Ufomba Kamalu

Extra Points: McCoy, Kamalu, Sanders

Lesean McCoy had the least productive year of his career this past season, but he won’t be hanging up his cleats. Even though it’s been reported the Chiefs won’t be bringing him back, McCoy still plans to play in 2020, he confirmed in a recent interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio (Twitter link). McCoy said that he’s been in talks with a few teams, and that he wants to go to a “winning franchise.” When asked by the hosts how long he wanted to keep going McCoy said “I really just want to play two more years,” but then added that he wouldn’t put a ceiling on it.

Interestingly, McCoy said it was ageless-wonder Frank Gore who gave him that last piece of advice. McCoy, who had only 465 yards rushing in 13 games with Kansas City, will turn 32 in July. His role decreased down the stretch, and he was a healthy scratch for the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory. A six-time Pro Bowler, McCoy was recently named to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade team and had the most rushing yards of any player in the decade.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Defensive end Ufomba Kamalu was released by the Ravens two days ago, and now we know why. Kamalu was arrested on a domestic violence charge, according to a release from Baltimore county officials. Officers spoke to a woman who “suffered from a visible injury” after an argument from Kamalu, and issued an arrest warrant for him. An undrafted free agent from Miami back in 2016, Baltimore signed him off the Patriots’ practice squad in October. Kamalu is likely facing league discipline should his legal situation get resolved and another team is interested.
  • The Saints got their number two receiver behind Michael Thomas when they signed Emmanuel Sanders a few weeks ago, and now we’ve got the full details on the deal. Sanders got a two-year, $16MM pact, but no money in the second year is guaranteed, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets. Both 2020 and 2021 have base values of $8MM, and there are reception incentives of up to $1.5MM in each year. They also added a third year that automatically voids to spread the cap hit, so his cap number for 2020 is only $4MM. The Saints are clearly gearing up for one last Super Bowl run with Drew Brees, and they’ll be able to get out of Sanders’ contract after this season if they want to. Sanders has remained productive in recent years, but he turned 33 last month.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/8/20

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/15/20

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • DB DaShaun Amos

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/19

Today’s practice squad updates:

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived from PS-IR: RB Bruce Anderson

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: C John Keenoy

Ravens Sign Justin Ellis, Domata Peko

The Ravens have signed veteran defensive tackle Justin Ellis, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Ellis was a regular member of the Raiders’ D-line since Oakland selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, and he even landed a three-year, $15MM contract with the Silver-and-Black in March 2018. But his 2018 season was marred by injury, and he was released with an injury settlement in October.

And while Baltimore scored its fifth straight win on Sunday, its defensive front was noticeably shaky, perhaps because starting DT Michael Pierce played just three snaps. Pierce exited the game against the Bengals with an ankle injury, and head coach John Harbaugh said that an MRI didn’t reveal any long-term concerns. But as Jeff Zrebic of The Athletic writes, Harbaugh was non-committal as to whether Pierce would be available for this Sunday’s crucial matchup with the Texans, instead calling Pierce’s status “day-to-day.”

In addition to Ellis, the Ravens are adding another free agent DT, Domata Peko, as Zrebiec tweets. The Ravens, who are intimately familiar with the long-time Bengal’s work, attempted to sign him earlier this season, but the two sides were unable to agree on terms at the time. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports that Baltimore will pay Peko $1MM for the remainder of the season (Twitter link).

Neither Ellis nor Peko are likely to create much of a pass rush in the interior of the line — which Baltimore could really use — but like the Ravens’ earlier additions of linebackers Josh Bynes and L.J. Fort, both are experienced veterans who understand their assignments and who should, if nothing else, solidify the run defense. That will be essential given Pierce’s uncertain health and the fact that the Ravens are putting rookie DT Daylon Mack on injured reserve, per Zrebiec.

Baltimore, at 7-2 and in first place in AFC North, is doing everything it can to keep the second-place Steelers at bay while pushing for a postseason bye. Zrebiec says the club is expected to add rookie CB Iman Marshall to the active roster this week, and given that the Ravens’ kickoff and punt coverage teams have been uncharacteristically unsteady, Marshall may be asked to bolster those units.

In a corresponding move, the Ravens have waived return man Cyrus Jones, per Zrebiec. Jones muffed a punt in the team’s win over the Patriots in Week 9, and Baltimore signed De’Anthony Thomas shortly thereafter. Thomas operated as the kickoff and punt returner on Sunday and will presumably remain in that role moving forward.

The team also waived DE Ufomba Kamalu, per Zrebiec.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC East

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East 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 Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots are noted below.

Additionally, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads today. 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 AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets 

* = International Pathway Program player

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/18

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers