Ron Thompson

The Titans made wide receiver Kendall Wright a healthy scratch for their season finale last Sunday, and now the impending free agent is ready to leave Tennessee. “I saw the 2017 Tennessee Titans, and I am not a part of the 2017 Tennessee Titans,” Wright told TitansOnline.com on Monday (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). “It is what it is. I respect everybody in the building.” A first-round pick in 2012, Wright began his career with three straight seasons of at least 57 catches and 93 targets, but the Titans tamped down their reliance on him the past two years. In 21 games dating back to 2015, Wright has combined for just 65 receptions and 102 targets. Now, with a trip to the open market looming, Wright feels “free.”

While Wright looks like a lock to exit the organization, two of his coaches – Bob Bratkowski (receivers) and Jason Tucker (assistant WRs) – definitely won’t be back in 2017. The Titans parted ways with the duo Wednesday, tweets Jim Wyatt of the team’s website.

Workout Notes: Eagles, Seahawks, Bears

By Zachary Links | at December 13, 2016 10:28 am

Tuesday is typically the big day for player auditions, but plenty of workouts went down on Monday as well. Here’s the rundown, with all links going to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan on Twitter, unless noted otherwise:

The Chiefs worked out a number of notable veteran linebackers on Monday.
Guard Dallas Thomas worked out for the Eagles (link). Thomas, a third-round pick by Miami in 2013, started 26 games during his four-year career with Miami. He was cut earlier this year and has been unable to find work despite auditions with Detroit, Tennessee, Indianapolis, and Chicago.
The Seahawks worked out linebackers Ron Thompson and Junior Sylvestre (link). Sylvestre was in camp with the Colts the past two years and was on IR last year.
The Raiders worked out quarterback Keith Wenning, wide receiver Rodney Smith, and linebacker Beniquez Brown (link).
The Bears worked out fullback Malcolm Johnson (link). He was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2015 draft by Cleveland.
The Bears also auditioned six other players, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Of those six, five of them were wide receivers and five of them played this past season in the CFL. The group was headlined by Derel Walker, the CFL’s most outstanding rookie in 2015 and a two-time All-Star. The 25-year-old finished second in the CFL this season with 1,589 yards. The group also included CFL standout wide receivers like Greg Ellingson, Kenny Shaw, and Diontae Spencer. Guard Derek Dennis, who spent this past season with the Calgary Stampeders, showed his stuff, as well as indoor league receiver Orlandus Harris. As Biggs notes, the Bears haven’t had a lot of success with CFL imports in recent years.

0 comments Chicago Bears Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Seahawks Beniquez Brown Dallas Thomas Derek Dennis Derel Walker Diontae Spencer Greg Ellingson Junior Sylvestre Keith Wenning Kenny Shaw Malcolm Johnson Orlandus Harris Rodney Smith Ron Thompson

NFL Workout Updates: 12/6/2016

By Dallas Robinson | at December 6, 2016 8:22 pm

The Broncos worked out a dozen players today, including quarterbacks Sean Renfree and T.J. Yates, running backs Bernard Pierce and Zac Brooks, and wide receivers Keshawn Martin and Corey Washington, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Yates, 29, has only started seven games during his regular season career, but has somewhat miraculously managed two playoff starts, both for Houston. Each of the tryouts conducted by Denver today were for futures contract consideration, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Here’s more from the workout front:

Searching for emergency interior line options, the Patriots tried out OL James Stone and Chris Watt today, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who adds that New England also took a look at wide receiver Dez Stewart. As Reiss wrote earlier today, the Pats could be forced to make a move at WR following an injury to Danny Amendola, and Stewart could potentially fill that void.
The Chiefs, dealing with injuries to Dontari Poe and Jaye Howard (placed on IR), auditioned veteran defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis and Montori Hughes, per Caplan (Twitter link). Kansas City also worked out inside linebackers James Burgess and Darnell Sankey on Saturday, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
The Packers tried out tight end Kennard Backman, quarterback Mike Bercovici, wide receiver Mitch Mathews, and running back Daryl Virgies, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Backman is familiar with Green Bay, as the Packers chose him in the sixth round of the 2015 draft.
Defensive back Dezmen Southward, defensive end Josh Boyd, and linebacker Ron Thompson all worked out for the Raiders today, per Caplan (Twitter link). Southward was a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2014.
The Buccaneers are working out 6’4″, 220-pound wide receiver Joe Hills, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He was the 2016 Arena League offensive Player of the Year for the Jacksonville Sharks.
Defensive lineman Frank Beltre and defensive back Tony Burnett were among the players that tried out for the Vikings today, according to Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link).
The Jets worked out long snappers Zach Triner, Rick Lovato, Daniel Dillon, and Kameron Canaday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. New York’s current long snapper is veteran Tanner Purdum.

0 comments Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Minnesota Vikings Mitch Mathews New England Patriots New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bernard Pierce Chris Watt Corey Washington Daniel Dillon Darnell Sankey Daryl Virgies Dez Stewart Dezmen Southward Frank Beltre James Burgess James Stone Joe Hills Josh Boyd Kameron Canaday Kennard Backman Kenrick Ellis Keshawn Martin Mike Bercovici Montori Hughes Rick Lovato Ron Thompson Sean Renfree T.J. Yates Tony Burnett Zac Brooks Zach Triner

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/16

By Connor J. Byrne | at September 9, 2016 4:56 pm

Friday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

The Chargers have reached injury settlements with wide receiver Rasheed Bailey and linebacker Shaq Petteway, per Adam Caplan of ESPN and Wilson (on Twitter). San Diego claimed Bailey on Aug. 18 after the Jaguars cut him, but the Bolts ultimately waived/injured him last weekend. The 6-foot-1, 209-pound Bailey went undrafted out of Delaware Valley a year ago and spent time with the Eagles, though he didn’t garner any regular-season experience with either them or the Jags. Petteway signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent from West Virginia on April 30.
The Patriots have waived running back Tyler Gaffney with an injury settlement, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). Gaffney, who hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since the Panthers took him in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, injured his foot in New England’s Sept. 1 preseason finale. He spent the first two years of his career on the Patriots’ injured reserve list with knee issues.
The Buccaneers have placed receiver Evan Spencer on the reserved/retired list, writes Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. The Redskins used a sixth-rounder on Spencer a year ago, but he ended up spending most of the season on the Bucs’ practice squad. He was active for Tampa Bay’s regular-season finale and was slated to be on its practice squad to start 2016.
The Colts have removed cornerback Tevin Mitchel and defensive end Ron Thompson from IR with injury settlements, tweets Wilson. Mitchell, whom Washington drafted in the sixth round last year, didn’t see any action as a rookie. Thompson signed with Indy earlier this year as an undrafted free agent from Syracuse.

0 comments Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Chargers New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers Transactions Evan Spencer Rasheed Bailey Ron Thompson Tevin Mitchel Tyler Gaffney

Colts Cut Stevan Ridley, Others

By Zachary Links | at September 3, 2016 2:00 pm

The Colts are cutting running back Stevan Ridley, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Ridley was signed by the Colts just days ago after he was cut by Detroit. The Colts have spoken at length about their plan to preserve Frank Gore‘s legs by lightening his workload and Ridley figured to be a part of that. Alas, the Colts didn’t see enough from Ridley in the last few days to keep him on the 53-man roster.

After spending his first four years in the NFL with the Patriots, Ridley signed with the Jets last season, but didn’t see the field all that much after coming off the PUP list. With Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell handling the majority of the workload out of the backfield, Ridley took over for Zac Stacy as the No. 3 back and earned just 36 carries, totaling only 90 yards for a career-worst 2.5 yards per attempt. His stint with Indianapolis could represent his best opportunity to reestablish himself as a quality back.

Here’s the running list of the Colts’ cuts so far today (links via Mike Wells of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified):

RB Stevan Ridley
WR Tevaun Smith (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star)
DE Ronald Thompson
DL Sterling Bailey (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
DT Kelcy Quarles (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com)
ILB Trevor Bates (link)
ILB Nate Irving (via Holder)
OLB Earl Okine
CB Tay-Glover Wright
CB Christopher Milton
S Alden Darby
S Lee Hightower
WR MeKale McKay
OG Kitt O’Brien
OG Adam Redmond
OT Mitchell Van Dyk
OT Jeremy Vujnovich

The team has also placed offensive guard Hugh Thornton, cornerback Tevin Mitchel and linebacker Ron Thompson on the injured reserve, according to Holder and Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (Twitter link). The 25-year-old has started 32 of his 37 games through his three seasons in the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

0 comments Christopher Milton Indianapolis Colts Transactions Adam Redmond Alden Darby Earl Okine Jeremy Vujnovich Kelcy Quarles Kitt O'Brien Lee Hightower MeKale McKay Mitchell Van Dyk Nate Irving Ron Thompson Ronald Thompson Sterling Bailey Stevan Ridley Tay Glover-Wright Tevaun Smith Tevin Mitchel Trevor Bates

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