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Michael Bowie

NFC West Notes: Cards, Abraham, Bowie

August 14th, 2014 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report observing (via Twitter) that some people in Cardinals camp believe Michael Floyd will be the team’s No. 1 receiver, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Arizona is already “detaching” from Larry Fitzgerald. An offseason contract restructure means Fitzgerald will carry a $23.6MM in 2015, meaning the Cardinals may be forced to part ways with the veteran wideout — such a move may be a little easier for the club to swallow if Floyd is truly on the verge of becoming a top option.

Here’s more on the Cards and a couple of their division rivals:

  • After being absent from training camp for nearly three weeks, veteran outside linebacker John Abraham reported to the Cardinals today, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Arizona GM Steve Keim declined to comment on Wednesday about the reason for Abraham’s absence, which has so far been undisclosed.
  • Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable wasn’t overly pleased that the Browns – and multiple other teams – placed waiver claims on former Seattle lineman Michael Bowie when the ‘Hawks cut him with an injured designation earlier this month. Cable said on 710 ESPN Seattle on Wednesday (link via Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle) that it’s “kind of an unwritten rule” not to poach another team’s injured players when they pass through waivers. “Typically when you waive someone injured, they kind of get through and you’re going to get them back, fix them and move on,” Cable said. “Cleveland chose to take him, and whether you agree with it or not, I guess that’s business.”
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s extension with the 49ers is one recent example of how teams continue to have all the long-term leverage in contract talks, with players continuing to cede control, writes former Packers executive Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com.

AFC Notes: Jones, Texans, Raiders, Browns

August 11th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bengals will be without wide receiver Marvin Jones for at least “a few weeks,” according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Jones broke his foot and had a pin put in his fifth metatarsal. The timetable for Jones’ return isn’t clear yet, but Hobson suggests (via Twitter) that placing him on the short-term IR isn’t entirely out of the question — I doubt the Bengals make that move, but we probably shouldn’t expect to see the wideout back on the field by the time Cincinnati’s regular season gets underway.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • The Texans worked out veteran running backs Ronnie Brown, Brian Leonard, and William Powell today, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). None of the three were immediately signed by the club.
  • While a move to San Antonio by the Raiders already seemed very unlikely, a new report may further reduce Mark Davis‘ interest in South Texas. According to Tom Orsborn and Josh Baugh of the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs’ ownership group would want a controlling interest in any NFL franchise that moved to San Antonio.
  • Only about a week after he was claimed off waivers from Seattle by the Browns, offensive lineman Michael Bowie suffered a shoulder injury that may sideline him for the season. Head coach Mike Pettine says no decision has been made yet, though it’s looking like Bowie will be out for the year, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • Ulrich was also among the reporters who spoke to Jordan Cameron today, and the tight end said talks with the Browns on a contract extension have been ongoing and positive. Cameron is hopeful that something can be worked out in time for the regular season (Twitter link).
  • Although they auditioned a few veteran quarterbacks today, it seems the Dolphins wanted a look at those players just in case they need one down the road, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, adding that the club doesn’t necessarily need to bring one aboard right now (Twitter link).
  • After rewarding him in the offseason with a lucrative four-year contract extension, the Colts are hoping for elite play out of cornerback Vontae Davis in 2014 and beyond, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.

Seahawks Notes: Wilson, Daniels, Bowie

August 4th, 2014 at 7:30pm CST by Rob DiRe

Andy Dalton‘s contract extension with the Bengals shook up the day across the NFL landscape, but one player who could benefit most from those numbers is Russell Wilson, writes Sarah Kirkpatrick of SeattlePi.com.

Kirkpatrick notes that Wilson’s raw numbers are comparable to Dalton’s, and his success in the playoffs where Dalton has consistently failed make him a candidate to surpass that deal considerably. Wilson will likely begin extension talks next offseason.

Here are some other notes from around Seahawks camp:

AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Satele, Salas

August 4th, 2014 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jon Bon Jovi may have been trying to endear himself – and his group of bidders – to Western New York by writing in the Buffalo News over the weekend that he wanted to see the Bills succeed in Buffalo, that letter appears to have violated the non-disclosure agreement he signed with the franchise, says Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. In fact, by speaking publicly about their bids, both Bon Jovi and Donald Trump may be in violation of that agreement, leaving Terry Pegula as the only bidder who hasn’t breached it. As Graham writes, “ramifications for confidentiality breaches are not spelled out within the document,” but it’s still an ominous start for Bon Jovi and Trump as they pursue a purchase of the Bills.

Here’s more from around the AFC East, including another note on the Bills’ sale:

  • New York senator Charles Schumer remains optimistic about keeping the Bills in Buffalo, as Denise Jewell Gee of the Buffalo News details. However, Schumer added, “Words are nice, but they are not sufficient. We need an iron-clad commitment for whoever buys the team to keep the Bills in Buffalo.”
  • The Patriots were one of at least four teams to place a claim on former Seahawks tackle Michael Bowie when Seattle tried to sneak him through waivers and onto injured reserve, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Pats, of course, made a similar move last month, claiming rookie running back Tyler Gaffney when the Panthers tried to move him to their IR. Per Florio, the Saints and Cowboys also submitted claims for Bowie, who was ultimately awarded to the Browns.
  • Veteran center Samson Satele, who last played for the Dolphins during the 2008 season, is happy to have come “full circle” after signing with Miami this weekend, as he tells James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • Greg Salas‘ path to a roster spot with the Jets got a little more difficult after the team addressed the position in free agency this offseason by signing Eric Decker and Jacoby Ford. But as Dennis Waszack Jr. of The Associated Press writes, Salas has been making a case this summer that the Jets ought to keep him around for the regular season.

Browns Claim Michael Bowie

August 3rd, 2014 at 5:01pm CST by Ben Levine

SUNDAY, 5:01pm: The Browns announced they have claimed Bowie off waivers, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

SATURDAY, 5:50pm: The Seahawks have placed Bowie on waivers with the injured designation, the tweet announced (via Twitter).

The team is reportedly already seeking a replacement, as Condotta tweets that the team will likely pick up offensive tackle Cory Brandon. Brandon was cut by the Cardinals yesterday.

5:28pm: The Seahawks have waived injured offensive lineman Michael Bowie, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. The second-year player was battling a nagging shoulder injury that coach Pete Carroll deemed “significant” (according to a tweet from Brian McIntyre).

The 22-year-old was selected in the seventh round of the 2013 draft and was forced to contribute immediately. With significant injuries on the offensive line, Bowie ultimately started eight games during his rookie season. The offensive tackle proved to be a steal for the Seahawks, as Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) ranked him as the team’s most productive lineman in 2013. Bowie excelled at run blocking, where he finished as Pro Football Focus’ 12th-best tackle in the league.

With that kind of production, why would the Seahawks risk letting him go? In a follow-up tweet, Condotta stated that some within the organization “were not happy with the shape Bowie showed up in last spring.” The team will now rely on veteran Eric Winston, who joined the team earlier this week.

NFC Camp Notes: Seahawks, Lyerla, Eagles

June 22nd, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Rory Parks

Now that OTAs and minicamps are behind us, writers from around the league are looking ahead to training camp, anticipating roster battles, and wondering if anything we saw in the past few weeks of workouts will translate into the regular season. Here are some such notes from the NFC:

  • Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ most heated position battle will be at right tackle, where Michael Bowie and Justin Britt appear to have equal footing heading into training camp.
  • Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel lists 10 Packers storylines to watch before training camp, including JC Tretter‘s hold on the center position and how the team will replace Jermichael Finley. Perhaps undrafted tight end Colt Lyerla, who Dunne also lists as a player to watch this summer, could be part of that solution.
  • Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, like most writers, notes that reports from OTAs and minicamps are typically full of optimism. But trouble always lurks beneath that hopeful veneer, and for the Eagles, that trouble comes in the form of depth along the offensive line and the wide receiver corps. Then there is the question of whether the team’s projected starters in the defensive backfield are good enough to compete on a weekly basis.
  • On the more optimistic side of the coin, Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com points to five reasons for Redskins fans to feel hopeful heading into training camp, including what promises to be a more productive pass rush.
  • Matt Bowen of The Chicago Tribune liked a lot of what he saw from the Bears‘ defensive unit this spring, including the promise displayed by Brock Vereen and Shea McClellin.