Minor Moves: Tuesday
We’ll track today’s 53-man roster signings and cuts from around the NFL right here, adding the latest moves to the top of the list throughout the day….
- The Seahawks claimed tight end Brett Brackett off waivers from the Titans, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Saints signed guard/center Eric Olsen, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That could indicate that they’re preparing to be without center Jonathan Goodwin for some time.
- The Browns cut Jonathan Krause from injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
- The Seahawks cut tight end Rashaun Allen, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden has replaced wideout Austin Pettis on the Rams‘ 53-man roster, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The move leaves two openings on St. Louis’ practice squad, so the team will likely add some new players there soon.
- In what’s becoming a weekly ritual, the 49ers have re-signed quarterback Josh Johnson and released safety Bubba Ventrone, the team announced today (via Twitter). The team made the same pair of transactions last Tuesday, then re-signed Ventrone to replace Johnson later in the week.
- Running back Antonio Andrews announced (via Twitter) that he has been promoted to the Titans‘ roster from their practice squad, filling the opening created yesterday when the team cut tight end Brett Brackett. Per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Andrews had an offer to sign elsewhere, perhaps with the Bills, so the Titans made the move to avoid losing him.
- The Browns have confirmed a move that was reported yesterday, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve cut defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel. Tight end Gerell Robinson takes his spot on the team’s 53-man roster.
49ers Re-Sign Ventrone, Cut Josh Johnson
The carousel that is the 49ers’ 53rd roster spot continued to spin today, as the 49ers re-signed safety Bubba Ventrone to a one-year contract, cutting quarterback Josh Johnson to clear room (Twitter account). The Niners released Ventrone on Tuesday when they re-signed Johnson.
Johnson has been serving as the 49ers’ third quarterback, but with both Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert healthy, he hasn’t needed to be active on game day, and now the team has gotten into the habit of removing him from the roster entirely on the weekend. The veteran signal-caller will likely be re-signed next week for practice.
Assuming he’s active on Sunday against the Broncos, Ventrone, who turns 28 next week, will likely play exclusively on special teams, so it wasn’t absolutely necessary for the Villanova product to be with the team this week during practice.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Tuesday is typically a busy in-season day for NFL transactions, so we expect to add several more moves from around the league to this list as the day goes on. For now, here are the the day’s minor transactions relating to clubs’ 53-man rosters:
- For now, to replace linebacker Danny Trevathan, the Broncos will promote Shaquil Barrett from their practice squad, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- The Seahawks have tweaked the back of their roster, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has cut safety Steven Terrell and signed defensive end Greg Scruggs.
- With the roster opening created by Ventrone’s release (noted below), the 49ers have re-signed quarterback Josh Johnson, who was cut a few days ago, the club announced today in a press release.
Earlier updates:
- The Browns have placed defensive lineman Armonty Bryant on injured reserve, signing another defensive lineman, Sione Fua, to take his spot on the roster, the team announced today (Twitter link). Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports first reported (via Twitter) that Fua was signing with the Browns.
- The Ravens have a roster exemption for previously-suspended safety Will Hill, which will last until next Monday, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. By that point, Baltimore will have to either waive Hill or cut someone else on the roster, creating space for the safety.
- A week after re-signing him to their active roster, the 49ers have released defensive back and special-teamer Bubba Ventrone, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Ventrone spent last season on San Francisco’s roster, but was cut prior to the 2014 regular season.
- Having lost cornerback Trumaine McBride during Sunday night’s game against the Eagles, the Giants are set to promote cornerback Chandler Fenner from their practice squad to the active roster, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Fenner, cut in July by Seattle, has shuffled back and forth between New York’s practice squad and active roster since the regular season began.
49ers Re-Sign Osgood, Cut Josh Johnson
As expected, the 49ers have once again re-signed wideout and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to their 53-man roster, according to the league’s transactions wire. To make room for Osgood, the club cut third-string quarterback Josh Johnson.
Osgood has signed four different contracts with the Niners since March, including two since the season got underway. Earlier this week, the 34-year-old was released once again to clear a spot for safety Bubba Ventrone, another special teams ace, but head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that he expected Osgood to be re-signed quickly.
Johnson, who was behind Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert on the quarterback depth chart, has been shuffled on and off the Niners’ roster multiple times this year as well. Most recently, he was cut on September 20 and re-signed three days later. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make his way back onto San Francisco’s 53-man roster sometime in the near future, though as long as the club’s top two signal-callers stay healthy, there shouldn’t be much urgency.
49ers Re-Sign Josh Johnson
The 49ers have re-added a quarterback to their roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve re-signed Josh Johnson to a one-year contract. To make room on the 53-man roster for Johnson, the club has waived tight end Asante Cleveland, meaning the team completed the opposite series of moves it made three days ago, when Cleveland was signed and Johnson was cut.
Johnson, who saw most of his NFL playing time in Tampa Bay from 2009 to 2011, currently sits third on the 49ers’ depth chart behind Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. However, given how Gabbert looked in the preseason, there’s a real possibility that Johnson could see the field if anything were to happen to Kaepernick this year.
Cleveland will likely land back on the Niners’ practice squad if he clears waivers, but for now, with Vernon Davis on the mend, the rookie tight end isn’t needed on the active roster.
Minor Moves: Saturday
We’ll keep tabs on all of Saturday’s NFL transactions here, with the latest moves at the top…
- The Lions have cut veteran wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). The move opened up room for practice squad cornerback Mohammed Seisay, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Raiders have signed linebacker Bojay Filomeatu from their practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- The 49ers have promoted tight end Asante Cleveland to their active roster, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). The team released quarterback Josh Johnson to make room.
- The Dolphins have signed safety Brandian Ross from their practice squad to the active roster, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). They released defensive lineman Bruce Gaston to make room.
- The Ravens have cut wide receiver Deonte Thompson, and signed running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from their practice squad, according to the team’s official Twitter page.
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings announced that they have signed wide receiver Charles Johnson from the Browns practice squad. Johnson will take Adrian Peterson‘s spot on the roster.
- The Lions will sign cornerback Mohammed Seisay from their practice squad, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer tweets that the Panthers have promoted running back Darrin Reaves from their practice squad to take Greg Hardy‘s roster spot.
- The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that the team has waived defensive end Lavar Edwards and signed linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad. Edwards, a former fourth-round pick, was acquired from the Titans in late August. He’s only played 15 snaps in two games this season. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com tweets that the release does not void the trade with Tennessee, noting that the Cowboys have to give up a seventh-rounder if Edwards stays on the roster for ten games. However, Archer also notes that Edwards will likely be back.
- The Jaguars have signed wide receiver Kerry Taylor from their practice squad, the team announced. To make room, the team waived rookie safety Craig Loston. Taylor has 22 career receptions for 229 yards and one touchdown. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that Taylor is injury-insurance for wideouts Cecil Shorts and Allen Hurns.
NFC Notes: Mankins, Eagles, 49ers, Bears
At his introductory press conference, new Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins admitted that he has a lot of work to do (via Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald). “It’s going to be tough, we have a week before the first game and I’m going to take it in stride. I’ve got all weekend to try and get down some of the mental part of it and then all next week at practice. I’m sure the guys are going to help me as much as possible and I’m going to try my best to be up to speed with those guys, I don’t know if it will happen, but I’m shooting for it,” said the veteran. More from around the NFL:
- Having recently been cut by the Bills, quarterback Thad Lewis had an audition for the Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
- Blaine Gabbert looked shaky in the 49ers‘ preseason finale while Josh Johnson has looked good over the last few weeks, which could prompt the club to carry three quarterbacks, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Gabbert, who has a $2MM guaranteed salary, won’t be going anywhere, but SF might want to have Johnson in place as a failsafe.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh sounds intent on keeping quarterback Johnson in addition to Gabbert, writes Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. However, he won’t commit to putting Johnson ahead of Gabbert on the depth chart, despite the former first-round pick’s struggles.
- After giving himself a “B+” grade for his Thursday night performance, Michael Sam believes that he’ll be on an NFL roster somewhere, even if it’s not with the Rams, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I’m very confident,” Sam said. “I’m going to sleep really well tonight and I’m very confident I’m going to be on a team, the Rams or any other team in the NFL.”
- Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times believes that Matthew Mulligan will have a spot on the Bears‘ roster as the tight end behind Martellus Bennett and Dante Rosario thanks to his blocking ability. The injury to Zach Miller opened the door for Mulligan, who is a solid blocker.
- The Bears have done their homework on long snappers and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) hears that they worked out four long snappers last week. Currently, Brandon Hartson has the job in Chicago.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that he has met face-to-face with Dez Bryant, something he doesn’t do with every player who is seeking a new deal, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. “We have had good visits,” Jones said. “It’s a little different to be talking directly, for me to be talking directly with the player. I know of two that I’ve spent a lot of time directly talking with in some pretty sensitive areas when you’re talking about money. We all understand what that means. One of them Michael Irvin. He asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later and Emmitt Smith, he asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later. Troy [Aikman] always had Leigh Steinberg there, but we kind of talked straight in there together.”
Extra Points: Cowboys, 49ers, Browns, Giants
Let’s check out some leftover links on this Saturday night…
- The Cowboys broke ground on a $115MM training facility in Frisco, Texas yesterday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- ESPN.com’s Todd Archer says (via Twitter) that Ryan Williams is among the 53-best players on the Cowboys roster, but that there is no guarantee that he’ll make the final cut.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com believes the 49ers will likely roll with either Blaine Gabbert or Josh Johnson as the backup quarterback. If the players struggle, the team might be forced to look outside of the organization.
- Josh Gordon was not in the Browns starting lineup on Saturday, and Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com thinks that this could be an indication by the team that Gordon will not be around for the start of the season.
- Giants wide receiver Marcus Harris will be out for about three weeks, and it’s a tough blow for the player. While he was originally expected to be the team’s fifth receiver, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com questions whether the player will now even make the roster.
King’s Latest: CBs, Bortles, Fairley, 49ers
Those defensive penalties that have plagued preseason games for the last two weeks won’t be going away once the regular season gets underway, according to vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. Blandino tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that defensive holding and illegal contact penalties will continue to be a point of emphasis throughout the year, and that he expects coaches and teams to adjust their style of play over the next few weeks. In the second weekend of the 2014 preseason, there have been nearly nine more penalties per game than an average 2013 regular season contest, which is a number that will hurt the game if it extends into the regular season, writes King.
Here’s more from this week’s MMQB:
- King predicts that we’ll hear of several teams desperate for cornerbacks in the next week or so. “We’re going to get one,” a personnel man for one team said. “But we may have to pay a higher price than we want, or a higher price than the player deserves.” King identifies the Jets, Ravens, Lions, Colts, Vikings, and Buccaneers as teams that may be on the lookout for another corner.
- While Chad Henne may open the regular season under center for the Jaguars, the team has always planned to transition Blake Bortles into the starting role when he’s ready, regardless of how well or how poorly Henne is playing, says King. Based on how Bortles has looked so far in the preseason, that transition could end up happening sooner rather than later.
- According to King, Nick Fairley is now behind C.J. Mosley on the Lions‘ depth chart. So far, it doesn’t seem as Detroit’s decision to decline Fairley’s 2015 option as a motivational tactic has paid off for the defensive tackle or the team.
- One scout suggests the 49ers should be worried about the backup quarterback situation, and King writes that Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke may be thinking about elevating Josh Johnson to No. 2 on the depth chart after another poor performance by Blaine Gabbert.
- King praises the Bears‘ signing of wide receiver Santonio Holmes, writing that he has “no idea” why so many people view Holmes as a toxic locker-room presence — in King’s view, the veteran wideout has been “mildly disruptive,” but he’s hardly a cancer.
49ers’ Not Looking To Add At Quarterback
The bright spots were far and few between during the 49ers’ embarrassing 34-0 defeat to the Broncos earlier today. The team’s signal callers struggled in particular, with the four quarterbacks on the roster failing to produce even a single touchdown drive, and combining to produce three points in two preseason games thus far.
Of the four quarterbacks on the roster, only starter Colin Kaepernick‘s job is secure, and hopefully for the team he will stay healthy and his backups will never see any meaningful action. Even still, there is concern over the uncertainty of the three players vying to be the number two passer on the depth chart.
Blaine Gabbert was thought to have the inside track, after the 49ers traded a sixth round pick to the Jaguars to acquire his services. However, through two preseason games he has completed only 11/27 passes for 60 yards, throwing two interceptions in the process. His performances have left his spot on the team in doubt.
At the same time, fellow backups Josh Johnson and McLeod Bethel-Thompson have failed to impress themselves. Bethel-Thompson has thrown two interceptions himself, and while Johnson escaped the preseason opener without a turnover, he lost a fumble today against the Broncos.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh is unhappy with the amount of turnovers he is seeing from the group, noting that turnovers will be the deciding factor on who gets the nod in the event Kaepernick should need to be replaced, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
“In terms of a backup quarterback, it’s as simple as who doesn’t turn the ball over,” Harbaugh said. “They’re turning the ball over. All of them have. There’s nobody to elevate. Whoever doesn’t turn the ball over will be the backup quarterback.”
Harbaugh still shot down the idea that the team would look outside the organization for a suitable backup.
One quarterback who could provide an upgrade over the current backups is Christian Ponder, writes Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ponder has fallen out of favor with the Vikings, as Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater are currently battling for the starting job in Minnesota.
The team will of course like to get 16 games out of their starter, but in today’s NFL, a weak backup quarterback can take a contender to a bottom dweller in a hurry.