NFL Workout Updates: 10/16/19
Here is the latest from the workout circuit:
Chicago Bears
- DL Daryle Banfield, DL Fadol Brown, C Anthony Fabiano, DL P.J. Johnson, T Kyle Murphy, C Keegan Render, DL Jay-Tee Tiuli (per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, on Twitter)
Cincinnati Bengals
- DE Nate Orchard, DT Anthony Zettel (via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
- LB Marquis Flowers (per Wilson, on Twitter)
Green Bay Packers
- S Chris Johnson, RB David Williams (per Wilson, on Twitter)
Houston Texans
- T Chris Clark, T Kyle Murphy (per Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com, on Twitter)
Indianapolis Colts
- DB Trae Elston, S Mike Tyson, DB Isaiah Wharton (via Wilson, on Twitter)
Kansas City Chiefs
- DT Justin Ellis, DL Mike Pennel (per Wilson, on Twitter)
New England Patriots
- K Nick Folk, K Greg Joseph, K Austin MacGinnis, K/P Austin Rehkow, K Giorgio Tavecchio (per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Travaris Cadet (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter)
New York Jets
- C Ryan Crozier, DL Corbin Kaufusi, C James Murray (per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News and Wilson, Twitter links)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Tony Brooks-James, RB Darrin Hall (via Wilson, on Twitter)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Andrew Dowell (visit), LB Brady Sheldon, LB Sutton Smith, LB Pita Taumoepenu (via Balzer, Twitter links)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- LB Keishawn Bierria, DB Jordan Brown, C Anthony Fabiano, LB Robert McCray, WR Eli Rogers, RB Aca’Cedric Ware, LB Kyle Wilson (per Jenna Laine and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
Tennessee Titans
- LB Nigel Harris (per Wilson, on Twitter)
Washington Redskins
- FB Tommy Bohanon, FB Michael Burton, FB Derrick Coleman, RB Josh Ferguson, FB Tre Madden, FB Elijah Wellman (according to Wilson and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Twitter links)
Colts Hold Kicker Workout
Despite Adam Vinatieri not opting to retire, the Colts held a kicker audition. The team worked out Cody Parkey, Elliott Fry and Younghoe Koo, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This workout occurred today, after Vinatieri decided not to retire, NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweets. Also part of the audition: Greg Joseph, Chase McLaughlin and Cole Hedlund, per Balzer.
None of these kickers has signed with Indianapolis yet, but the 1-1 team is doing due diligence in light of Vinatieri’s rough start to the season.
Parkey worked out for the Jets recently, but Gang Green went with a Kaare Vedvik waiver claim instead. They now have Sam Ficken at kicker. Parkey has not kicked in a game since his infamous double-doink sequence ended the 2018 Bears’ season, but he has five seasons’ experience.
Koo has also participated in workouts but has not kicked since some late-game misses cost him his Chargers job early in 2017. A South Carolina alum, Fry has yet to kick in an NFL game. Neither has Hedlund, who kicked at Arkansas and North Texas. Joseph served as the Browns’ kicker last season, taking Zane Gonzalez‘s job in September 2018. He did not win Cleveland’s kicking competition this year. McLaughlin did not make the Bills out of camp. He kicked at the University of Illinois from 2015-18.
This is not yet an ominous sign for Vinatieri, but the 46-year-old kicking icon may now be on notice. The future Hall of Famer may be kicking for his job in Week 3.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/10/19
We’ve got another busy day of workouts, with many teams across the league hosting players.
Arizona Cardinals
- S Briean Boddy-Calhoun; CBs Andre Chachere, De’Vante Harris
Buffalo Bills
- QBs Keller Chryst, Taylor Heinicke; WRs Tommylee Lewis, Joe Parker, Terrance Williams; CB Marcus Sherels, WR Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
- DEs Jesse Aniebonam, Andrew Ankrah, Markus Jones; S Josh Jones; CB Jeff Richards
Indianapolis Colts
- RBs Bruce Anderson, Darrin Hall; S Chris Banjo; DTs Earl Mitchell, Mike Pennel
Miami Dolphins
- DB Jordan Brown; Ts Christian DiLauro, Storm Norton, Chidi Okeke; CB Deatrick Nichols
New York Giants
- CBs Derrick Baity, Picasso Nelson; LBs Reshard Cliett, LaTroy Lewis; WRs Jamal Custis, Trenton Irwin; RBs Josh Ferguson, Austin Walter; DT P.J. Johnson; DEs Carroll Phillips, Kevin Wilkins; QB Jordan Ta’amu
New York Jets
- WRs Carlton Agudosi, Amara Darboh, Krishawn Hogan, Joe Horn, DeAndre Thompkins, Jordan Veasy, Kendall Wright; TEs Stephen Anderson, Donald Parham, Ross Travis; QBs Taryn Christion, Tyree Jackson, Mike White, Ks Elliott Fry, Greg Joseph, Younghoe Koo, Tristan Vizcaino
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Washington Redskins
Jets To Hold Kicker Tryout
While the Bears this offseason garnered more publicity than just about any kicker-seeking team ever has, the Jets are entering that realm. They are almost certainly set to move to a fourth kicker in less than a month.
The Jets will hold a kicker tryout on Tuesday, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Sam Ficken, Greg Joseph, Elliott Fry, Younghoe Koo, and Tristan Vizcaino will vie to replace the struggling Kaare Vedvik, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News.
Adam Gase‘s official word has not yet sealed Vedvik’s fate, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes the first-year Jets coach was “fuming” regarding the recently acquired kicker on Sunday night (Twitter link). Vedvik missed an extra point and a 45-yard field goal in what became a one-point Jets loss to the Bills. The hybrid specialist is 1-for-5 on field goals since being traded from the Ravens to the Vikings in the second week of the preseason.
Vedvik loomed as a Ravens trade chip for two offseasons, and after spending the 2018 season on Baltimore’s IR list, the Ravens acquired a fifth-round pick for him. The Vikings were set to offer a practice squad spot to Vedvik before the Jets made a waiver claim. The Vikings have another kicker, Chase McLaughlin, on their P-squad.
The Jets opted to let 2018 Pro Bowl kicker Jason Myers defect to the Seahawks in free agency. Replacement Chandler Catanzaro retired in mid-August, and the team added AAF alum Taylor Bertolet. The Vedvik claim sent Bertolet back to the waiver wire. Despite a versatile skill set that stems from extensive punting experience as well, Vedvik looks set to head there again soon.
Browns Reach 53-Man Limit
After making a couple of trades, the Browns have made a boatload of cuts to reach the 53-man max. Here’s the breakdown:
Contract Terminated:
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
P Britton Colquitt
DT Carl Davis
T Bryan Witzmann
Waived:
WR Dorian Baker
DT Brandin Bryant
TE Stephen Carlson
TE Seth DeValve
T Brian Fineanganofo
RB Trayone Gray
LB Willie Harvey
S J.T. Hassell
WR Ishmael Hyman
CB Robert Jackson
K Greg Joseph
CB Donnie Lewis Jr.
S Montrel Meander
WR Braxton Miller
RB A.J. Ouellette
DE Jarrell Owens
CB Lenzy Pipkins
DT Brian Price
DE Wyatt Ray
S Tigie Sankoh
T Brad Seaton
WR Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi
LB Anthony Stubbs
T Travis Vornkahl
LB Dedrick Young II
WR Derrick Willies
G Willie Wright
DE Anthony Zettel
Waived/Injured:
G Kyle Kalis (concussion)
FB Joe Kerridge (concussion)
IR:
CB Phillip Gaines (concussion)
Browns Eyeing Free Agent Kickers
Both Browns kickers — incumbent Greg Joseph and fifth-round rookie Austin Seibert — missed their only field goal tries Saturday night. Although each came from beyond 50 yards, the Browns are now considering bringing in additional competition.
Freddie Kitchens said he and John Dorsey have discussed adding another kicker to their mix, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes.
While it would certainly be odd for the Browns to go elsewhere, after spending a mid-Day 3 pick on one of the nation’s best college kickers, teams are quicker to give up on kicker draft picks than they are at nearly every other position. The Browns did this just last year, cutting 2017 seventh-rounder Zane Gonzalez two games into last season.
“To me, those critical errors are just as important as the missed field goals themselves because we’ve got to put them in a better position to make them. But are they expected to make a 53-yard field goal? Yes they are,” Kitchens said, via Cabot. “Am I concerned about it? No, because we’re not playing for real yet, but I will be.”
Joseph made 17 of 20 field goal attempts last season and went 1-for-2 from beyond 50 yards. Seibert was 17-for-19 as an Oklahoma senior and kicked for the Sooners for four years. Joseph made a 43-yarder in Cleveland’s preseason opener but missed an extra point. Seibert has yet to miss a PAT in his brief time as a pro.
Browns To Sign K Greg Joseph
Zane Gonzalez‘s rough day in New Orleans has prompted the Browns to sign another kicker. They’re bringing rookie UDFA Greg Joseph aboard, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Joseph worked out for Cleveland prior to Week 1 and then again on Monday morning. The Florida Atlantic product landed with the Dolphins shortly after the draft but could not make their 53-man roster.
Indications coming out of Cleveland earlier today pointed to Gonzalez being replaced. The Browns also worked out Cairo Santos and Blair Walsh but will go with a far less experienced player. Gonzalez missed two field goals and two extra points in a three-point loss to the Saints. The Browns remain in search of their first win since Christmas Eve 2016 but have seen kicking woes potentially stop them from being 2-0 to start 2018.
Gonzalez, though, has been battling a groin injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter), helping to explain his recent trouble. Gonzalez will undergo an MRI Monday. This could lead to the Browns waiving him with an injury designation.
Joseph was Florida Atlantic’s kicker from 2014-17. He made 71.4 percent of his field goals in each of his final two Owls seasons and connected on 64 of 68 extra points as a senior.
The Browns chose Gonzalez in the seventh round out of Arizona State last year, and if he’s off the roster soon, this will mean yet another previous regime’s investment is out of the picture. John Dorsey‘s continued to go in that direction since taking over in Cleveland. Gonzalez made 15 of 20 field goals and 25 of 26 PATs as a rookie but struggled immensely against the Saints, essentially negating any progress he’d made in Year 1.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/5/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
- WRs Roger Lewis, Isaac Whitney; OTs Anthony Coyle, Antonio Garcia, Brad Seaton, Jylan Ware; G Sean Harlow; DTs A.J. Francis, Lance McDowell; LBs Jonathan Celestin, Kennan Gilchrist, Emmanuel Smith; CBs Makinton Dorleant, Henre’ Toliver; K Greg Joseph (link)
Detroit Lions
- RB Larry Rose; CBs Johnathan Alston, Leonard Johnson, Jeff Richards, Duke Thomas (link)
Houston Texans
- QB Garrett Gilbert; WRs Malachi Dupre, Malik Turner, DeAngelo Yancey; OTs Aaron Evans, Justin Evans, Taylor Hart; David Steinmetz (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Obum Gwacham
Jacksonville Jaguars
- FBs Dimitri Flowers, Jay Prosch; TE Ryan O’Malley; LBs Zaire Anderson, Tre’von Johnson, Corey Nelson (link)
Tennessee Titans
- QB Nick Stevens; WRs Devin Fuller, Francis Owusu (link)
Minnesota Vikings
- CB Christian Campbell (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- WRs Reggie Davis, Dorren Miller; S Andrew Adams (link)
Dolphins Cut Roster To 53
The Miami Dolphins are the latest team to cut their roster all the way down to the required 53 players. Here are their latest moves:
Waived:
- CB Johnathon Alston
- G Isaac Asiata
- CB Taveze Calhoun
- WR Leonte Carroo
- LB Cayson Collins
- CB Jalen Davis
- TE Thomas Duarte
- S Trae Elston
- WR Isaiah Ford
- LB Frank Ginda
- LS Lucas Gravelle
- C Connor Hilland
- RB Buddy Howell
- K Greg Joseph
- OT Roubbens Joseph
- RB Jeremy Langford
- WR Malcolm Lewis
- CB Tony Lippett
- DE Cameron Malveaux
- DE Claudy Mathieu
- C Mike Matthews
- WR Drew Morgan
- DT Anthony Moten
- WR Francis Owusu
- DT Jamiyus Pittman
- RB Brandon Radcliff
- OT Eric Smith
- OT David Steinmetz
- DE Jonathan Woodard
Waived/Injured
- QB Bryce Petty
- DE Quincy Redmon
- WR Rashawn Scott
Terminated vested veteran
- TE Gavin Escobar
- LB Terence Garvin
- DL Kendall Langford
Overall, not too many surprises. It looks like the Dolphins will be keeping three quarterbacks, with both Brock Osweiler and David Fales making the team.
Dolphins Add 13 UDFAs
With several teams yet to hold their rookie minicamps, more undrafted free agent classes are being finalized. Here is the latest one, coming out of Miami:
- Johnathan Alston, CB (North Carolina State)
- Cayson Collins, LB (North Carolina)
- Jalen Davis, CB (Utah State)
- Lucas Gravelle, LS (TCU)
- Connor Hilland, C (William & Mary)
- Buddy Howell, RB (Florida Atlantic)
- Greg Joseph, K (Florida Atlantic)
- Claudy Mathieu, DE (Notre Dame, Ohio)
- Mike McCray, LB (Michigan)
- Anthony Moten, DT (Miami)
- Jamiyus Pittman, DT (Central Florida)
- Quincy Redmon, DE (Fairmont State)
- David Steinmetz, T (Purdue)
Davis earned All-American acclaim for his 2017 season — five interceptions and 20 passes defensed — and set the Aggies’ school record with 48 passes defensed. In addition to the two Florida Atlantic-honed talents, the Dolphins brought in two players from Division II’s Mountain East Conference in Mathieu and Redmon.
Joseph and Gravelle figure to be competition for seventh-round rookie kicker Jason Sanders and longtime long snapper John Denney, respectively. Denney has been Miami’s specialty snapper for 13 seasons. Joseph has more experience kicking in higher-stakes games than Sanders, with the UDFA being a four-year kicker for the Owls. Sanders was New Mexico’s kicker for two seasons, so this could be a fairly even competition at its outset. Joseph finished as Florida Atlantic’s all-time scoring leader.