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Workout Notes: Colts, Holliday, Jones

October 13th, 2014 at 1:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest auditions from around the NFL..

  • The Colts worked out kick returner Trindon Holliday today, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). The Giants released Holliday from IR earlier this year and last week the Bears were said to have interest.
  • The Dolphins are working out former Patriots tight end Justin Jones tomorrow, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). At 6’7″ and 270 pounds, Jones is an intriguing talent who could be a fit in Miami.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

September 16th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest news added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Chiefs have signed fullback Jordan Campbell and tight end Justin Jones to the practice squad, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). To make room, they have released cornerback Robert Steeples.
  • The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that they have released cornerback Jemea Thomas from the p-squad and re-signed fullback Nikita Whitlock.
  • Running back Edwin Baker has replaced cornerback Trevin Wade on the Saints‘ practice squad, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  • Defensive end James Davidson, who was in camp with the Bengals, is set to fill the 10th and final spot on the Giants‘ practice squad, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have removed linebacker Kevin Reddick from their practice squad, says Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz from their practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Besides confirming the previously reported re-signing of linebacker Darius Fleming to their practice squad, the Patriots also announced several more moves today. Offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann and defensive lineman Kona Schwenke are now part of the club’s 10-man unit, while defensive lineman Cam Henderson and running back Marcus Thigpen have been cut.
  • The Browns have signed linebacker Allen Bradford to their practice squad, cutting wideout Ifeanyi Momah, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Safety Josh Aubrey has taken the place of wide receiver Travis Labhart on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link).
  • The Redskins announced today (via Twitter) they’ve signed defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo to their practice squad, cutting another defensive lineman, Dennis Hopkins, to clear an opening.
  • Defensive tackle Roy Philon has re-signed with the Bears‘ practice squad, leaving the team with three openings on the taxi squad, the team confirmed (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers have signed former Redskins’ sixth-round running back Lache Seastrunk to their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link).
  • Offensive lineman Emmett Cleary has joined the Bengals‘ practice squad, replacing tight end Ryan Otten on the unit, according to the club (via Twitter).
  • The Colts have swapped one guard for another on their practice squad, dropping Josh Walker and signing David Arkin, the team announced in a press release.
  • After promoting tight end Marcel Jensen to their 53-man roster, the Jaguars have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by adding offensive tackle Cody Booth, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
  • Fullback Zach Line, waived from the 53-man roster over the weekend, has joined the Vikings‘ practice squad, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
  • The 49ers made several changes to their practice squad last night. In addition to confirming the signing of tight end Xavier Grimble, which was previously reported, the club also signed cornerback Leon McFadden, dropping linebacker Shayne Skov and defensive back Chance Casey to make room, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).

West Notes: Raiders, Allen, Chiefs

September 15th, 2014 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot to like about the 49ers‘ new stadium, but the parking lot situation has fans grumbling, writes Al Saracevic of the San Francisco Chronicle. Fans took to Twitter in droves after waiting for hours in traffic and many were suddenly nostalgic for Candlestick Park. Of course, the 28-20 loss to the Bears didn’t have them in a great mood either. Here’s a look at some items out of the AFC and NFC West..

  • On ESPN earlier today, Chris Mortensen said that there is already talk of Raiders head coach Dennis Allen losing his job, tweets Evan Silva of Rotoworld. “I know a lot of people around the league are talking about it,” Mort said, according to Silva.
  • The problems go beyond the team starting 0-2, Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group writes, and he wonders aloud how much longer the coach has in Oakland. The Raiders were blown out 30-14 in their home opener and the follow-up against the Texans was even worse. The fans aren’t the only ones that are frustrated. “That’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for this team. I’m embarrassed for these fans. And the thing about it is, I’m part of it. I don’t know what we need to do as a team going forward. I know something is going to have to be done,” veteran Charles Woodson said.
  • The Chiefs are scheduled to work out former Ravens wide receiver LaQuan Williams and former Patriots tight end Justin Jones, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams, a University of Maryland product, was cut by the Ravens in preseason. Jones is a former East Carolina standout who was with the Patriots after going undrafted. At 6’7″ and 270 pounds, Jones is an intriguing talent.

Pats Release Will Smith And Tommy Kelly

August 25th, 2014 at 12:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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.

Minor Moves: Sunday

August 17th, 2014 at 7:06pm CST by Rory Parks

We’ll round up today’s minor transactions here, with the latest news appearing at the top:

  • To open a roster spot for tight end Kyle Auffray, the Raiders have cut kicker Kevin Goessling, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).

Earlier updates

  • To fill the roster spot vacated by Ott’s departure, the Patriots have re-signed tight end Justin Jones, according to Tom Curran of CSSNE.com (Twitter link). Jones, an undrafted free agent, had been released a week ago.
  • Former Illinois receiver Steve Hull signed on with the Saints as a undrafted free agent just three months ago, but he has decided to end his playing career. Hull posted the news himself on his Instagram account.
  • The Patriots have waived long snapper Tyler Ott, an 2014 undrafted free agent out of Harvard, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Veteran Danny Aiken is now the only LS on New England’s roster.
  • The Bengals have waived OT Chandler Burden, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Colts have cut running back Davin Meggett and signed running back Deji Karim.
  • The Lions have signed linebacker Shamari Benton and waived linebacker Justin Jackson, reports Wilson (Twitter links).
  • Wilson tweets that the Chiefs have cut Rokevious Watkins from the reserve non-football injury list.

Minor Moves: Sunday

August 10th, 2014 at 4:50pm CST by Rory Parks

We’ll round up Sunday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Vikings have signed TE Kory Sperry, the team announced on Twitter. VikingUpdate.com (Twitter link) was the first to report that Sperry was on the Minnesota practice field. Sperry, entering his sixth season, has spent time with the Dolphins, Chargers, and, most recently, the Cardinals.
  • The following players have been removed from their respective team’s injured reserve list with an injury settlement, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter): FS Dion Bailey (Seahawks), LB Jeremy Grable (Buccaneers), and WR David Gettis (Buccaneers).

Earlier Updates

  • The Buccaneers have waived safety Mark Joyce, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
  • The Seahawks have re-signed DB Trey Wolfe and have waived LB Mike Taylor (Twitter links).
  • In addition to releasing Watson, the Patriots have also released tight end Justin Jones, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Volin adds that New England has signed TE Ben Hartsock. ESPN Insider Field Yates tweets that the team has also waived running back Stephen Houston and has signed tight ends Steve Maneri and Terrence Miller.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets that the Bills have signed CB Sam Miller and have waived CB Michael Carter.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that the Patriots have released tight end Asa Watson. In a separate tweet, Volin notes that the Pats are clearly unhappy with their tight end depth and it appears as though they will be bringing in some “new blood” behind Rob Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui.

Patriots Sign 13 Undrafted FAs

May 18th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

SUNDAY, 4:55pm: The Patriots have added one more undrafted free agent in the form of Maine receiver Derrick Johnson, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com. The Pats roster now stands at 87, three shy of the 90-player maximum.

FRIDAY, 4:17pm: The Pats have added three more undrafted free agents, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, who tweets that the club has officially signed Rutgers defensive back Jeremy Deering, Iowa linebacker James Morris, and Harvard long snapper Tyler Ott.

MONDAY, 3:17pm: The Patriots have signed nine rookie free agents, according to a team release. Here’s the full list of the undrafted free agents who will be heading to New England:

  • Tyler Beck, TE, Bowling Green ($1.5K bonus, per Mike Reiss)
  • Roy Finch, RB, Oklahoma ($5K bonus and $5K in other guarantees)
  • Shamiel Gary, S, Oklahoma State ($5K bonus and $5K in other guarantees)
  • Cameron Gordon, LB, Michigan ($15K bonus and $20K in other guarantees)
  • Travis Hawkins, DB, Delaware ($5K bonus and $5K in other guarantees)
  • Stephen Houston, RB, Indiana ($7.5K bonus and $15K in other guarantees)
  • Justin Jones, TE, East Carolina ($5K bonus and $10K in other guarantees)
  • Deontae Skinner, LB, Mississippi State ($5K bonus)
  • Asa Watson, TE, North Carolina State ($3K bonus and $17K in other guarantees)

Draft Updates: Browns, 49ers, Beckham, Visits

April 30th, 2014 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

An ideal situation for new Browns head coach Mike Pettine would be to draft a quarterback later than the No. 4 pick, and not have to start that QB in his rookie season, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer details.

“That’s been a big part of the discussion in the draft room,” Pettine said. “That’s a position that we know we’re going to need to address, and you talk about where you’re going to do it and the impact that it’s going to have on the rest of the team. Certainly it’s an ideal situation if you can get that quarterback later in the draft and that way you’re drafting a position player at four.”

Here are a few more Wednesday draft-related tidbits:

  • The 49ers are “very interested” in LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a source tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Beckham may not be on the board when San Francisco’s No. 30 pick rolls around, but there was some speculation earlier today that the club may target the Ravens’ pick (17th overall) and consider moving up.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com identifies seven sleepers that may end up doing pretty well for themselves in this year’s draft. Among the players named by La Canfora: East Carolina tight end Justin Jones, Towson cornerback Jordan Love, and McGill offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
  • Arizona State tight end Chris Coyle tells Tyler Lockman of Fox Sports Arizona (Twitter link) that he has heard from about 15 NFL teams, including the Cardinals, Chargers, and Eagles.
  • Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) adds the Buccaneers, Panthers, and Dolphins to the list of teams that hosted North Dakota offensive lineman Billy Turner for pre-draft visits.
  • Fresno State tight end Marcel Jensen has worked out for the Falcons and Colts and met with the Eagles and Patriots, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who says Jensen’s stock is on the rise.
  • The Titans, who are on the lookout for a new kicker after releasing Rob Bironas last month, recently worked out Washington’s Travis Coons, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

South Notes: Falcons, Bucs, Saints, Titans

April 15th, 2014 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure reported last Friday that Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews has a visit scheduled with the Falcons for the week of April 21, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets today that Matthews has already worked out for Atlanta. Considering the Falcons are very much in the market for help on the line on both sides of the ball, Matthews is certainly a player worth keeping an eye on for that No. 6 overall pick next month, and he seems to be drawing plenty of interest from the club.

Here’s more on the Falcons and a couple other South teams:

  • The Falcons are hosting East Carolina tight end Justin Jones for a pre-draft visit today and Auburn edge defender Dee Ford later in the week. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution have the respective details.
  • Wilson also tweets that Utah State cornerback Nevin Lawson is visiting the Falcons today and tomorrow.
  • Former Gators receiver and kick returner Solomon Patton is working out for the Buccaneers today, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers and Saints are among the teams hosting sleeper Purdue tackle Kevin Pamphile for visits, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. According to Pauline, Pamphile is also visiting the Patriots, Dolphins, Cardinals, and Giants.
  • The Titans had Eastern Illinois signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo in for a pre-draft visit yesterday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).