Workout Notes: Bears, Broncos, Packers
Here’s a roundup of today’s auditions from around the NFL. All links go to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle on Twitter), unless noted otherwise..
- The Lions worked out nose tackle Kenrick Ellis, nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and defensive end Jerel Worthy, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
-
The Seahawks worked out cornerbacks Crezdon Butler and Chimdi Chekwa, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- The Bears worked out wide receivers Marcus Lucas and Nathan Palmer, guard Cole Manhart, and tackles Tyler Moore and Byron Stingily (link).
- The Broncos worked out punter Kasey Redfern (link).
- The Packers worked out running back Akeem Hunt, wide receiver Donatella Luckett, quarterback Phillip Sims, wide receiver Tyler Slavin, running back Dreamius Smith, linebacker Colton Underwood, and linebacker Matthew Wells (link).
- The Dolphins worked out wide receivers Isaiah Burse and Rannell Hall, defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, guards Vinston Painter and Anthony Steen, defensive tackle Olsen Pierre, linebacker Mike Reilly, strong safety Brandian Ross, and defensive end Quanterus Smith (link + link).
- The Saints worked out punter Steven Clark, guard Travis Bond, punter Robert Malone, guard Jacques McClendon, and punter Brian Moorman (link).
- The Giants worked out defensive end Jake Bequette, tight end Cameron Clear, quarterback Cody Fajardo, and tight end Brian Leonhardt (link).
- The Jets worked out defensive end DeAngelo Tyson (link).
- The Bucs worked out linebacker Ronald Powell (link).
- The Titans worked out David Arkin, James Brewer, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Alex Kupper, Joe Looney, and Cody White (link).
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano worked out for the Lions today (link).
Workout Notes: 9/23/15
Teams around the NFL are bringing in players for workouts, surveying the free agent landscape for possible practice squad additions or 53-man roster players, either for the near future or down the road. Here are a few of the latest auditions from across the league, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (all links go to Twitter):
AFC:
- Former Broncos cornerback Tony Carter had a workout with the Ravens, who have liked him for a while. Of course, up until very recently, Carter was under contract with Denver.
- In addition to Matt Huffer, whose workout was reported yesterday, offensive linemen Kevin Graf, Antonio Johnson, and Travis Bond, along with defensive ends Matt Conrath and Xzavier Dickson, were among the players who auditioned for the Broncos this week.
- We already heard that the Jets brought in multiple receivers this week for workouts, and we can add a few more names to that list: DaVaris Daniels, Titus Davis, and Josh Lenz got a look from New York.
- It was a linebacker-heavy workout group this week in Jacksonville, as the Jaguars auditioned Jeff Luc, Alex Singleton, and Jordan Tripp, in addition to Jayson DiManche, whose workout was previously reported.
- We can add tight end Nick Kasa, guard Joe Looney, wide receiver Marcus Lucas, ex-Niners tackle Sean Hooey, and former Titans tackle Byron Stingily to the list of players who tried out for the Dolphins this week. We learned yesterday that tight end Adrien Robinson also visited the team.
- The lengthy roster of players who auditioned this week for the Titans: cornerbacks Robert McClain, Robert Steeples, Shaun Prater, and Carrington Byndom; safeties Jean Fanor and Robert Lester; and wide receiver Nick Toon.
NFC:
- The Panthers brought in several defensive backs for tryouts, taking a look at Richard Crawford, Ras-I Dowling, and Tajh Hasson.
- Wide receiver Deonte Thompson turned an audition with the Bears into a practice squad spot this week, but he wasn’t the only player to work out for the team. The club also brought in wide receiver DeVier Posey, quarterback Alex Tanney, and QB Justin Worley.
- The Lions were eyeing veteran defensive backs this week, with ex-Giants safety Stevie Brown, longtime Panthers safety Charles Godfrey, and former Raiders DB Brandian Ross all coming in for auditions. The club also worked out tight end Mickey Shuler.
- Defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, cut from the Dolphins’ practice squad last week, and former Broncos defensive end Quanterus Smith both worked out for the Seahawks this week.
- After being removed from the Patriots’ injured reserve list last week, wide receiver Jonathan Krause tried out for the Eagles.
- Washington auditioned two linebackers who hit the open market within the last few weeks, bringing in ex-Bengal Nico Johnson and former Seahawk Alex Singleton. It’s been a busy week for Singleton, who also worked out for the Jaguars, as noted above.
- The Packers took a look this week at tight end Blake Annen, defensive tackle Justin Hamilton, CFL linebacker Henoc Muamba, and linebacker Josh Shirley.
Workout Notes: 9/9/15
Former Falcons center Joe Hawley is visiting the Buccaneers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hawley could be a fit with Tampa Bay as he has a history with offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter from their time together in Atlanta. Hawley, 27 in October, was on his way to returning from the ACL surgery that ended his 2014 season prematurely when he was cut loose by the Falcons earlier this week.
Here are more of the latest workouts and free agent meetings (All links are from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle via Twitter, unless noted otherwise)..
- The Vikings auditioned defensive backs Ri’Shard Anderson and C.J. Roberts, tight end Brian Leonhardt, and linebacker Jordan Tripp, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys tried out offensive tackle Charles Brown today, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Current Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith backed up Brown when both players attended USC.
- The Titans worked out safety Shaquille Richardson (link).
- Keavon Milton visited the Panthers (link). The offensive lineman spent time on the Seahawks’ taxi squad in 2014 before being promoted to the 53-man roster in December.
- Former Arena Football League wide receiver Lonnie Outlaw visited the Lions (link).
- The Buccaneers worked out linebacker Julian Stanford and linebacker Tyrell Adams (link).
- The Giants auditioned safety Shiloh Keo, linebacker Nico Johnson, cornerback Tramain Jacobs, ex-Jets wide receiver Shaq Evans, safety Durell Eskridge, and cornerback Dwight Bentley (link). The Giants also tried out Joe Looney, Nick Moody, Henoc Muamba, Quayshawn Nealy, Xavier Proctor, and Alameda Ta’amu (link).
- The Colts tried out offensive lineman Travis Bond, wide receiver Marquez Clark, linebacker Edwin Jackson, and defensive tackle Derrick Lott (link).
- The Jaguars tried out Rasheed Bailey, Matt Blanchard, and Cody Fajardo (link).
Rams Cut Damian Williams, Others
TUESDAY, 11:21am: The Rams are now down to 75 players, having waived two more players today. Linebacker Keshaun Malone and defensive tackle Doug Worthington are the latest roster casualties in St. Louis, per a team release.
MONDAY, 7:06pm: The Rams announced that they have cut a number of players today to trim down their roster, including former third round pick Damian Williams. The full list is below:
Released:
- Damian Williams, WR
Waived:
- Steven Baker, OT
- Travis Bond, OL
- Imoan Claiborne, CB
- Jay Hughes, S
- Tyler Ott, LS
- Michael Palardy, K/P
- Tyler Slavin, WR
- David Wang, C
Waived/Injured:
- Brad Smelley, TE
- Korey Toomer, LB
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Claiborne is a “practice squad candidate,” according to Nick Wagoner of the Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). Still, the Rams have other UDFAs gunning for 53-man roster spots. The Rams now have 77 players on their roster in advance of the 75-man deadline.
Rams Sign Seven To Futures Contracts
Earlier today, the Rams announced that they have signed seven players to reserve/futures contracts. Here’s the full list, courtesy of USA Today’s Howard Balzer (on Twitter)..
- Steven Baker, T
- Emory Blake, WR
- Travis Bond, G/T
- Christian Bryant, S
- Marshall McFadden, LB
- Doug Worthington, DL
- Devon Wylie, WR
All seven of the signees above were previously on St. Louis’ practice squad. Two members of the Rams’ taxi squad, defensive tackle Matt Conrath and tight end Brad Smelley, were not signed.
Rams Promote Washington, Sign Williams
2:54pm: The Rams have made a few more moves, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Williams has indeed been added to the active roster, with cornerback Jemea Thomas waived to make room. Additionally, the team has cut wideout Kadron Boone from its practice squad and added offensive lineman Travis Bond.
12:04pm: The Rams have promoted offensive lineman Brandon Washington to the active roster, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). In addition to that, the Rams have added wide receiver Emory Blake, offensive tackle Steven Baker, and tight end Justice Cunningham to the practice squad, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets.
Washington was one of the final cuts made before the 53-man deadline in late August and was added to the taxi squad soon after. The 6’3″, 320 pound lineman has one game of NFL experience on his resume.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Rams appear poised to continue with just four wide receivers on the active roster. Earlier today, Wagoner tweeted that if and when the Rams add a wide receiver to the active roster, it will be former Dolphins WR Damian Williams. St. Louis recently lost Brian Quick, who was placed on IR, for the year as he was in the midst of a breakout campaign.
AFC West Notes: Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers
As I noted in a poll yesterday, there are only three unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL — at the other end of the spectrum, only three clubs are still looking for their first win of the season. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines those three franchises in his latest piece for The Sporting News, writing of the Raiders that they’ve “built one of the strangest rosters in recent memory.”
As Fitzgerald notes, Oakland added a number of aging veterans in free agency on its way to compiling the oldest roster in the NFL, and the team handed the quarterbacking reins to rookie Derek Carr shortly after trading for high-priced veteran Matt Schaub. The Raiders figure to win some games at some point this season, but it’s hard to imagine GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen still having their jobs a year from now unless things turn around quickly, writes Fitzgerald.
Here’s more from around the AFC West:
- Although Bill Williamson of ESPN.com has received many inquiries from Raiders fans on whether or not the team has interest in free agent defensive back Champ Bailey, Williamson says the team isn’t considering the veteran at this point (Twitter link).
- Before they signed with the Packers’ and Lions’ practice squads, respectively, offensive lineman Josh Walker and defensive back Josh Victorian worked out for the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who says Kansas City team also auditioned wideout Ryan Spadola.
- In addition to the players who signed to their roster or practice squad, or those whose workouts have been previously reported, the Chargers tried out the following players, according to Wilson (via Twitter): Offensive linemen Michael Bamiro, Travis Bond, and Bryce Quigley, linebacker Yawin Smallwood, and tight end Brian Wozniak.
Extra Points: Green-Ellis, Rice, Bengals, Bucs
A few NFL teams are starting to see their backfields thin out a little as the season progresses, whether due to suspensions (Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson) or injuries (Mark Ingram, Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, and others). While most of those clubs have relied on in-house replacements so far, veteran free agent BenJarvus Green-Ellis has received some inquiries from teams, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
According to La Canfora (via Twitter), the former Bengal, who is coming off a preseason hip injury, continues to rehab and work toward full health. When he’s ready to play, Green-Ellis should be able to find a job, since there are plenty of potential suitors monitoring him now.
Here are a few more Wednesday odds and ends from around the NFL:
- The league issued a statement today indicating that commissioner Roger Goodell never intended to hear Rice’s suspension appeal, and that a neutral arbitrator will make the decision on Rice, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), a handful of offensive players worked out for the Bengals this week, including tight ends Richard Gordon, Michael Higgins, and David Paulson, as well as offensive linemen Martin Wallace and Travis Bond.
- Paulson was also one of several free agents to try out for the Buccaneers, says Wilson (via Twitter). Tampa Bay also worked out defensive backs Brandon Taylor and Malcolm Bronson, along with tight end Cameron Morrah.
- In addition to signing rookie Lache Seastrunk to their practice squad yesterday, the Panthers also auditioned running backs Alex Green, Alfonso Smith, and Kerwynn Williams, tweets Wilson.
Rams Start Trimming Roster Down To 53
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has been tweeting out the details on the Rams’ first wave of final cuts this afternoon, as the team has now parted ways with five players from its 75-man roster. Here, via Thomas, are the players cut by St. Louis so far, with any further cuts added to the list throughout the day:
- Emory Blake (WR) (via Thomas on Twitter, 8:04pm)
- Travis Bond (G) (via Thomas on Twitter, 8:04pm)
- Kourtnei Brown (DE) (via Tom Pelissero on Twitter, 4:46pm)
- Avery Cunningham (S)
- Garrett Gilbert (QB) (via Pelissero on Twitter, 4:46pm)
- Deantre Harlan (DT) (via Pelissero on Twitter, 4:46pm)
- Aaron Hill (LB) (via Thomas on Twitter, 10:13pm)
- Sean Hooey (OL)
- Etienne Sabino (LB) (via Thomas on Twitter, 7:24pm)
- Brad Smelley (TE)
- Phillip Steward (LB)
- Mitchell Van Dyk (OL)
- Justin Veltung (WR) (via Thomas on Twitter, 10:13pm)
- Darren Woodard (CB) (via Thomas on Twitter, 8:04pm)
Minor Moves: Grant, Bucs, Panthers, Morris
Here’s a look at tonight’s minor moves..
- Free agent linebacker Larry Grant, who started eight games for the Rams back in 2010, has signed with the Browns, according to agent David Canter (Twitter link). In recent seasons, Grant spent time with the 49ers and Bears, though he appeared in just two games last year before being cut.
- The Buccaneers have agreed to sign undrafted free agent tight end Cameron Brate out of Harvard, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Panthers announced that they have signed fourth-round pick Tre Boston and fifth-round selection Bene’ Benwikere, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Boston, a strong safety out of North Carolina, is a converted cornerback.
- The Patriots announced that they have released rookie linebacker James Morris. Morris, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa, was signed by the Pats just four days ago. Morris, 22, was just the sixth player in Iowa history to record 400 career tackles after finishing with 400 tackles, 10 1/2 sacks and six interceptions as a three-year starter.
- Former Iowa State safety Jacques Washington has been invited to the Dolphins‘ rookie mini-camp this weekend, according to agent Donte Robinson (on Twitter). Washington was second in the Big 12 in tackles per game (9.9) this past season and was a three-year starting free safety for the Cyclones.
- The Raiders cut veteran defensive lineman David Carter, Wilson tweets. Carter, 26, signed a reserves/futures deal with Oakland back in January.
- The Rams were awarded Travis Bond off waivers from the Panthers, tweets Wilson. Carolina dropped Bond yesterday while signing punter Jordan Gay.
- The Raiders signed undrafted free agent defensive end Denico Autry, tweets Wilson.
- The Browns signed undrafted defensive back K’Waun Williams, tweets Wilson. At Pittsburgh last season, Williams led the team with seven pass breakups and was second with two interceptions.
- The Texans were awarded Conor Boffeli off waivers from the Vikings and Anthony Dima from the Browns, Wilson tweets.