Workout Notes: 12/8/15
There were a plethora of workouts around the NFL today. Here they are:
- The Broncos worked out 17 players, all defenders. The full list comes courtesy of Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio:
- DB Stevie Brown
- LB Deron Bruce
- DB Deveron Carr
- DB Chris Clemons
- DT Davon Coleman
- LB Henry Coley
- LB Aaron Davis
- DE Ray Drew
- LB Adrian Hubbard
- DT Kamal Johnson
- DB Antoine Lewis
- DB B.J. Lowery
- DB Mike McMillan
- DB Jeromy Miles
- LB Kevin Snyder
- DB Schon Thomas
- DB Tyrequek Zimmerman
- In addition to receiver Danario Alexander, the Bears worked out quarterback Zac Dysert, wideouts Issac Blakeney, Miles Gooch, Jeremy Kelley and J.J. Worton, and running back Trey Millard (Twitter links via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
- The Texans worked out linebackers Eric Martin and Tony Washington, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Colts auditioned wideout DeAndre Carter, defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin, and running back LaDarius Perkins and Daryl Richardson, Wilson tweets.
- The Jaguars worked out linebackers Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Mike Mohamed and Sean Porter, and running backs Jerome Smith and Jahwan Edwards (Twitter links via Wilson and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)
- The Packers worked out running backs Bronson HIll and Ross Scheuerman (Twitter link via Wilson).
- The Jets tried out linebacker Glenn Carson, offensive tackle Sean Hickey, tight end Marcel Jensen, guard Cole Manhardt and defensive back Robert Nelson, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports (on Twitter).
- The Giants worked out long snappers Andrew East and Tyler Ott before signing Danny Aiken, per Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
Workout Notes: Jets, Giants, Pats, Colts
Wednesday’s workouts from around the NFL:
- The Jets worked out kickers Corey Acosta, Michael Barnard, Tommy Frevert, Andrew Furney, Zach Hocker, Marvin Kloss, and Giorgio Tavecchio as well as wide receiver/kick returners Trindon Holliday and Damaris Johnson, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Giants worked out running back Robert Turbin (now with the Cowboys), tackle Jake Rodgers, guard Jared Smith, linebacker Kevin Snyder, guard Anthony Steen, guard Donald Thomas, quarterback Dustin Vaughan, tight end Connor Hamlett, defensive lineman Toby Johnson, linebacker Jeff Luc, linebacker Mike Mohamed, and defensive back Floyd Raven, according to Wilson (Twitter links).
- The Patriots worked out running backs Dominique Brown and Marion Grice, wide receivers Andre Davis and Antwan Goodley, defensive end Glenn Foster, defensive backs Jonathon Mincy, and tight end Justin Tukes, per Wilson (Twitter links).
- The Colts auditioned defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi and tackle John Wetzel, Wilson tweets.
- The Dolphins auditioned tackel Cameron Clear, tight end Blake Annen, and linebacker Curtis Grant, Wilson tweets.
- The Seahawks worked out running back DuJuan Harris, Wilson tweets.
- The Rams worked out tackle James Brewer, Wilson tweets.
- With issues at long snapper, the Eagles worked out Tyler Ott and Patrick Scales, Wilson tweets.
Workout Notes: Patriots, Texans, Chargers
The latest workouts from around the NFL:
- The Titans worked out quarterback Christian Ponder, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider (Twitter links). The team also auditioned linebacker Yannik Cudjoe Virgil plus tight ends Michael Egnew, Kevin Greene, Connor Hamlett, and Ryan Taylor.
- The Patriots worked out tight end Cameron Clear, kicker Garrett Hartley, punter Will Johnson, punter Cody Mandell, long snapper Tyler Ott, cornerback Garry Peters, kicker Matt Wile, and long snapper Christian Yount, Wilson tweets.
- The Texans worked out running back Cyrus Gray, center Josh Allen, center Dalton Freeman, center Eric Kush, guard Jacques McClendon, and center Daniel Munyer, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Chargers are working out former Eastern Washington offensive tackle Jake Rodgers today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (on Twitter).
- Slot wide receiver Damaris Johnson is working out for the Jets today, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) adds Jarrett Boykin, Aldrick Robinson, and Greg Salas to that list. The Jets also worked out tight end David Ausberry, a source tells ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter).
- The Bills worked out running back Mike Gillislee and defensive backs Jocquel Skinner and Robert Steeples, Wilson tweets.
- The 49ers also worked out Gillislee, Wilson tweets.
- The 49ers worked out former Texans linebacker Lynden Trail and ex-Chargers corner Chris Davis, Wilson tweets. Davis, 24, signed with the Bolts in 2014 as a UDFA out of Auburn. The Chargers cut Davis on September 1st.
- The Colts worked out offensive guards Ben Heenan and Donald Thomas on Saturday, Wilson tweets. Indianapolis also brought in linebacker Josh Martin for a visit, Wilson adds.
- Tight ends James Casey and Adrien Robinson worked out for the Giants on Tuesday, sources tell Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter).
- The Ravens worked out wide receivers Joe Morgan and Chuck Jacobs along with quarterback Chase Rettig, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
East Notes: Jets, Harvin, Washington, Pats
Speaking to reporters today, including Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter links), Jets head coach Todd Bowles provided updates on his injured quarterbacks, indicating that Geno Smith has a bruised shoulder and is day to day, while Ryan Fitzpatrick is also day to day with ligament damage in his thumb. Fitzpatrick will require surgery eventually, but may be able to play through the injury for now.
Still, with their top two quarterbacks uncertain for Week 9, the Jets are considering outside options, eyeing both the free agent market and the trade market, Bowles confirmed (Twitter links). The head coach identified Matt Flynn as one option the club is mulling, and added that if the Jets bring in a new QB, the newcomer could start or back up Bryce Petty, depending on Smith’s and Fitzpatrick’s availability (Twitter links).
Let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s East divisions…
- As Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets, Bills wide receiver Percy Harvin is back with the team and has met with the doctors, who are evaluating his hip injury. Reports in October suggested Harvin was contemplating the idea of retiring, but head coach Rex Ryan said today that Harvin wants to play and is committed to the Bills, per Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News. “That’s the least of our concern with him,” Ryan said. “I know he wants to play. He desperately wants to contribute to this team.”
- Ryan also told reporters today that Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who began the season on the non-football injury list, will be activated and placed on the 53-man roster this week (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW).
- A team source tells John Keim of ESPN.com that Washington isn’t expected to be active at the trade deadline on Tuesday. Keim cautions that things could change if the club gets desperate, but it appears unlikely Scot McCloughan and company will make a deal.
- With an eye on keeping their special teams emergency lists fresh, the Patriots worked out a handful of players today, including long snapper Tyler Ott and punter Cody Mandell, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.
Workout Notes: 9/30/15
Today’s workouts from around the NFL..
- The Cardinals tried out offensive tackle Xavier Proctor and defensive back Tyrequek Zimmerman, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Panthers tried out long snappers Danny Aiken and Patrick Scales, Wilson tweets.
- The Lions tried out defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi, Wilson tweets.
- The Colts tried out defensive backs Kevin White, Trovon Reed, Ri’Shard Anderson, and Tay Glover-Wright prior to signing Shaun Prater, Wilson tweets. Linebackers Jayson DiManche and Julian Stanford also worked out for Indy. The Colts also tried out defensive tackle Eric Crume and offensive tackle Aundrey Walker (link).
- The Vikings tried out Tevin Westbrook before he landed on the Buccaneers’ taxi squad, Wilson tweets.
- The Giants tried out long snappers Luke Ingram and Tyler Ott, Wilson tweets.
- The Jets tried out linebackers Jeff Luc and Quayshawn Nealy and running back Joe Banyard, tweets Wilson.
- The Seahawks tried out quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson and wide receiver L’Damian Washington, tweets Wilson.
- The Buccaneers tried out tackle Sean Hickey, Wilson tweets.
- The Chargers tried out tight end Cameron Clear, defensive end Xzavier Dickson, Tevin Westbrook (prior to his signing with the Bucs’ practice squad), tight end Brian Vogler, and offensive tackle Byron Stingily, according to Wilson (Twitter 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.
Minor Moves: Monday Night
Given the rash of minor transactions that have gone down today, we’ll be keeping track of the rest here in a brand new post. The latest minor moves from around the NFL..
- The Dolphins announced that they have been awarded offensive lineman Donald Hawkins off waivers from the Cowboys, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets. To make room, offensive lineman Mark Asper has been cut.
- The Rams have signed two of their tryout players in long snapper Tyler Ott and wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez, Howard Balzer of USA Today tweets. The 27-year-old Rodriguez, who walked on the football team at Clemson, served with the U.S. Army between 2006 and 2010, in both Afghanistan and Iraq, earning a Purple Heart during his service.
- The Bears claimed tight end Chris Pantale, who was waived by the Jets a few days ago, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Pantale’s first NFL contract came with the Jets when he was signed as a UDFA in 2013.
- The Jets, meanwhile, inked two tryout players from this past weekend in quarterback Jake Heaps and fullback J.C. Copeland, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. To make room for both players, the Jets cut Greg Henderson and safety Demarkus Perkins (link).
- The Texans announced that UDFAs Jake Cotton and James Rouse (waived-injured) have been let go, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). Both players were signed as UDFAs by Houston earlier this month. In their stead, the Texans have signed Mack Brown, Corey Moore, and Joseph Treadwell, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Raiders waived linebacker Braylon Mitchell, running backs Terrance Cobb and Gus Johnson, defensive backs Chance Casey, Vernon Kearney, and return specialist Jeremy Gallon (waived/injured), according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Steelers placed Nigel Crawford on waivers with a left squad designation, Wilson tweets.
- The Chiefs signed Georgia Southern center Garrett Frye as a UDFA, per the NFL’s transactions report, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
Pats Cut Alfonzo Dennard, Two Others
3:21pm: The Patriots have confirmed they’ve waived Dennard, announcing in a press release that long snapper Tyler Ott and linebacker Deontae Skinner have been let go as well.
8:11am: Having lost a pair of key cornerbacks in free agency this offseason, when Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner signed elsewhere, the Patriots are continuing to overhaul the position. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the team is parting ways with three-year veteran Alfonzo Dennard, who started 20 games in New England over the last three seasons.
Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role reduced with the arrivals of Revis and Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve. While the sample size was small, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also graded him as the Pats’ least effective coverage corner — he allowed QBs to complete 68.2% of their passes and accumulate a 111.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage.
Due to an escalator in his rookie contract, Dennard had been set to earn a base salary of $1.542MM this season after making the minimum for his first three years, so his release doesn’t come as a total surprise. He’s a candidate to be claimed on waivers, or to quickly sign elsewhere, given his age and the experience he’s had early in his NFL career.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Tonight’s minor moves..
- The Giants officially tendered tight end Larry Donnell, one of their two exclusive rights free agents, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Donnell, 27 in November, enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, catching 63 passes for 623 yards and six touchdowns.
- The Jets announced that they have signed free agent defensive end Ronald Talley. Talley, 28, played under coach Todd Bowles in 2013 with the Cardinals. He signed as a free agent with the Buccaneers last year but was a final cut and didn’t play last season.
- The Colts announced they have agreed to terms on a contract extension with long snapper Matt Overton, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk writes. Overton was going to be a restricted free agent upon the start of the new league year but his new deal will probably take him through 2018. Overton has played in all 48 games over the first three years of his career with 22 tackles on special teams.
- Washington (via Twitter) announced the re-signing of exclusive rights free agent safety Duke Ihenacho.
- The Patriots signed long snapper Tyler Ott, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
AFC Notes: Jaguars, Bills, Pats, Texans
Through nine weeks, there aren’t many teams in the AFC that can truly be considered out of the postseason hunt. Besides the Titans, Jaguars, Jets, and Raiders, none of whom have more than two wins, no AFC club is more than two games out of first place in its division. That group also includes an impressive 11 teams over .500, which should make for a pretty interesting second half as contenders jockey for position.
Here are a few Tuesday items from across the AFC:
- With the Jaguars prepared to play the Cowboys in England this weekend, Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union takes a look at the team’s relationship to London and how it will affect the franchise going forward. “Some people view London as a threat to the Jaguars,” said Jaguars president Mark Lamping. “I view it the exact opposite. London is going to be one of the things that protects Jacksonville as an NFL market. It stabilizes a franchise that was unstable a few years ago.”
- Cornerback Brandon Smith, who has fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered earlier this year, worked out for the Bills this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Smith has previously spent time with both the Bills and Jets.
- Long snapper Tyler Ott, who was with the Patriots in training camp, was among the specialists to try out for New England today, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- As first reported by Jayson Braddock (via Twitter), Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson suffered a sprained MCL and is expected to be sidelined for three or four weeks. If Houston looks to promote a player from the practice squad for depth purposes, cornerback Charles James looks like the top candidate.
- Browns general manager Ray Farmer spoke to reporters today, but the GM’s comments about Brian Hoyer‘s and Johnny Manziel‘s futures in Cleveland weren’t too revealing. Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com has a few details and quotes from Farmer.