Greg Salas

Lions Sign Greg Salas, Chris Owens

With unrestricted free agents no longer tied to the compensatory draft pick formula, the Lions have added a pair of veterans to their roster, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Per Twentyman, the club has signed wide receiver Greg Salas and cornerback Chris Owens to one-year contracts.

Salas, a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2011, only spent one season in St. Louis before moving on to play for the Patriots, the Eagles, and – most recently – the Jets. Over the course of his four-year NFL career, the 26-year-old has accumulated 43 receptions, including eight last year for New York — most of those catches came in Salas’ rookie season, when he hauled in 27 balls for the Rams.

As for Owens, he has more NFL experience than Salas, having appeared in 83 games (17 starts) over the last six years for the Falcons, Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs. A cornerback who plays most frequently in the slot, Salas has totaled 217 tackles, 21 passes defended, three interceptions, and three fumble recoveries in his career.

Salas will compete for reps behind Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, alongside recently-signed vet Lance Moore and a handful of other players, while Owens will join a group of cornerbacks that includes Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis, Josh Wilson, Bill Bentley, Nevin Lawson, Alex Carter, Quandre Diggs, and Crezdon Butler.

Minor Moves: Thursday

We’ll round up Thursday’s minor moves from around the NFL, including practice squad signings and cuts, in the space below, with the latest items added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • The Jets have replaced on wide receiver on their 53-man roster with another, placing Greg Salas on injured reserve today and promoting Chris Owusu from their practice squad (Twitter link). After catching eight balls for 167 yards this season, Salas sees his year come to an early end due to a hamstring injury.
  • Chargers guard Ryan Miller fell victim to rainy conditions in San Diego this week, with head coach Mike McCoy indicating that Miller slipped before practice yesterday and has suffered a concussion. San Diego placed Miller on their reserve/non-football injury list, replacing him on the active roster with offensive lineman Jeff Baca, per a team release. Baca’s spot on the Chargers’ taxi squad, meanwhile, has been filled by offensive lineman Bryce Quigley.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Satele, Salas

While Jon Bon Jovi may have been trying to endear himself – and his group of bidders – to Western New York by writing in the Buffalo News over the weekend that he wanted to see the Bills succeed in Buffalo, that letter appears to have violated the non-disclosure agreement he signed with the franchise, says Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. In fact, by speaking publicly about their bids, both Bon Jovi and Donald Trump may be in violation of that agreement, leaving Terry Pegula as the only bidder who hasn’t breached it. As Graham writes, “ramifications for confidentiality breaches are not spelled out within the document,” but it’s still an ominous start for Bon Jovi and Trump as they pursue a purchase of the Bills.

Here’s more from around the AFC East, including another note on the Bills’ sale:

  • New York senator Charles Schumer remains optimistic about keeping the Bills in Buffalo, as Denise Jewell Gee of the Buffalo News details. However, Schumer added, “Words are nice, but they are not sufficient. We need an iron-clad commitment for whoever buys the team to keep the Bills in Buffalo.”
  • The Patriots were one of at least four teams to place a claim on former Seahawks tackle Michael Bowie when Seattle tried to sneak him through waivers and onto injured reserve, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Pats, of course, made a similar move last month, claiming rookie running back Tyler Gaffney when the Panthers tried to move him to their IR. Per Florio, the Saints and Cowboys also submitted claims for Bowie, who was ultimately awarded to the Browns.
  • Veteran center Samson Satele, who last played for the Dolphins during the 2008 season, is happy to have come “full circle” after signing with Miami this weekend, as he tells James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • Greg Salas‘ path to a roster spot with the Jets got a little more difficult after the team addressed the position in free agency this offseason by signing Eric Decker and Jacoby Ford. But as Dennis Waszack Jr. of The Associated Press writes, Salas has been making a case this summer that the Jets ought to keep him around for the regular season.