Audition Notes: Wednesday
The Cowboys scheduled a visit for linebacker Will Smith, a source tells Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. However, there might not be a spot for Smith after Tim Dobbins was picked up earlier today. The Cowboys have needs at offensive guard and at linebacker with injuries to starting left guard Ron Leary and starting weakside linebacker Justin Durant. Durant is done for the year while Leary is out with a groin strain. A look at today’s auditions from around the NFL..
- The Titans worked out defensive backs Malcolm Bronson, Deveron Carr, Marcus Cromartie, Keelan Johnson, Bacarri Rambo, and Trevin Wade this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
- Former Jaguars safety Chris Prosinski is visiting the Eagles today, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter). The Jets auditioned Prosinski last week.
- The Broncos tried out defensive backs C.J. Barnett, Kip Edwards, and Jerron McMillian, Wilson tweets.
- The Texans, who signed Zac Diles and Ben Malena, also worked out Moise Fokou, Shayne Skov, and Scott Solomon, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- The Raiders worked out Michael Egner, tight end D.C. Jefferson, and Jacob Pedersen, Wilson tweets. Jefferson, a Rutgers product, entered the school as a well-regarded quarterback and left as a tight end.
- The Bucs worked out Marvin McNutt before signing Tavarres King to the practice squad, Wilson tweets. King ostensibly took the spot that McNutt was in the mix for.
South Auditions: Bucs, Titans, Jags, Panthers
Earlier today, we passed along several updates from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on AFC and NFC East teams working out free agents, perhaps with an eye on signing some of them later in the season. A handful of teams in the AFC and NFC South have also auditioned players this week, and Wilson has those items as well, via Twitter. Here are the highlights:
- Special teams was an area of focus for the Buccaneers this week, with the team working out long snappers Brandon Hartson and Charley Hughlett, as well as punter Kasey Redfern. Cornerback Derek Cox and running back Lache Seastrunk also tried out for the club.
- Jacob Pedersen, Brett Brackett, and Blake Annen were among the tight ends to work out this week for the Titans, who also auditioned quarterback Alex Tanney.
- In addition to conducting the previously-reported workout for tight end David Paulson, the Jaguars also took a look at tight end Jake Murphy, along with defensive backs Tommie Campbell and Brandon Ghee.
- A pair of interior offensive linemen, Philip Blake and Evan Finkenberg, tried out for the Panthers.
- We’d previously heard about the Colts hosting free agent running back Mikel Leshoure and signing outside linebacker Chris Carter, but Wilson adds one more name to the team’s list of workouts: former Saints edge defender Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
Falcons Release Pat Angerer, Others
3:17pm: The Falcons have issued a press release announcing their first wave of final cuts. In addition to confirming the cuts noted below, the team also parted ways with the following players:
- Nosa Eguae (DE)
- Jordan Mabin (CB)
- Freddie Martino (WR)
- Kimario McFadden (S)
- Jacob Pedersen (TE)
- Adam Replogle (OL)
- Donte Rumph (DT)
- Josh Vaughan (RB)
1:27pm: Fullback Maurice Hagens is the Falcons’ latest roster casualty, per McClure (via Twitter).
12:51pm: The Falcons have also released offensive lineman Pat McQuistan, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter).
12:09pm: The Falcons are set to release linebacker Pat Angerer, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Fellow linebacker Yawin Smallwood, who was taken in the seventh-round of this year’s draft, will also get cut.
Angerer, a 2010 second-round pick, underwent microfracture surgery in December. At the time, the veteran was told that his chances of returning were slim, but he was healthy enough to be a consideration for the Falcons this offseason.
“It was about 50-50 but more like 20 percent chance of coming back (with) the way my knee was,” Angerer told Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was pretty beat up. To come back and to even be on the field, that’s a pretty big accomplishment and something I’m really proud of. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the opportunity.”
Angerer, 27, racked up 226 tackles in his first two NFL seasons but has played more sparsely over the last two years, in part due to foot and knee injuries. Many expected Angerer to be a shoe-in for the Falcons after they lost Sean Weatherspoon for the year, but it was not meant to be.
Falcons Sign 20 Undrafted Free Agents
The Falcons are the latest team to make their undrafted free agent class official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed 20 new rookies to contracts. Here’s the complete list:
- Geraldo Boldewijn, WR, Boise State
- Brenden Daley, LB, Hawaii
- Nosa Eguae, DE, Auburn
- Devonta Glover-Wright, CB, Utah State
- Maurice Hagens, FB, Miami (FL)
- Julian Jones, WR, Arkansas State
- Freddie Martino, WR, North Greenville
- Jeff Mathews, QB, Cornell
- Walker May, OLB, Vanderbilt
- Kimario McFadden, S, South Carolina State
- Roosevelt Nix, FB, Kent State ($15K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin
- Bernard Reedy, WR, Toledo
- Donte Rumph, DT, Kentucky
- Jacques Smith, OLB, Tennessee
- Jerome Smith, RB, Syracuse
- James Stone, C, Tennessee
- Tramaine Thompson, WR, Kansas State
- Brian Wozniak, TE, Wisconsin
- Matt Yoklic, P, Pittsburgh