Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- The Saints have signed linebacker James Anderson, as Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune tweets. The Saints have been thin at linebacker recently, with injuries to strongside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha (ankle), weakside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip/groin), and backup Ramon Humber, so Anderson will provide additional depth for New Orleans. To make room for Anderson, the Saints have cut fellow linebacker Mike Mohamed, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Vikings announced that they have signed linebacker Jason Trusnik while placing fellow linebacker Audie Cole on IR. Trusnik, a former Division-III standout, was cut by the Panthers before the final trim down to a 53-man roster. He first broke into the league as a UDFA with the Jets in 2007. The Ohio native has played in 109 career games with 24 starts, tallying 146 total tackles, 4 PDs, 4 FRs and 1 FF in his first eight NFL seasons. Cole wasn’t a factor on the Vikings’ defense, but he was playing more than half of the club’s special teams snaps before fracturing his ankle.
- The Giants announced that they have added defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the active roster while placing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on IR. Hankins suffered a torn pectoral muscle over the weekend, ending his 2015 season prematurely. Hughes, who stands at 6’4″ and weighs 350 pounds, played in 16 games for the Colts between 2013 and 2014.
- The Browns announced that they have activated defensive back Charles Gaines and running back Glenn Winston. Both players were previously sidelined with injuries.
- The Buccaneers announced that they have signed safety Kimario McFadden, who played with them in the preseason. To make room for McFadden on the 53-man roster, the Buccaneers waived defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.
- The Chargers announced that they have signed tight end Sean McGrath while waiving guard Craig Watts. McGrath briefly retired following his second season in 2013, a season in which he caught 26 balls for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
- The Chiefs will promote safety Saalim Hakim from the practice squad, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Bears will promote wide receiver Deonte Thompson to the 53-man roster from the taxi squad, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune tweets.
Workout Notes: Saints, Seahawks, Jaguars
Today’s workouts from around the NFL..
- The Jets worked out defensive end Lawrence Okoye, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. Okoye, a former University of Kentucky discus hurler, had previous stops with the 49ers and Cardinals.
Earlier updates:
- The Saints tried out John Conner and Henry Hynoski, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT. New Orleans already has a fullback on the roster in Austin Johnson, but he was a surprise scratch on Sunday and he may have fallen out of favor with coaches. Conner, nicknamed the Terminator, was a favorite of Rex Ryan while with the Jets. Conner followed Ryan to Buffalo in 2015, but he was let go before the start of the season. Hynoski, a four-year veteran, spent his full career with the Giants and appeared in every game last year.
- The Seahawks had ten players in for tryouts on Monday, including running back Isaiah Pead and defensive end Lawrence Okoye, a source tells Florio. Linebacker John Lotulelei, tackle Jesse Davis, guard Taylor Boggs, defensive end Keith Browner, guard Kadeem Edwards, defensive end Efe Obada, and defensive end DeAngelo Tyson were also showing their stuff for Seattle.
- The Jaguars brought in kickers Zach Hocker and Randy Bullock for a workout on Wednesday, but Josh Scobee was not among those in attendance, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
- In addition to their previously reported look at Jeff Demps, the Jets tried out running back Akeem Hunt on Tuesday, a league source tells Florio. Wide receiver Larry Pinkard also got a look from Gang Green. Chris Ivory is dealing with tightness in his quad, so the Jets might opt to add a running back if he needs to sit out for a while.
- The Browns recently worked out cornerbacks Bill Bentley, Chase Casey, Al Louis-Jean, and Robert Steeples, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Cardinals worked out Emmanuel Acho, James Anderson and Ja’Gared Davis, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Falcons worked out Mike Gillislee and Devin Wylie, Wilson tweets.
- The Panthers worked out Andrew Miller, Wilson tweets.
- The Jets worked out wide receiver Larry Pinkard, Wilson tweets.
- The Steelers worked out Dwight Bentley and Montell Garner, Wilson tweets.
- The Raiders worked out Dyshawn Davis, Wilson tweets.
- The Saints worked out Jeff Luc, Patrick Scales, Jason Williams, and Christian Yount, Wilson tweets.
- The Packers worked out Justin Anderson, Curtis Grant, and Ronald Powell, Wilson tweets.
- The Colts worked out Sean Baker, Matt Daniels, outside linebacker Mike McAdoo, and Dreamius Smith, Wilson tweets.
Cowboys Place Henry Melton On IR
The Cowboys have placed Henry Melton on injured reserve, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (via Twitter). To take his place on the roster, Dallas has signed linebacker James Anderson.
Melton has a serious bone bruise bordering on a fracture, according to a source that spoke with Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter). The defensive tackle signed a one-year with Dallas last offseason worth up to $5MM based on whether he could hit certain performance bonuses. Beyond that, the deal gives Dallas an option in this upcoming offseason that could tack on another three years to the lineman’s deal. If he remains on the roster through the first day of the 2015 league year, a three-year extension worth $8MM annually and $9MM guaranteed will kick in. If the injury isn’t more serious than what it’s currently believed to be, then it’s a mortal lock that he’ll remain on the roster.
Anderson, 31, was cut loose by the Falcons on Christmas Eve. He started all 16 games last season for the Bears, with Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranking him 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers. That poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage. Still, he didn’t see any time on defense during an earlier stint this season in Tennessee, appearing exclusively on special teams, and during his time with Atlanta, he didn’t see the field at all.
Falcons Cut Anderson, Promote Jerome Smith
8:37am: Running back Jerome Smith, who has spent the entire season on the Falcons’ practice squad, will take Anderson’s spot on the 53-man roster, per agent David Canter (Twitter link).
7:55am: After being on the Falcons’ active roster for a little over a month, veteran linebacker James Anderson will be released by the team, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Anderson will become a free agent, able to sign with any club, assuming he clears waivers.
Anderson, 31, started all 16 games last season for the Bears, with Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranking him 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers. That poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage. Still, he didn’t see any time on defense during an earlier stint this season in Tennessee, appearing exclusively on special teams, and during his time with Atlanta, he didn’t see the field at all.
When Anderson’s release becomes official, the Falcons will likely announce a corresponding move, either a free agent signing or a promotion of a practice squad player.
Falcons Sign James Anderson
Two days after being released by the Titans, veteran linebacker James Anderson has signed with the Falcons, the club announced today (Twitter link). Anderson takes the 53-man roster spot vacated by running back Antone Smith, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a broken leg on Sunday.
Anderson, 31, started all 16 games last season for the Bears, with Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranking him 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers. That poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage. Still, he didn’t see any time on defense during his stint this season in Tennessee, appearing exclusively on special teams.
In Atlanta, Anderson, a former third-round pick figures to push Prince Shembo and Joplo Bartu for snaps on defense, and will likely get some action on kick and punt coverage as well.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
In addition to making practice squad changes, teams around the league are also adding and subtracting players from their 53-man rosters today. We’ll round up some of those minor transactions in this space, with the latest moves added at the top of the list:
- The Texans have released Ricky Sapp from injured reserve, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Sapp was placed on IR on October 7th to make room for the signing of linebacker John Simon to the 53-man roster.
- The Titans have cut linebacker James Anderson, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Anderson, 31, started all 16 games last season for the Bears. While Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranked Anderson 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers in 2013, his poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage. This year he saw time in seven games as a reserve.
- The Bears have added receiver and return man Marc Mariani to their roster on a two-year contract, waiving safety Ahmad Dixon to make room for the incoming player, the team announced today (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- The Cardinals had hoped Troy Niklas‘ ankle injury wouldn’t be season-ending, but that optimism didn’t last long. As Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes, the team placed the rookie tight end on injured reserve today, ending his season. To replace Niklas, the Cards signed veteran tight end Matthew Mulligan, who was on the Bears’ roster earlier this season.
- The Seahawks have officially confirmed the previously-reported signings of offensive lineman Lemuel Jeanpierre and defensive tackle Travian Robertson, cutting offensive tackle Andrew McDonald and defensive back Steven Terrell to accommodate the new additions. Jeanpierre and Robertson will get a chance to play at center and defensive tackle, respectively, with Max Unger and Brandon Mebane injured.
- Chargers offensive lineman Jeromey Clary has been ruled out for the season and will remain on the reserve/PUP list, the team announced today in a press release. Clary needed to start practicing today if he hoped to play this season, but his hip injury will keep him sidelined until 2015.
Titans Sign James Anderson; Brown To IR
The Titans have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker James Anderson, the team announced today (via Twitter). Anderson takes the 53-man roster spot vacated by fellow linebacker Zach Brown, who has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
Anderson, 30, was one of the more notable veteran linebackers on the market, having started all 16 games last season for the Bears. While Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranked Anderson 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers in 2013, his poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage.
Anderson, a former third-round pick who also accumulated 102 tackles and four quarterback sacks, signed with the Pats in the offseason, but was cut during the preseason, and was one of several linebackers who worked out last week for the Titans. As for Brown, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle during Tennessee’s Week 1 game against the Chiefs.
Besides swapping in one linebacker for another on the 53-man roster, the Titans did the same on their practice squad. According to the club (via Twitter), Justin Staples has been added to the taxi squad, replacing Brandon Copeland.
Audition Notes: Titans, Giants
As we approach halftime of the late afternoon contests, we have a couple audition notes to pass along:
- Following the season-ending injury to Zach Brown, the Titans are leaving no stone unturned while searching for replacements at linebacker. Tennessee brought in 10 linebackers for a workout, according to Howard Balzer (on Twitter): James Anderson, Nate Askew, Allen Bradford, Larry Dean, L.J. Fort, Will Herring, Paris Lenon, Stephen Nicholas, Justin Staples, and Kion Wilson all auditioned on Friday.
- We already heard that Giants worked out several punters on Friday, but Balzer reports (via Twitter) that New York also brought in kicker Chris Boswell for a tryout. Boswell was released by the Texans in August.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Vickerson, Cardinals, Bengals
Former Broncos defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson was brought into Cincy to take a physical for the Bengals but he won’t be signing with them this week, a source tells Mike Klis of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Here’s more from around the league..
- The Cardinals were busy looking at linebackers today, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter): James Anderson, Zac Diles, Moise Fokou, and Yawin Smallwood all worked out for them, according to the source.
- The Bengals worked out tight ends Kevin Greene and Ryan Otten this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Redskins worked out Chaz Sutton and Derrell Johnson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- In addition to signing Colton Schmidt, the Bills also worked out fellow punters Bobby Cowan and Drew Butler, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Pats Release Will Smith And Tommy Kelly
MONDAY, 12:37pm: In addition confirming the releases below, the Patriots have announced the release of TE Justin Jones via press release.
SUNDAY, 4:53PM: As other NFL teams part ways with a slew of young, inexperienced players as Tuesday’s 3pm cutdown date approaches, the Patriots have taken a different tack, releasing veteran defensive lineman Will Smith and Tommy Kelly, reports Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Per Schefter, New England has also cut linebacker James Anderson.
The Pats added Smith, 32, on a one-year deal ($65K bonus) in May, after the veteran had spent his entire 10-year career with the Saints. I noted at the time of his signing that landing in New England’s versatile defensive scheme might be an ideal landing spot for Smith, who had noted he was open to playing in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets that Smith was not fitting in as a 3-4 defensive end, noting that he hadn’t received the opportunity to rush from the edge.
Kelly, 33, joined the Patriots on a two-year deal prior to last season after spending the prior nine years in Oakland. He tore his ACL in Week 8, and spent the remainder of the season on IR. Kelly restructured his contract in March, turning some of his base salary into incentive-based and roster bonus pay, so his release doesn’t come as a total surprise. In fact, back in July, Reiss had predicted the Pats would eventually cut Kelly.
Anderson, 30, started 16 games for the Bears last season, but remained on the free agent market until New England signed him in June. Anderson had been working mostly as a coverage linebacker — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the sixth-best 4-3 OLB in terms of pass coverage last season. As Reiss writes (Twitter link), the Pats were probably looking for more special teams ability out of their reserve linebacker position.
According to Brian McIntyre (Twitter links), the Patriots will save $3.565MM in cash this season by releasing the three players. Smith and Anderson were each due a $50K bonus if they were on New England’s Week 1 roster, while Kelly was entitled to $800K in per game active roster bonuses.