday hosted a pair of safety prospects – Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt – per Pauline (Twitter).

Draft Visits: Titans, Jags, Steelers, 49ers

April 8th, 2015 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Having hosted receiver Kevin White for a visit already, the Titans are scheduled to meet with Alabama wideout Amari Cooper next week, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). While the two players are considered the top two prospects at their position, it would still be a surprise to see either player go as high as No. 2 to Tennessee, so perhaps the team is doing due diligence in case it trades down. Of course, I’d argue that the Titans have multiple positions that are bigger holes than wide receiver, but there’s no harm in exploring every potential option.

Here are more updates on upcoming draft visits, as well as some that have already happened:

  • Another top-five team keeping its options open is Jacksonville, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hosted Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley for pre-draft visits. Third overall is almost certainly too high to draft a running back, so the Jags could be doing their homework in case they make a draft-day trade.
  • Rapoport also passes along an update on wide receiver DeVante Parker, tweeting that the former Louisville Cardinal has visits with the Jets, Titans, and Bears on his schedule. Parker has also visited the Jaguars and is meeting with the Vikings today.
  • Virginia edge rusher Eli Harold, Ole Miss cornerback Senquez Golson, Utah defensive end Nate Orchard, and Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah all visited the Steelers today, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Speaking of Harold, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), the Virginia product has visited or worked out for 14 teams, including the Bears, Jaguars, Saints, and Jets.
  • The 49ers and Steelers will host Auburn receiver Sammie Coates for visits next week, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Coates has also visited the Browns and, as previously reported, the Dolphins.
  • Per Wilson (via Twitter), USC tight end Randall Telfer has visited the Eagles, will visit the Patriots, and has a private meeting lined up with the Falcons.
  • Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports (via Twitter) that that Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter worked out for the Cardinals this week, and will attend local pro days for the Raiders and 49ers next week.
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