Here are the latest practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
The Jets and standout defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson are far apart on contract talks as Sunday’s opener draws ever closer, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. It’s unlikely the two will continue negotiating when the season begins, according to La Canfora, which means the 25-year-old could be on the eve of beginning his final season with the Jets. La Canfora writes that the Jets haven’t been willing to give Wilkerson similar guaranteed money to what Cameron Jordan ($23.96MM) and Cameron Heyward ($15MM) received from New Orleans and Pittsburgh, respectively. Further, given the massive extension AFC East rival Buffalo signed Marcell Dareus to earlier this week, the Jets’ offers to Wilkerson look even less appealing to the defender. The team’s latest offer to Wilkerson is far lower than what Dareus received from the Bills, per La Canfora, even though Wilkerson – like Dareus – has established himself as one of the NFL’s best D-linemen.
While Wilkerson is displeased with the Jets’ negotiating tactics, his agent, Chad Wiesteling, says it won’t affect his on-field performance.
“Mo loves being a Jet, and nothing less than a Super Bowl for New York will satisfy him this season. He will play his heart out for this team regardless of his contract situation.”
More from around the AFC:
The Panthers locked up star linebacker Luke Kuechly to a long-term deal Thursday, but it doesn’t appear that teammate and fellow defensive linchpin Josh Norman will receive similar treatment. Negotiations between the Panthers and the cornerback stalled this week, reports Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer. Because general manager Dave Gettleman doesn’t negotiate new deals during the season, Norman looks poised to play out 2015 as a contract year.
Norman, whom the Panthers took in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, is coming off a season in which he totaled 48 tackles and a career-best two interceptions. More impressively, Norman held opposing quarterbacks to a paltry 53.2 rating when they attacked him, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That ranked fourth out of the 70 corners who played at least 50 percent of their teams’ defensive snaps in 2014.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
As the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers jockey to get into Los Angeles, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter links) hears that the NFL could look to put one team in L.A. in 2016 and another in 2017 and delay the opening of new stadium to 2019 so that the second team has sufficient time to market. Meanwhile, if the Raiders are the team that gets squeezed out, some have floated the idea of them relocating to San Diego while the Bolts and Rams to go Inglewood.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
If two teams are to wind up in Los Angeles, it could happen by commissioner Roger Goodell locking Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Chargers owner Dean Spanos in a room and demanding that they work it out, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes. However, if the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders all continue to insist on moving to L.A., then things could get ugly in a hurry. In that scenario, the Rams would push the Inglewood project and the Chargers and Raiders would push their joint venture in Carson in an all-or-nothing vote. These types of NFL decisions require a three-quarters majority (meaning the support of 24 of 32 owners) and it’s generally believed that the Rams and Chargers-Raiders have the requisite nine votes to block the other. If both plans are voted down, that means no one will be moving to Los Angeles for the 2016 season.
Here’s more from around the league..
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC West 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 Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. 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 West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
The Chargers are the latest team to officially announce the roster moves that will get them down to 53 players. The team confirmed a couple of previously-reported veteran cuts, kicker Nick Novak and wideout Austin Pettis, and also announced the trade that sent Jeremiah Sirles to Minnesota for sixth-round selection in the 2016 draft.
Here are the rest of the club’s moves, via a press release:
Waived:
Waived/injured:
Released:
Reserve/suspended:
The Vikings have acquired Jeremiah Sirles from the Chargers via trade, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Chargers will receive a sixth-round pick for the second-year offensive lineman, per the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken (Twitter link).
A 2014 undrafted free agent, Sirles had been working behind D.J. Fluker at right guard this preseason. The 6-foot-6 Sirles, a Nebraska product, started in the Bolts’ Week 17 contest last season for Johnnie Troutman at right guard.
After the Chargers’ signing of Joe Barksdale and heavy interest in moving Fluker to guard, Sirles may receive a better opportunity to play in Minnesota. He played in just 114 snaps last season.
The Vikings lost Phil Loadholt for the season last month and fourth-round rookie T.J. Clemmings is currently manning right tackle. Veteran Michael Harris figures to be the team’s right guard, meaning the 24-year-old Sirles could be set for some swing work in his new home.