Minicamp Updates: Jets, Jags, Dolphins, Orton
The minicamps being held around the NFL this week are mandatory for players on rosters, but those aren’t the only guys in attendance. Many clubs are also auditioning non-roster players who are hoping to earn contracts and the opportunity to compete in training camp for a regular-season roster spot. Here are the latest updates from minicamps around the league:
- As Brian Costello of the New York Post notes in a pair of tweets, running back Mike Goodson isn’t in attendance at the Jets‘ minicamp, but the team does have six players in for tryouts, including ex-Steelers punter Drew Butler. Punter Jacob Schum, kickers Andrew Furney and Carson Wiggs, and offensive linemen Bruce Campbell and Ray Dominguez are also auditioning for the club.
- Long snapper Charley Hughlett, cornerback Junior Mertile, punter Kasey Redfern, and wide receiver Nathan Slaughter are trying out for the Jaguars, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
- Former Ravens offensive lineman Ramon Harewood is among five tryout players at camp with the Dolphins, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan. Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link) provides the other four names: Andy Wilder (P), Kevin Fogg (DB), Mike Farrell (OL), and Kevin Matthews (OL).
- As anticipated, Kyle Orton isn’t present at the Cowboys‘ facility today for minicamp, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Justin Houston, who is seeking a new contract, isn’t expected to attend the Chiefs‘ minicamp this week, a source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune breaks down what to watch at the Vikings‘ minicamp, while Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group and Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com do the same for the Raiders and Eagles, respectively.
Cowboys Cut Olson, Dominguez, Irvin
3:44pm: The Cowboys have made the cuts official, according to a press release from the team.
2:34pm: Earlier this afternoon, we heard that the Cowboys were set to release defensive end Everette Brown. Now, Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com adds three more names to the team’s list of cuts. According to Watkins (via Twitter), the Cowboys will release offensive linemen Jeff Olson and Ray Dominguez, along with defensive tackle Corvey Irvin.
Like Brown, none of these three players were set to earn more than the minimum salary in 2014. Olson, Dominguez, and Irvin also don’t have any prorated bonuses that will count against the cap, so waiving them will wipe their entire cap numbers from the Cowboys’ books. Given how small those cap hits were though, the combined savings of the four cuts will total less than $1MM.
Of the three players, only Irvin saw real action for the Cowboys in 2013, playing 119 snaps for the club over the final six weeks of the season.