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Larry Donnell

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/5/16

May 5th, 2016 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Eagles (Twitter link) released running back Kevin Monangai and defensive tackle Travis Raciti. Monangai, a Villanova product, spent much of the 2015 season on Philadelphia’s taxi squad and did not appear in a regular season game.
  • The Giants have waived tight end Jerome Cunningham and safety G.J. Kinne, as James Kratch of NJ.com tweets. Cunningham appeared in nine games (three starts) for the Giants in 2015 and stepped up when Larry Donnell was sidelined with a neck injury. Kinne is a versatile player with experience at quarterback, wide receiver, and safety.
  • The Jets (Twitter link) waived wide receiver Joe Anderson.
  • The Cardinals released guard John Fullington to get back to their roster limit of 90 players, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. Fullington missed all of the 2015 season with a knee injury.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/19/16

April 19th, 2016 at 5:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

  • The Buccaneers have signed quarterback Dan LeFevour, writes Scott Smith of their official website. LeFevour was a sixth-round pick of the Bears in 2010 and ended up spending time with three other NFL organizations, never logging a regular-season appearance, before heading to the CFL in 2012. LeFevour played in Canada through last season and will now try to earn a roster spot in Tampa, which already had a stocked QB depth chart consisting of Jameis Winston, Mike Glennon and Ryan Griffin before its latest addition. As Jenna Laine notes (on Twitter), Bucs quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian was Central Michigan’s offensive coordinator for three seasons when LeFevour was its signal-caller.
  • Giants tight end Larry Donnell, whose 2015 season ended in November because of what looked like a career-threatening neck injury, has re-signed with the team after receiving clearance from Big Blue’s medical staff, according to Michael Eisen of the team’s website. In eight appearances prior to the injury, Donnell racked up 29 catches, 223 yards and two touchdowns. The 27-year-old amassed an impressive 63 receptions for 623 yards and six scores in 2014.
  • The Seahawks have re-signed cornerback Marcus Burley, who was their last remaining exclusive rights free agent without a contract, reports Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (Twitter link). Burley joined the Seahawks in 2014 and has since appeared in 26 games, totaling 53 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions along the way.
  • The Bills have released linebacker Tony Steward, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Steward, whom the Bills took in the sixth round of last year’s draft, appeared in seven games and made two tackles as a rookie.
  • The Ravens announced that defensive backs Jumal Rolle and Jermaine Whitehead have signed their exclusive rights tenders with the club. Rolle has bounced around the league since going undrafted from Catawba in 2013, playing in 19 career games with the Texans and Ravens. Whitehead, undrafted out of Auburn last year, spent most of 2015 on the 49ers’ practice squad before the Ravens signed him in December.

NFC East Rumors: Bradford, Eagles, Giants

March 9th, 2016 at 1:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the NFC East:

  • It’s not necessarily likely, but the Eagles could theoretically trade Sam Bradford, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. The first $5.5MM installment of Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus isn’t due until March 18, 2016, according to a source. The second installment is not due until September 1st. The Eagles have yet to pay Bradford anything on this new pact and, in theory, they could trade him without paying out any portion of his new contract. After signing Chase Daniel, it’s at least fair to wonder if Philly could consider such a move.
  • Giants tight end Larry Donnell received full clearance from his neck injury, agent Tamika Cheatham tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter) hears that the Giants have not seen his latest test results and, therefore, the team has not yet cleared him medically.
  • Washington plans to hang on to Perry Riley, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Keim notes that Washington liked how Riley played next to Will Compton before he went down with an injury.

Restricted Free Agent Tenders: 3/3/16

March 3rd, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next several days, there will be a ton of news on NFL teams assigning contract tenders to their restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents. Until a player signs his tender, he technically remains a free agent, but the offer ensures that he won’t be able to hit the open market.

For restricted free agents, teams can offer a first-round tender, a second-round tender, an original-round/right-of-first-refusal tender. The majority of RFAs will get that last tender, which allows the player to test the market and potentially sign an offer sheet, while giving his current team the opportunity to match that offer. A higher tender would ensure the player’s team compensation in the form of an early-round draft pick if he signs elsewhere.

Here are today’s updates on RFA tenders:

  • The Giants have assigned a low-end RFA tender worth $1.671MM to tight end Larry Donnell, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Donnell’s 2015 campaign came to a premature end when he suffered a neck injury, but it’s not expected to jeopardize his career. As Pelissero adds (via Twitter), Tamika Cheatham, Donnell’s agent, says his client is doing well in rehab and can’t wait to play.
  • After tendering safety Tony Jefferson at the low-end level on Wednesday, the Cardinals have assigned the same tender to wide receiver Jaron Brown and safety D.J. Swearinger, per Pelissero (via Twitter). Brown and Swearinger will have the opportunity to explore the market next week, though I don’t expect the duo to draw as much interest as Jefferson will.
  • The Colts have extended a qualifying offer to tight end Jack Doyle, the team announced today in a press release. With Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen both eligible for free agency, it looks like the team wants to make sure it retains Doyle, a solid depth piece. He also got the low-end tender, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

NFC East Notes: Bradford, Ryans, Washington, Donnell

February 25th, 2016 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the NFC East:

  • Having spoken this week at the combine about how they’d like to re-sign Sam Bradford, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and GM Howie Roseman met with the quarterback’s agent, Tom Condon, on Wednesday in Indianapolis, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Negotiations between the two sides are ongoing.
  • Agent Ben Dogra says the Eagles did not offer to keep DeMeco Ryans at a lower figure, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (on Twitter). Dogra added that his client wants to continue his playing career after being cut by Philadelphia.
  • Washington team officials and agents for some of the club’s players will meet Friday to discuss contract restructurings, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Jones lists receiver Pierre Garcon ($10.2MM), defensive end Jason Hatcher ($8.7MM) and safety Dashon Goldson ($8MM) as players whose deals Washington could look to rework.
  • Giants general manager Jerry Reese updated the status of tight end Larry Donnell, whose season ended in December because of a neck injury. “We’re expecting him to be back, but necks can be tricky, so we’ll have to wait and see where that goes,” Reese said Thursday. “Hopefully he can get healthy and come back and continue his career.” Despite Reese’s guarded statement, Donnell’s neck injury isn’t a “career concern,” a source tells the New York Daily News’ Ebenezer Samuel.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Saunders, Donnell, Ingram, Packers

December 10th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Wide receiver and return man Jalen Saunders, who is on the Bears‘ practice squad IR list, just finished serving a four-game suspension, but before he could even become eligible to return to Chicago’s active practice squad, he was hit with another penalty. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Saunders has now been suspended 10 games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

The 10-game ban will mean that Saunders will miss the final four games of the 2015 season, as well as the first six games of next year. By that point, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll still be in the Bears’ plans at all, and it may be hard for the Oklahoma product, a Jets fourth-round pick in 2014, to find another team willing to take a shot on him.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Giants tight end Larry Donnell won’t play again this season, having been placed on injured reserve by the team. But at this point, there’s optimism that Donnell’s neck injury won’t be a long-term issue that impacts his career in future years, head coach Tom Coughlin said today (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post).
  • Having been placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, Saints running back Mark Ingram will undergo surgery to repair his torn left rotator cuff, writes Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Ingram is the second Saints running back to land on IR this season, joining Khiry Robinson on the list.
  • Packers offensive lineman Matt Rotheram is the latest practice squad player to get a raise, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Yates tweets that Rotheram is now earning $25,588 per week, equivalent to what he’d earn as a minimum-salary player on the active roster. Green Bay likely bumped up the lineman’s salary after he received some interest from rival teams.
  • British rugby player Tom Burgess will continue his NFL tour today with a workout for the Seahawks, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Burgess has already auditioned for the Steelers, Giants, Jets, and Bills, and could be in line for a reserve/futures contract at season’s end.

Giants Place Larry Donnell, Zak DeOssie On IR

December 8th, 2015 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Giants attempt to push for the NFC East division crown over the last four weeks of the 2015 season, the team will be without one of its offensive playmakers, as well as a key special-teamer. The team announced today that it has placed tight end Larry Donnell and long snapper Zak DeOssie on the injured reserve list, ending their seasons. Donnell suffered a neck injury last month, while DeOssie is battling a wrist injury.

Donnell, who hasn’t seen the field since going down on November 1, grabbed 29 balls for 223 yards and two touchdowns in eight games this season. It’s not clear whether his neck injury is one that will affect his career in the long term, but there always appeared to be little chance he’d get back on the field this season. Today’s move confirms that.

DeOssie, meanwhile, is one of the Giants’ longest-tenured players, having served as the team’s long snapper since being drafted in the fourth round in 2007. A two-time Pro Bowler, and one of the club’s captains, the 31-year-old had never missed a game due to injury until now. DeOssie is a free agent at season’s end, but I’d expect the two sides to work out a deal to keep him in New York going forward.

Replacing Donnell and DeOssie on the Giants’ 53-man roster are cornerback Tramain Jacobs and long snapper Danny Aiken. Jacobs had been on the club’s practice squad, while Aiken recently landed back on the free agent market after being cut by the Panthers.

East Notes: Eagles, Donnell, Jets

November 27th, 2015 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a busy day so far in the NFL’s East divisions, where the Cowboys have confirmed quarterback Tony Romo will miss the rest of the season, Washington has placed cornerback Chris Culliver on injured reserve, and the Bills have announced that Kyle Williams is expected to be out for the rest of the year. Let’s round up a few more items from out of the East divisions, including some that aren’t related to injuries….

  • According to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter), Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was “adamant” after Thursday’s loss that defensive coordinator Billy Davis will remain the team’s defensive coordinator. As Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com observes (via Twitter), Kelly initially hired Davis because of his ability to run a specific defensive scheme — the Eagles have continued to draft and acquire players who fit that scheme, so if they make a change at DC, they’d likely want to find one who can run the same system.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap revisits some of the Eagles‘ notable offseason moves, including the signings of DeMarco Murray and Byron Maxwell, to attempt to determine where things went wrong for the club, and where to go from here.
  • A neck injury, which has sidelined tight end Larry Donnell for the Giants‘ last two games, could keep him out of action for the rest of the season, multiple sources tell Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. While an MRI taken this week didn’t indicate there would be long-term damage for Donnell, the club is understandably cautious dealing with neck injuries.
  • The Jets have slowed down since their hot start, but it’s definitely not the “Same Old Jets” in New York, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who says new general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles have changed the franchise for the better.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

March 4th, 2015 at 6:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

  • The Giants officially tendered tight end Larry Donnell, one of their two exclusive rights free agents, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Donnell, 27 in November, enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, catching 63 passes for 623 yards and six touchdowns.
  • The Jets announced that they have signed free agent defensive end Ronald Talley. Talley, 28, played under coach Todd Bowles in 2013 with the Cardinals. He signed as a free agent with the Buccaneers last year but was a final cut and didn’t play last season.
  • The Colts announced they have agreed to terms on a contract extension with long snapper Matt Overton, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk writes. Overton was going to be a restricted free agent upon the start of the new league year but his new deal will probably take him through 2018. Overton has played in all 48 games over the first three years of his career with 22 tackles on special teams.
  • Washington (via Twitter) announced the re-signing of exclusive rights free agent safety Duke Ihenacho.
  • The Patriots signed long snapper Tyler Ott, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

NFC Links: Harbaugh, Donnell, Prater, Eagles

October 4th, 2014 at 4:39pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers have a very volatile situation on their hands, as tensions between management and head coach Jim Harbaugh are only outmatched by those between the coach and his players. Much has been made about this ongoing situation, but the team was still playing at a high level last week. Their defense suffocated the Eagles’ offense, and the team still looks like a Super Bowl contender despite currently sitting at third in the NFC West.

Seth Wickersham of ESPN profiled Harbaugh, writing that he thrives in chaos and that it doesn’t matter what the atmosphere is in the locker room. His competitiveness could be enough and overcome the tensions and the 49ers could be looking at another deep playoff run.

Here are some more links from around the NFC:

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