Jeff Badet

Jalen Ramsey caused a stir yet again Sunday, even though he wasn’t playing. Ramsey missed the Jaguars’ loss to the Panthers with his back issue, but he surprisingly popped up in Houston with Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson posted a photo to Instagram of the two of them with their mutual agent David Mulugheta, which sparked an uproar online. Ramsey, of course, is still demanding a trade out of Jacksonville.

Despite some wishful thinking of Texans fans, Ramsey and Mulugheta weren’t in town to facilitate a trade to his AFC South rival. Instead, the Jaguars cornerback was in Houston to get his back checked out by a specialist, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Ramsey just recently revealed that he’s been dealing with back issues for the last couple of seasons, and it’s unclear how long this latest flare-up will sideline him. Stay tuned for the next edition of Ramsey-watch.

Here’s more from around the league as Week 6 winds down:

Former Vikings receiver Jeff Badet could be back in the league soon. Badet has workouts scheduled for this week with the Packers and Browns, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Tomasson notes that he suffered a finger injury during the preseason with Minnesota, and said in a separate tweet that his finger is now fully healed. Badet spent last year on the Vikings’ practice squad, and he was coveted this offseason. To keep him from signing with the Jets, the Vikings gave Badet a $75K bonus on his reserve/futures contract. He’s a 2018 UDFA from Oklahoma.
Speaking of the Browns, they’ll again be shorthanded in their Week 5 Monday Night Football game against the 49ers. Starting cornerbacks Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward are both unlikely to play, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). The Browns’ secondary is still really banged up even as their safeties have gotten healthier, as both young cornerbacks are dealing with hamstring injuries. It’s unfortunate for Cleveland, as they’ll be facing a well-rested San Francisco team coming off their bye in this pivotal game.
In case you missed it, general managers across the league are expecting a very active trade deadline.

6 comments Cleveland Browns Green Bay Packers Denzel Ward Greedy Williams Jeff Badet

Vikings Announce Cuts To Make 53

By Zachary Links | at August 31, 2019 5:16 pm

The Vikings have trimmed their roster down to 53 players. Notably, the team waived kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik, who they just traded a fifth-round pick for a few weeks ago. They also sent packing quarterback Kyle Sloter, who has starred in the preseason the past couple of years and earned a lot of fans. Finally, the team cut their losses with first-round bust Laquon Treadwell. Minnesota drafted the former Ole Miss receiver 23rd overall back in 2016, and he never topped 200 yards with the team.

Here’s the full list of moves:

Waived:

DE Ade Aruna (Injured)

WR Jeff Badet

FB Khari Blasingame

QB Jake Browning

LB Reshard Cliett

T Aviante Collins

DT Curtis Cothran

WR Davion Davis

LB Devante Downs

C Cornelius Edison

RB De’Angelo Henderson

TE Cole Hikutini

WR Alexander Hollins

CB Craig James

DE Stacy Keely

C John Keenoy

LB Greer Martini

CB Nate Meadors

WR Dillon Mitchell

T Storm Norton

DT Tito Odenigbo

DE Anree Saint-Amour

DE Karter Schult

QB Kyle Sloter

LB Cameron Smith

S Derron Smith

CB Duke Thomas

WR Laquon Treadwell

P/K Kaare Vedvik

T Nate Wozniak

S Isaiah Wharton (Injured)

WR Brandon Zylstra

Placed on Reserve/PUP:

TE David Morgan

Placed on Reserve/NFI:

DE Tashawn Bower

11 comments Minnesota Vikings Transactions Ade Aruna Alexander Hollins Anree Saint-Amour Aviante Collins Brandon Zylstra Cameron Smith Cole Hikutini Cornelius Edison Craig James Curtis Cothran David Morgan Davion Davis De'Angelo Henderson Derron Smith Devante Downs Dillon Mitchell Duke Thomas Greer Martini Isaiah Wharton Jake Browning Jeff Badet John Keenoy Kaare Vedvik Karter Schult Khari Blasingame Kyle Sloter Laquon Treadwell Nate Meadors Nate Wozniak Reshard Cliett Stacy Keely Storm Norton Tashawn Bower Tito Odenigbo

Vikings Notes: Rudolph, Cutting, Badet, Kearse

By Andrew Ortenberg | at May 4, 2019 7:24 pm

The Vikings made a splash last week in the draft, when they took Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr. 50th overall. Smith was considered by many to be the third best tight end in the draft behind the Iowa standouts, and the Vikings are hoping he can turn into a consistent third option behind Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen in the future. But the move could have more immediate implications for one current member of the team, tight end Kyle Rudolph. The selection “appeared to foreshadow that Rudolph’s days in Minnesota could be numbered,” writes Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com.

Additionally, sources told Cronin that the Vikings “fielded interest” before and during the draft about a potential trade for Rudolph. We heard in March that the Vikings had asked Rudolph to take a pay cut, but his representatives then pushed back forcefully on that and denied the report. His reps also said at the time that the team had told them Rudolph would be on the roster in 2019, but that’s looking like far from a sure thing now. Last month Albert Breer of SI.com speculated that the Patriots could be interested in adding Rudolph. With New England looking thin at tight end after Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, it wouldn’t be a shocker.

Here’s more from Minnesota:

New Vikings long snapper Austin Cutting, a seventh round pick of the team, will report to rookie minicamp but has signed an “injury protection agreement” instead of his rookie contract, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Cutting is an Air Force product, and he’s not signing “out of respect to letting the Air Force eventually give a final decision of if he can play in 2019,” Tomasson writes. Cutting could possibly have to leave the team for two years to fulfill his service requirements, but we won’t know for sure for a little while longer.
Receiver Jeff Badet spent last season on the Vikings’ practice squad, and he signed a reserve/futures deal with the team after the season ended. But he almost didn’t end up back with the Vikings, as he was courted by the Jets, according to Tomasson. Minnesota ended up giving the Oklahoma product a $75K bonus to stick around, which swayed him. Badet, an undrafted rookie last year, became the second player to almost defect to the Jets before coming home after Anthony Barr‘s heavily publicized free agency ordeal.
The Vikings are looking to convert safety Jayron Kearse to a weakside linebacker this offseason, sources told Tomasson. Kearse was taken by the Vikes in the seventh round back in 2016. A Clemson product, Kearse played linebacker in high school before being switched to safety in college. Kearse played around 20 percent of the Vikings’ defensive snaps last season and was a key player on special teams, so he’s got a significant role. It’ll be interesting to see how his transition turns out.