HEADLINES

Morgan Moses

Extra Points: Spiller, Scherff, Lanning, Giants

August 15th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

C.J. Spiller became the latest key performer to have an injury end his preseason and potentially put the start of his regular season in doubt.

The Saints‘ presumed passing-down back underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Friday but is expected to make his Saints debut in Week 1, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, on Twitter.

Spiller, who did not play in the Saints’ initial preseason game, joins Zach Ertz, Julius Thomas and Jonathan Cyprien among the contingent that’s seen injuries make August a rehabilitation month.

Here are a few other items from around the league, beginning in Washington.

  • No. 5 overall pick Brandon Scherff may no longer play a position worthy of that kind of draft expense, with Washington coach Jay Gruden noting the Iowa product’s future will be at guard, per the Washington Post’s Mike Jones (on Twitter). Scherff’s currently slotted at right guard on Washington’s depth chart to accommodate 2014 third-rounder Morgan Moses, who sits atop the right tackle pecking order despite starting just one game last year. Gruden told media, including Jones (Twitter link), Scherff’s permanent move inside is due to Moses’ progression, not the decorated rookie’s inability to stick at right tackle.
  • Jones also points out Zach Miller isn’t a realistic option for Washington’s tight end crisis, with the former Raiders and Seahawks starter still not fully recovered from the ankle injury that ended his 2014 season (Twitter link).
  • Tom Coughlin confirmed Mykkele Thompson‘s Achilles’ tendon tear and noted higher-profile Giants rookie safety Landon Collins has a sprained MCL, per NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan. Collins is expected back by Week 1 but will probably miss most of the preseason, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Vacchiano, on Twitter, also offers that Collins being back for the start of the Giants’ season isn’t a lock, with the recovery time for MCL sprains being 2-6 weeks.
  • Vying for the Broncos‘ kicker job after each had it for parts of last season, Brandon McManus and Connor Barth combined to go 5-for-5 in field goals Friday night, but Mike Klis of 9News notes that the Denver kicking competition now includes Spencer Lanning, should the team opt to go with one kicker and Lanning as a punter/kickoff specialist. The Browns’ punter before June’s Andy Lee trade, Lanning also poses a threat to longtime punter Britton Colquitt, who seemed safe after agreeing to reduce his salary by $1.4MM earlier this month.
  • Fifth-year outside linebacker Gabe Miller will work out for the Browns, tweets Adam Caplan of NFL.com. A fifth-round pick of the Chiefs in 2011, Miller’s only played in seven games in four years, each coming last season with Washington.

Minor Moves: Thursday

December 11th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Luke Adams

As NFL teams around the league make minor tweaks to their 53-man rosters and practice squads, we’ll round up those transactions in this post, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Chargers signed cornerback Greg Ducre to the practice squad, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). Ducre, who gained a lot of fans within the Bolts organization during his time in camp, was waived by Washington just a few days ago. To make room, the Chargers waived former San Diego State University offensive lineman Bryce Quigley.
  • The Saints have filled the two openings on their practice squad, signing fullback Toben Opurum and wide receiver Willie Snead, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
  • After placing Morgan Moses on IR, as noted below, Washington promoted running back Chris Thompson to the active roster, then signed tackle Edawn Coughman to the practice squad (Twitter link). According to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter), the club had been telling Thompson for weeks that he’d be promoted by the end of the season.

Earlier updates:

  • The Bengals used the open spot on their practice squad to add another Geathers to the mix — defensive tackle Kwame Geathers joins the organization that also employs his brother Robert Geathers, the team announced today (Twitter link).
  • Washington head coach Jay Gruden told reporters today that rookie offensive lineman Morgan Moses is being placed on injured reserve due to a Lisfranc injury suffered in practice (Twitter link). So far, the club hasn’t added a player to its 53-man roster to take Moses’ spot.
  • The Seahawks have now officially signed defensive lineman David King, in a move reported yesterday, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Condotta adds that the corresponding move sees the team release linebacker Allen Bradford.
  • The Saints have filled the lone opening on their 53-man roster by promoting receiver Seantavius Jones from their practice squad, a source told Ramon Antonio Vargas of The Advocate today. Adding a wideout to the roster makes sense, considering the open spot was created by the release of Joe Morgan.

Redskins Notes: Jackson, Hocker, Minnifield

June 27th, 2014 at 2:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Rumors of gang connections surrounded DeSean Jackson following his release from the Eagles. The current Redskins wideout previously distanced himself from the accusations, and Jackson again hushed the gossip in an interview with ESPN The Magazine’s Cord Jefferson.

Jackson said that he knows people in gangs, but has never been affiliated. Furthermore, the alleged gang signals the wideout has displayed in games were purely shoutouts to his friends.

“If I score a touchdown or make a play and my boys at home can see me throwing up the area we’re from, that’s me showing them love,” Jackson said. “They weren’t fortunate enough to make it where I’m at. All my friends wanted to be in the NFL growing up, but they weren’t able to do that, and I was. That doesn’t mean I forgot about them. They’re my boys, I grew up with them, and I’m going to give them love.”

Gayle Jackson, DeSean’s mother, weighed in on the outside influences.

“Those guys gravitated toward him because he had structure in his life,” she said. “A lot of time I was trying to chase these cats away. I told him it would catch up with him and that people don’t understand, so he should leave those guys alone. He told me, ‘Mom, you can’t treat people like that.'”

Let’s check out some more Redskins notes, all via the mailbag of ESPN.com’s John Keim…

  • If the Redskins decide to roll the dice with rookie kicker Zach Hocker, Keim believes it will be a gamble. However, Hocker’s main opponent, Kai Forbath, had never attempted a kick in the NFL prior to signing with the team in 2012.
  • Keim says Chase Minnifield‘s chances of making the Redskins will come down to whether the team decides to keep six cornerbacks. Of course, injuries could help his chances. Reversely, the presence of Richard Crawford could hurt those chances.
  • In regards to backups on the offensive line, Keim sides with Mike McGlynn, Morgan Moses, Spencer Long and Josh LeRibeus. If the team carries an additional lineman, Tom Compton could also make the roster.
  • Assuming the defensive line starters are Chris Baker, Barry Cofield and Jason Hatcher, Keim chooses Jarvis Jenkins, Stephen Bowen and Kedric Golston as the three backups.

Draft Signings: Redskins, Browns, Steelers

May 29th, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

By our count, 182 of this year’s draftees have signed their rookie contracts or at least agreed to terms with their new NFL teams coming into today, leaving just 74 players still to sign. A handful of those remaining 74 have formalized their agreements already today, so let’s round up the latest news….

  • The Redskins have locked up the last of their eight draftees, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed third-round tackle Morgan Moses to his four-year rookie contract. Moses was considered a potential first-round pick heading into the draft, so Washington did well to land him early in the third — the former Virginia lineman will receive a signing bonus worth about $698K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
  • No Browns draftees have put pen to paper yet, but Cleveland has at least reached an agreement with one of its picks now, confirming today (via Twitter) that Pierre Desir has agreed to terms. A fourth-round cornerback, Desir was the last player selected by the Browns in the draft, so it appears the club will work its way backwards through its signings.
  • Fifth-round cornerback Shaquille Richardson has signed his contract with the Steelers, the team announced in a press release. According to Fitzgerald’s figures, Richardson’s signing bonus will amount to about $190K, while his overall four-year total will be around $2.41MM.

NFC Rookie Minicamp Notes: Jones, Lucas, Starr, Moses, Norwood

May 19th, 2014 at 10:54am CST by Matt Feminis

Bears undrafted free agent Christian Jones worked at strong-side linebacker during the team’s rookie minicamp, according to Adam Hoge of 670 AM/CBSChicago.com. Jones, a physically gifted linebacker, played a prominent role for national champion Florida State, seeing snaps at all three linebacker spots as well as rushing the passer. He was projected as a third-round pick based on talent evaluation, but a failed drug test caused him to tumble out of the draft entirely. Thin at linebacker, the Bears pounced on Jones, who says he stands to benefit from focusing on one position. He also revealed what gave the Bears the edge when it came time to choose a team: Jones’ father played with Bears linebackers coach Reggie Herring at FSU.

In other news from various NFC minicamps. . .

    • The Lions see big upside in 6-9, 328-pound undrafted free agent offensive lineman Cornelius Lucas, writes Carlos Monarrrez in the Detroit Free Press. Lucas, a two-year starter at Kansas State, suffered a stress fracture in his left foot two weeks before the combine, but his rare size and eye-popping 88-inch wing span piqued the interest of the Lions, who “did show the most interest in him and began contacting him when the fourth round of the draft began as they attempted to land a steal in the priority free-agent market.” As ESPN’s Michael Rothstein points out, Lucas’ developmental value is noteworthy considering defensive line coach Jim Washburn was able to turn undrafted free agent LaAdrian Waddle into an eight-game starter.
    • Falcons seventh-rounder Tyler Starr is a longshot worth keeping an eye on, writes ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, who says Starr “has a quick first step and plays with some power. He even beat first-round pick Jake Matthews around the edge on Sunday while showing a burst not typical of a late-round pick.” Starr lacks ideal speed and power, but the Missouri Valley’s Defensive Player of the Year is a high-motor defender whose 6.64-second three-cone drill bested all pass rushers at the combine.
    • Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay spoke with Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota and said the team had a third/fourth-round grade on seventh-rounder Terrance Mitchell, a cornerback out of Oregon.
    • ESPN’s John Keim took in Redskins minicamp and gave brief thoughts on the team’s draft picks, including third-round tackle Morgan Moses, who could require some patience.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins

May 9th, 2014 at 12:03pm CST by Matt Feminis

Although Chip Kelly has had nothing but good things to say about Johnny Manziel publicly, it seems clear that the Eagles never really thought about taking him with the 22nd pick, writes Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine. “I love him,” Kelly said. “I think he’s a dynamic quarterback. I also think we have a very, very good quarterback situation – not only with Nick [Foles], but you add Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley – we think quarterback is a strength for us right now. We felt like the pass-rusher who we had rated higher was the guy we were gonna take.”

  • “Best player available” is used ad nauseam during the draft. However, it’s the Eagles‘ philosophy and they’re adamant about it, as evidenced by the quotes from GM Howie Roseman and elly in a column by Philadelphia Daily News writer Paul Domowitch following the (surprise) selection of Marcus Smith.
  • And then there’s the Cowboys, who did not stick to their board, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer (via Twitter). When the Cowboys lost out on their top three draft targets last night — all defensive players — they opted for a relatively safe choice in offensive lineman Zack Martin even though they had Manziel graded higher.
  • Consequently, rounds two and three have become more important for the Cowboys, says Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. After fielding a historically bad defense in 2013 and losing DeMarcus Ware, the team has plenty of holes to fill, especially on the defensive line. George mentions four defensive lineman who could be on the team’s radar tonight: Boise State’s Demarcus Lawrence, Missouri’s Kony Ealy, Oregon State’s Scott Crichton and Florida State’s Timmy Jernigan, all of whom made predraft visits to Dallas.
  • The Giants‘ selection of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. at No. 12 puts them on track to fix their broken offense, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The LSU star caught 59 passes for 1,152 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Giants wide receiver Reuben Randle, who played with Beckham at LSU, described him as a “DeSean Jackson type,” writes Ebenezer Samuel of the Daily News.
  • The Redskins were not part of Thursday night’s festivities, but they’re up at No. 34 tonight, and USA Today’s Steven Ruiz takes a look at their options. Most speculation centers around the team selecting an offensive lineman, perhaps Alabama’s Cyrus Kouandijo, Virginia’s Morgan Moses or UCLA’s Xavier Su’a-Filo.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Panthers, Moses, Jets, Cowboys

May 8th, 2014 at 8:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Don’t look for the Buccaneers to go after a quarterback early in this draft. Coach Lovie Smith tells Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter) that Mike Glennon is the team’s QB of the future. The latest out of Radio City Music Hall..

  • Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter) heard from a league source today that the Panthers are not interested in Morgan Moses.
  • The Jets are sending out signals that they have interest in a quarterback in the first couple rounds, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Mehta adds that he would be surprised if that happens and we’re inclined to agree, seeing as how they have Michael Vick and Geno Smith under contract.
  • David Moore of The Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) hears the Cowboys have targeted three defensive players at No. 16. If they’re all gone, Moore says to look for them to go offense.
  • Peter King of Sports Illustrated (on Twitter) doesn’t believe any team was ever close to dealing for the Texans‘ No. 1 overall pick.

Dolphins Exploring First-Round Trades

May 7th, 2014 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

As draft night nears, the Dolphins are very much open for business, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who reports that the team has fielded and initiated multiple calls to other clubs, exploring potential trades up or down in the first round.

Salguero notes that the team’s apparent willingness to trade up from No. 19 is somewhat surprising, and he doesn’t have any specific details on possible moves up for Miami. In my view, it may be worth sliding up a few spots if an offensive tackle like Zack Martin or Taylor Lewan slips into the mid-teens. However, a trade down looks like the more likely scenario, particularly since the Dolphins only hold seven picks in this year’s draft, which doesn’t give them a whole lot of ammo to move up.

According to Salguero, the Dolphins have had “preliminary discussions” with the Eagles (No. 22), Browns (No. 26), and Saints (No. 27). The club has also spoken to the Niners, who hold the 30th pick, but may not want to drop behind the Panthers (No. 28), since Carolina also figures to be targeting an offensive tackle with its first pick.

As for specific targets, Salguero identifies Tennessee offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier as a couple players the Dolphins “love,” and adds that prospects like LSU wideout Odell Beckham Jr., USC receiver Marqise Lee, Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, and Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses are also on Miami’s radar.

AFC North Rumors: Big Ben, Ravens, Browns

May 7th, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Although Ben Roethlisberger heads into the 2014 season with two years left on his contract, he expects his career to extend well beyond his current deal, as he told 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday (link via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown).

“I feel like I’m in great shape,” Roethlisberger said. “I think I can get five, six, seven more years out of this arm and these legs.”

Roethlisberger turned 32 in March, so another seven seasons would have him pushing 40, but the Steelers at least appear interested in locking him up beyond the 2015 campaign. We heard last month that extension talks between the two sides have been ongoing for a while, and that discussions could pick up later this summer when Pittsburgh picks up some post-June 1 cap space.

Here’s more from around the AFC North:

  • The Ravens, who may be targeting a quarterback at some point in this week’s draft, have done their due diligence on LSU signal-caller Zach Mettenberger, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. That means the team is likely aware of a back condition called Spondylolsis, which several teams have medically flagged Mettenberger for, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While LSU trainer Jack Marucci said it was a non-issue for the QB during his senior season, it would represent a long-term concern for Mettenberger’s NFL suitors.
  • Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses had 13 private workouts or official visits leading up to the draft, including a visit to Baltimore to meet with the Ravens, writes Wilson at the Sun. According to Wilson, the Saints were among the other teams to host Moses for a pre-draft visit.
  • The best approach for the Browns with their No. 4 pick on Thursday may be to trade down, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, making the case for why a move back would make sense for the club.

Pauline’s Latest: Richburg, Wenning, Moses

April 18th, 2014 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

With May 8 now less than three weeks away, draft expert Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is back with his latest round of updates on prospects and pre-draft visits. Here’s a recap of several of the highlights from Pauline’s newest piece:

  • Colorado State center Weston Richburg, who has visited the Cardinals and worked out for the Patriots, could be a surprise round one pick, says Pauline, identifying the Packers, Patriots, and Broncos as potential landing spots. The Jaguars, at the start of the second round, could also be in the mix for Richburg.
  • Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning is generating significant interest from NFL teams, says Pauline, writing that that Wenning has had eight visits and eight additional workouts. Of the teams mentioned by Pauline as having hosted or worked out the signal-caller, the Rams are the only one we haven’t heard mentioned previously.
  • Virginia tackle Morgan Moses has seen his stock rise a little due to the ACL injury suffered by Brandon Thomas — teams eyeing tackles can no longer count on Thomas as a fallback option if they miss out on someone like Moses. According to Pauline, the Panthers may be a possibility late in the first round for Moses, and the tackle is unlikely to get past the Redskins in round two.
  • Speaking of Thomas, his ACL surgery means he’ll likely fall to the fourth or fifth round, in Pauline’s view.
  • We heard earlier in the week that Cameron Fleming visited the Redskins, and Pauline says Washington is “seriously interested” in the Stanford tackle. Fleming has also worked out for the Panthers, Falcons, and Titans, according to Pauline.
  • Bloomsburg guard Brian Clarke is visiting the Chargers and has a private workout lined up with the Giants, tweets Pauline.