NFC Notes: Bulaga, Foles, Cowboys
Given that the Packers could save nearly $5MM by releasing RT Bryan Bulaga, and given Bulaga’s recent injury history, there was some chatter that Green Bay could part ways with the ninth-year pro (especially since Bulaga is not even guaranteed to be ready for the start of the 2018 season after tearing his ACL on November 6). But we recently heard that Bulaga remains in the team’s 2018 plans, and head coach Mike McCarthy said Bulaga’s rehab is ahead of schedule (per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). Therefore, it certainly sounds as if Bulaga will be back for the fourth year of the five-year pact he signed prior to the 2015 season.
- In a series of tweets, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com passes along more details on Nick Foles‘ reworked deal. Foles’ cap number is now $9.6MM, fourth-highest on the Eagles, but if the team were to trade him after June 1, it would save $7MM in cap space, more than it would have saved prior to the restructure. As such, the restructure looks like a win-win in that Foles gets more money and incentives and it’s easier for the Eagles to deal him if someone comes along with a great offer. Shorr-Parks, though, still does not expect Foles to be traded.
- The Cowboys selected Western Kentucky quarterback Mike White in the fifth round of this year’s draft, which marked just the sixth time Dallas has drafted a QB since Jerry Jones purchased the franchise in 1989. White is expected to compete with Cooper Rush for the backup job, though Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes that executive vice president Stephen Jones is open to carrying three signal-callers in 2018.
- Per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Saints head coach Sean Payton does not know if the team will bring in a fourth QB to compete with Tom Savage and Taysom Hill. Payton said the Saints considered drafting a signal-caller this weekend, but they are anxious to see what Savage and Hill can do.
- Brady Henderson of ESPN.com says the Seahawks see Shaquem Griffin, whom they selected in the fifth round of this weekend’s draft, as a weak-side LB at the next level, and he also reports that Seattle viewed fourth-round pick Will Dissly as the best blocking tight end in the class (Twitter links).
- The Lions apparently disappointed at least a couple of teams in this weekend’s draft. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Detroit selected Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson one pick before the Redskins were prepared to take him, and the Panthers were going to take UL-Lafayette CB Tracy Walker with the No. 85 overall pick, but the Lions nabbed him with their No. 82 pick.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to practice squad:
- DB Marcelis Branch
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- WR Deante Burton
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Marvin Hall
- DE J’Terius Jones
- TE Joshua Perkins
- RB Jhurell Pressley
- DT Taniela Tupou
- DT Joe Vellano
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed:
- DB Demetrious Cox
- QB Brad Kaaya (story)
- Waived:
- FB Alex Armah
- Placed on IR:
- CB Corn Elder
- Signed to practice squad:
- QB Garrett Gilbert
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- WR Mose Frazier
- OT Blaine Clausell
- DE Bryan Cox Jr.
- DE Zach Moore
- DE Efe Obada
- DT Eric Crume
- S Damian Parms
- S Dezmen Southward
New Orleans Saints
- Claimed:
- WR Austin Carr (story)
- QB Taysom Hill (story)
- Cut:
- FB John Kuhn (story)
- DE Darryl Tapp
- Signed to practice squad:
- DL Alex Jenkins
- OL Landon Turner
- WR Max McCaffrey
- OL Kristjan Sokoli
- TE Garrett Griffin
- LB Adam Bighill
- OL John Fullington
- CB Arthur Maulet
- C Cameron Tom
- WR Travin Dural
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Sterling Bailey
- LB Riley Bullough
- RB Russell Hansbrough
- FB Austin Johnson
- S Isaiah Johnson
- G Michael Liedtke
- T Marquis Lucas
- WR Freddie Martino
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Bobo Wilson
Saints Claim WR Austin Carr, QB Taysom Hill
The Saints have claimed wide receiver Austin Carr from the Patriots and quarterback Taysom Hill from the Packers, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Both Carr (Northwestern) and Hill (BYU) went undrafted earlier this year. Carr, a preseason standout, will become the Saints’ fifth receiver after the club kept only Willie Snead, Ted Ginn Jr., Michael Thomas, and Brandon Coleman on Saturday. Hill, meanwhile, is now New Orleans’ third quarterback behind Drew Brees and Chase Daniel.
Packers Down To 53
The Packers’ 53-man roster is set…for now. Here’s a look at the players that were cut to allow the team to get down to the limit.
Cut:
- DT Calvin Heurtelou
- RB Kalif Phillips
- CB Daquan Holmes
- TE Aaron Peck
- G Thomas Evans
- S Aaron Taylor
- OLB Johnathan Calvin
- ILB Cody Heiman
- G Geoff Gray
- DT Izaah Lunsford
- CB Raysean Pringle
- QB Joe Callahan
- TE Emmanuel Byrd
- QB Taysom Hill
- WR Malachi Dupre
- ILB Derrick Mathews
- OT/G Adam Pankey
- WR DeAngelo Yancey
- CB Donatello Brown
- WR Max McCaffrey
- WR Michael Clark
- DT Brian Price
- OLB Reggie Gilbert
- G Kofi Amichia
- OT Robert Leff
- OLB Josh Letuligasenoa
- WR Montay Crockett
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- OLB Vince Biegel
- CB Demetri Goodson
Placed on reserve/Injured
- FB Joe Kerridge
- LB David Talley
The Packers surprised some by releasing Yancey, a fifth-round pick, and Dupre, a seventh-round pick. Both could be candidates for the practice squad if they clear waivers.
NFC Rumors: Unger, Saints, Howard, Bears
While Max Unger recovers from surgery, the Saints could fill the gap from within and use center/guard Senio Kelemete as the starter in the middle, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) suggests. Center Jack Allen is also on the roster, but Rapoport seems to think that Kelemete would have the leg up.
Here’s more out of the NFC:
- Jaye Howard‘s deal with the Bears calls for a base salary of $775K but can make up to $4MM with incentives, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Chiefs will be keeping a close eye on Howard’s performance thanks to the offset language in his contract. The Chiefs can recoup up to $3.75MM in cap space if Howard maxes out his incentives.
- If UDFA quarterback Taysom Hill works out for the Packers, it could enable the team to trade backup Brett Hundley for something of value this summer, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel opines. The BYU product offers high-level athleticism for the position and at the age of 27, he may be more mature than your average UDFA. In theory, Joe Callahan could ascent to the QB2 spot with Hill taking over as the new third-stringer. The Packers nearly traded Hundley during Day 2 of the draft this year.
- The Cardinals worked out quarterback Blaine Gabbert on Thursday, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). We learned last week that Arizona had interest in the former No. 10 overall pick and an audition was on the way. The Cardinals already have three signal callers on the roster in Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, and Zac Dysert.
Packers Sign 15 UDFAs
Busy day in Green Bay. The Packers have signed 15 undrafted free agents while also formally signing five of their draft picks. The complete rundown is below.
Draft pick signings:
- DeAngelo Yancey, WR, Purdue (fifth round)
- Aaron Jones, RB, Texas-El Paso (fifth round)
- Kofi Amichia, G, South Florida (sixth round)
- Devante Mays, RB, Utah State (seventh round)
- Malachi Dupre, WR, Louisiana State (seventh round)
As a senior at Purdue, Yancey hauled in 49 receptions for 951 yards and 10 touchdowns. Yancey offers good size for the position at 6’2″, but scouts aren’t sure if he’ll be able to make it in the NFL because of his lack of speed burst. He’s also struggled with drops throughout his career, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein writes.
UDFAs:
- Donatello Brown, CB (Valdosta State)
- Johnathan Calvin, LB (Mississippi State)
- Michael Clark, WR (Marshall St.)
- Montay Crockett, WR (Georgia Southern)
- Thomas Evans, G (Richmond)
- Geoff Gray, G (Manitoba)
- Cody Heiman, LB (Washburn)
- Taysom Hill, QB (Brigham Young)
- Izaah Lunsford, DT (Bowling Green St.)
- Adam Pankey, G/T (West Virginia)
- Aaron Peck, TE (Fresno State)
- Kalif Phillips, RB (Charlotte)
- Lenzy Pipkins, CB (Oklahoma State)
- David Rivers, CB (Youngstown State)
- Justin Vogel, P (Miami)
Clark, who played basketball at St. Francis before transferring to Marshall to play football, has only one year of organized football on his resume.