NFL Workout Updates: 11/22/16
Tuesday is workout day in the NFL, and today was no different. Due to the sheer volume of today’s auditions, we’ll split up the reports by conference:
NFC
- The Bears worked out four offensive lineman today, according to ESPN’s Brad Biggs (via Twitter): Reid Fragel, Jeff Linkenbach, Dillon Farrell, and Dallas Thomas. Biggs tweets that the team also worked out defensive end Lawrence Okoye, who is a former British track and field athlete.
- The Buccaneers auditioned cornerback D’Joun Smith, Cody Riggs and Duke Thomas, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The team also worked out wideouts Corey Washington and Myles White. Riggs and White were ultimately signed to the practice squad.
- The Falcons worked out former Tennessee defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, Caplan tweets.
- The Lions worked out quarterbacks Keith Wenning and Logan Thomas along with wide receivers Dres Anderson, Tyler Murphy, and Andrew Turzilli, as Justin Rogers of The Detroit News tweets. Anderson has since signed with Chicago’s practice squad.
- The Packers were busy today, according to Caplan (via Twitter). The team auditioned receiver B.J. Daniels, cornerback Darryl Morris, and linebackers Derrick Mathews, Beniquez Brown, Dwayne Norman and Darnell Sankey.
- The Panthers worked out guard Josh LeRibeus and former Patriots center Ryan Wendell, tweets Caplan.
AFC
- As Clark Harris recovers from an injury, the Bengals worked out long snappers John DePalma, Ryan DiSalvo, Thomas Gafford, and Tyler Ott, according to Caplan (via Twitter). The team ended up signing Ott to the practice squad.
- The Dolphins worked out offensive tackles Jesse Davis and Marquis Lucas, tweets Caplan.
- The Jaguars worked out a trio of tight ends in Justin Perillo, E.J. Bibbs, and Orson Charles, tweets Caplan. Bibbs ultimately landed on the team’s practice squad. The Jaguars also worked out linebacker Earl Okine.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Titans Cut Ropati Pitoitua, 11 Others
The Titans have made 12 roster moves today, moving their roster to 77 men, the club announced. Tennessee has until 3pm CT Tuesday to get to 75 players.
The Titans have made the following transactions:
Cut:
- Lamarcus Brutus, S
- Will Campbell, OL
- Donte Foster, WR
- Amarlo Herrera, LB
- Reece Horn, WR
- Deiontrez Mount, LB
- Tyler Patmon, CB
- Ropati Pitoitua, DL
- Nick Ritcher, G
- Mike Smith, DE
- Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB
Waived/Injured:
- Andy Gallik, C
Pitoitua, 31, seemed liked one of the likeliest cuts in the entire NFL. Pitoitua only played 31 defensive snaps last season, but was scheduled to count more than $3.8MM on the Titans’ salary cap. By releasing him, Tennessee will save $3.078MM.
Gallik, meanwhile, will revert to the Titans’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.
Titans, Ropati Pitoitua Agree To Deal
9:00pm: It’s a three-year, $9.6MM deal including a $2.175MM bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. His base salaries are as follows (link): $975K in 2014, $2.125MM in ’15, and $2.95MM in ’16 with a $600K roster bonus due in March 2015. The deal marks a nice bump in pay for Pitoitua who earned $1.1MM last season and has made ~$3MM over the course of his career.
5:46pm: The Titans have agreed to terms with defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, sources tell Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean (via Twitter). Pitoitua, who was one of the club’s priorities after a strong year in 2013, gets a three-year deal from the Titans (link).
The 6’8″, 290 pound Samoan had a career high four sacks, four passes defended, and 34 tackles this season across 16 games (13 starts). After rotating between the Jets’ injured reserve and practice squad between 2008 and 2011, Pitoitua had his breakthrough season with the Chiefs in 2012 when he got to start ten games at right defensive end. He’ll be a part of the Titans’ transition to a hybrid defense under new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.
Titans Rumors: Verner, Pollard, Wimbley
Earlier today, we heard from Titans general manager Ruston Webster that the team is taking its time when it comes to making a decision on Chris Johnson‘s contract, and that the front office intends to continue talking to Alterraun Verner‘s agent about a new deal. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean has an update on the Verner front, along with a few other Titans-related items, so let’s see what he’s got for us….
- The Titans are meeting with Verner’s agent at the combine and the hope is that the two sides can work out a new deal in the near future, according to Wyatt (via Twitter). Wyatt adds that the club is unlikely to use the franchise tag on its free agent cornerback.
- Bernard Pollard‘s agent and the Titans have engaged in discussions about a new contract for the free agent safety, and the team would like to bring him back, tweets Wyatt.
- Kamerion Wimbley has a $7.8MM cap number for 2014 and Wyatt can’t see him returning to the Titans at that price. However, the club believes Wimbley would be a good fit in its changing defense, and there’s still plenty of time to talk about a restructure, says Wyatt (Twitter links).
- Tennessee is also interested in re-signing free agent defensive lineman Ropati Pitoitua and will likely speak to his agent at the combine, tweets Wyatt.