Michael Flacco

Extra Points: Slauson, Okoye, Flacco, Amendola

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday morning…

  • Former Bears offensive lineman Matt Slauson left his visit with the Bills without a contract, tweets Michael Gehlken of San Diego Union-Tribune. The 30-year-old is also set to meet with the Chargers, who Gehlken says are “very much in the mix.”
  • Amobi Okoye is attempting another NFL comeback, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The former first-round pick was stricken with a rare illness, which seemingly ended his career in 2012. Luckily, the defensive tackle made his way back with the Cowboys last season, but he was cut before he could take the field. “The illness happened and I really beat it,” Okoye said. “I’m feeling really good. My doctor has cleared me for full-contact football since August of 2014. I’m working hard to get back in the NFL. I’ve always felt a passion for working out and my recovery has gone very well. I’ve been going through my normal training regimen. I’m full-go, training hard and waiting to get that call to get back on a team. I’m still fairly young. That kind of helps.”
  • There was one interesting participant at the Ravens rookie minicamp (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun on Twitter): tight end Michael Flacco, brother of quarterback Joe Flacco.
  • Danny Amendola‘s role on the Patriots is “irreplaceable,” said the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe on CSNNE.com. As a result, the reporter says it would have been interested if the wideout has called the Patriots’ bluff in regard to a pay cut.

Workout Notes: Saturday

We’ll keep track of today’s workout information right here, as well as a couple of notes from the past couple of days. All of the information below is via the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson on Twitter

  • The Chiefs worked out wide receivers John Chiles and Cordell Roberson, cornerback Aaron Hester and defensive lineman Shawn Lemon.
  • The Chiefs also brought in defensive back Jalil Carter and wide receivers LaVon Brazill, Duron Carter and Joe Morgan. Brazill, a former sixth-round pick by the Colts, showed some flashes playing with Andrew Luck early in his career. Morgan was released by the Saints earlier this season, while Carter appears to have numerous suitors (with the Vikings seen as the favorite to sign him).
  • The Seahawks also brought in Lemon for a workout, and he joined quarterback Dominique Davis and cornerback Keon Lyn at the tryout. Wilson notes that defensive back Delvin Breaux was also brought in “for a visit.”
  • The Packers worked out CFL defensive back Jalil Carter. The former Akron standout briefly spend time with the Rams and in the AFL.
  • The Giants brought in five players for workouts: linebackers Terrance Bullitt and Phillip Hunt, safety Mistral Raymond, fullback Collin Mooney and tight end Michael Flacco.
  • The Steelers worked out a trio of offensive weapons: quarterback Aaron Smetanka, running back David Fluellen and wideout L’Damian Washington.

South Notes: Texans, Panthers, Workouts

The South is the only divisional region not represented in this week’s Thanksgiving action, but that doesn’t mean there’s not news coming out of the divisions. Here’s the latest from around the AFC and NFC South:

  • With Ryan Mallett out for the year, the Texans didn’t get much of an opportunity to see if he might be the team’s quarterback of the future. As such, the club is unlikely to count on him for 2015, and may be back to the drawing board when it comes to finding a QB. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report examines the Texans’ “quarterback purgatory,” while John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes that finding a big-time signal-caller should be atop the team’s offseason to-do list.
  • The Panthers lost multiple offensive linemen during the offseason and have seen even more fall to injuries since the season got underway. As the team assesses its options for the rest of this year, a team source tells Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer that addressing the tackle positions in either free agency or the draft will be a top priority this coming offseason.
  • In addition to working out Terrance Parks, whom they signed to their practice squad, the Texans also auditioned safeties M.D. Jennings and DeJon Gomes, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • According to Wilson (via Twitter), the Colts auditioned several pass-catchers this week, including tight end Michael Flacco and wideouts Jace Davis and Nick Williams. The club also brought in offensive lineman Kitt O’Brien for a tryout.
  • The Buccaneers signed a pair of tight ends earlier this week, and took a look at at least one more before making their decision, per Wilson, who tweets that the team worked out veteran free agent Tom Crabtree.

Minor Moves: Monday

Here are Monday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, from around the NFL:

  • The Ravens have replaced one tight end with another on their practice squad, signing Allen Reisner and cutting Emmanuel Ogbuehi, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Reisner had been on the open market since being dropped from the Patriots’ practice squad back in September.
  • Joe Flacco‘s younger brother Michael Flacco has been released from the Jaguars‘ taxi squad, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Flacco had been with the unit for a little over a month.
  • Washington announced a change to its practice squad today, tweeting that the club has released wideout Rashad Ross and replaced him with offensive tackle Michael Huey.
  • Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link) reports that the Buccaneers have cut wideout and return man Trindon Holliday from their injured reserve list. Holliday appeared in just one game for the team last month before being placed on IR with a hamstring injury.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

While we track today’s transactions relating to teams’ 53-man rosters in a separate post, we’ll use this space to keep tabs on the day’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:

  • The Redskins signed wide receiver Rashad Ross to the practice squad, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington liked Ross this summer and they scooped him up after he was discarded by the Bears.
  • A day after being waived by the Bears, linebacker Terrell Manning has rejoined the team’s practice squad, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
  • The Redskins have parted ways with practice squad wideout Marvin McNutt, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.
  • As the Giants weight their options at receiver on the 53-man roster, they’ve made a change to the wideouts on their practice squad — Jordan Raanan of NJ.com tweets that Chris Harper has replaced Travis Harvey.
  • Wide receiver Patrick Edwards is the newest addition to the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

  • Linebacker Kaelin Burnett and cornerback Ross Weaver have found a new home, joining the Cardinals‘ practice squad, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). The team had one opening on its squad, so linebacker Jonathan Brown has been released to make room for the second incoming player.
  • The Dolphins have parted ways with wideout Marcus Thigpen, replacing him on their practice squad with defensive back Rod Sweeting, tweets Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
  • The Jaguars have signed tight end Michael Flacco, the brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union notes (via Twitter) that Flacco replaces tight end Marcel Jensen, who was put on the practice squad IR list.
  • Wide receiver Lee Doss has been cut from the Browns‘ practice squad, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

AFC Notes: Irsay, Titans, Chiefs, Wright

The Broncos and Patriots were widely regarded before the season as the frontrunners to come out of the AFC this season, and while both teams are off to decent starts, it’s the 4-1 Chargers that currently sit atop the conference. Not only has Philip Rivers led San Diego to a league-best record, but the team’s +70 point differential is the NFL’s best by a wide margin — the Broncos and Pats have a combined +45 margin between them.

As we look forward to see if the Chargers can continue their winning ways against the 0-4 Raiders this weekend, let’s round up a few notes from around the AFC….

  • Colts owner Jim Irsay will be back working – and presumably tweeting – later this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Irsay’s six-game suspension ends tomorrow, following the team’s appearance on Thursday Night Football.
  • The Titans took a look at a handful of tight ends this week, working out Richard Gordon, Matthew Mulligan, Steve Maneri, and Jeron Mastrud, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Caplan adds that the club also auditioned quarterback Ricky Stanzi.
  • The Chiefs had several players in for workouts this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), who lists the following free agents as having tried out for Kansas City: Tight ends Brandon Barden and Michael Flacco, linebackers Brandon Copeland and Carlos Fields, wideout Jamar Howard, and long snappers Jorgen Hus and Tyler Ott.
  • Tight end Tim Wright, who was acquired by the Patriots via trade prior to the regular season, is starting to get comfortable within New England’s offensive system, as Howard Ulman of The Associated Press writes.

South Notes: Colts, Saints, Newton, Titans

With Robert Mathis now sidelined for the season with a torn Achilles, the Colts will have to turn to other players to jump-start their pass rush, and head coach Chuck Pagano says the team will consider all its options. However, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes, the Colts are in a tough spot when it comes to adding outside help. The free agent list is very thin when it comes to pass rushers, and Indianapolis would prefer not to give up future draft picks to acquire a player via trade. In Holder’s view, the club may have to rely on its in-house options to attempt to fill Mathis’ shoes.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett passes along a report from colleague Field Yates, who says the Saints auditioned a handful of players on Monday, including running backs Michael Ford, Edwin Baker, and Tauren Poole, and tight ends Michael Egnew and David Paulson (Twitter link).
  • There wasn’t necessarily any urgency for the Panthers to restructure Charles Johnson‘s contract, but the team did so anyway, clearing more than $5MM from its 2014 cap. David Newton of ESPN.com wonders if the move might be a precursor to locking up Cam Newton to a contract extension sooner rather than later.
  • Tight end Michael Flacco, whose brother Joe Flacco quarterbacks the Ravens, is working out for the Titans today, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

Chargers Trim Roster To 53

The Chargers have announced their 53-man roster, and in doing so, parted ways with the following 18 players (via a press release):

San Diego had already cut four players yesterday.

Chargers To Sign 17 Undrafted FAs

The Chargers have become the latest team to announce the undrafted free agents they’ll add to their 90-man roster. Here’s the list of players headed to San Diego, courtesy of a team release:

  • D.J. Adams, RB, Portland State
  • Torrence Allen, WR, West Texas A&M
  • Brelan Chancellor, WR, North Texas
  • Alden Darby, S, Arizona State
  • Chris Davis, CB, Auburn
  • Greg Ducre, CB, Washington
  • Michael Flacco, TE, New Haven
  • Micah Hatfield, WR, Oregon State
  • Javontee Herndon, WR, Arkansas
  • D.J. Johnson, G, New Mexico
  • Tenny Palepoi, DL, Utah
  • Alvin Scioneaux, LB, Wofford
  • Jeremiah Sirles, OT, Nebraska
  • Chase Tenpenny, P, Nevada
  • Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, DL, Boise St.
  • Colton Underwood, LB, Illinois St.
  • Ian White, OT, Boston College