Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- The Chargers announced that they have brought back tight end John Phillips. In a corresponding move, the team waived rookie tackle Tyreek Burwell. The 6-5, 251-pound Phillips spent the previous two seasons with the Bolts, appearing in 31 games with seven starts. Mainly deployed as a versatile and reliable blocker, he’s chipped in with five receptions and one touchdown since signing as a free agent in 2013.
- Outside linebacker Josh Martin (concussion) cleared waivers and reached an injury settlement with the Chiefs rather than staying on their IR, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
- The Jets waived defensive lineman Davon Walls from IR with an injury settlement, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
- The Titans have reached an injury settlement with linebacker J.R. Tavai, which allows Tavai to sign with another team, as Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- The Eagles have signed reserve offensive lineman Dennis Kelly to a one-year extension through 2016, according to a league source who spoke with Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Kelly will earn a $760K base salary with a $30K workout bonus.
- The Seahawks waived running back Robert Turbin off of their IR with an injury settlement, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The 25-year-old Turbin was a fourth-round pick of Seattle in 2012. Since then, he’s amassed 928 yards on 231 carries (4.0 YPC), also adding 43 catches and two receiving touchdowns. Seattle waived Turbin shortly after adding Fred Jackson last week.
- Washington gave wide receiver Evan Spencer (concussion) an injury settlement and released him from injured reserve, Zac Boyer of The Washington Times tweets.
- The following players reached injury settlements with their respective teams, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter): Jerome Smith (Falcons), D.J. Tialavea (Falcons), Josh Martin (Chiefs), Christion Jones (Dolphins), Melvin Meggs (Chargers), Josh Allen (Buccaneers).
- The Seahawks worked out an injury settlement with Triston Wade, Wilson tweets.
Extra Points: Los Angeles, Moeller, Catapano
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..
- The woman who accused Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller of assaulting her said he “tried to strangle me and beat me up” in her 911 call, as Evan MacDonald of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. The woman also said that Moeller might have been drinking that night. Moeller has been suspended indefinetly by the Browns and he may face assault charges based off of these allegations.
- Prior to signing with the Jets‘ taxi squad, defensive end Mike Catapano had workouts scheduled with the Bears, Packers, and Vikings, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The Long Island native was in heavy demand, according to Wilson.
- A federal judge has dismissed the NFL Players Association’s claim that the NFL engaged in illegal collusion to hold down player salaries during the uncapped 2010 season, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. The union had claimed that teams broke labor laws by agreeing to effectively have a cap even though it was an uncapped year, but the judge said that any such claim from the NFLPA was nullified by the fact that both sides signed the 2011 CBA.
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC West
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:
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers:
- C James Ferentz (via press release)
- TE Mitchell Henry (via press release)
- Cut:
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Zaire Anderson (press release)
- C Dillon Day (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- TE Arthur Lynch (Twitter link via Tony Pauline)
- LB Danny Mason (press release)
- CB Taurean Nixon (press release)
- DL Chuka Ndulue (press release)
- WR Jordan Taylor (press release)
- DT George Uko (Twitter link via Wilson)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed:
- OL Jah Reid (link)
- Claimed off waivers:
- TE Brian Parker (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut:
- WR Dezman Moses (Twitter link via Terez Paylor)
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Da’Ron Brown (Twitter link via Wilson)
- OL Daniel Munyer (Twitter link via Paylor)
- T Jarrod Pughsley (link via Paylor)
- WR Fred Williams (link via Paylor)
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers:
- S Keenan Lambert (Twitter link via Vic Tafur)
- Cut:
- CB SaQwan Edwards (Twitter link via Bill Williamson)
- Signed to practice squad:
- QB Garrett Gilbert (Twitter link via Wilson)
- S Tevin McDonald (link via Scott Bair)
- DT Leon Orr (link via Bair)
- DE Max Valles (Twitter link via Bair)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed to practice squad (press release):
- TE Alex Bayer (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
- CB Greg Ducre
- WR Javontee Herndon
- G Michael Huey
- LB Ryan Mueller
- S Adrian Phillips
- QB Brad Sorensen (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken)
- RB Dreamius Smith
- DT Damion Square
Chargers Announce Cuts, Trim Roster To 53
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:
- CB Richard Crawford
- CB Greg Ducre
- WR Javontee Herndon
- G Michael Huey
- S Johnny Lowdermilk
- CB Jordan Mabin
- LB Ryan Mueller
- TE Brian Parker
- S Adrian Phillips
- CB Lowell Rose
- RB Dreamius Smith
- QB Brad Sorensen
- DT Damion Square
- G Kenny Wiggins
Waived/injured:
- LB Chi Chi Ariguzo
- LB Colton Underwood
Released:
- TE John Phillips
Reserve/suspended:
- TE Antonio Gates
- G Craig Watts
Chargers Trade Jeremiah Sirles To Vikings
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.
Chargers Cut Nick Novak
The preseason play of undrafted rookie Josh Lambo brought a changing of the guard in San Diego, with the Chargers deciding to part ways with veteran Nick Novak, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken (on Twitter).
A Texas A&M product, Lambo will provide an edge on kickoffs in possessing a stronger leg than Novak, who is free to sign with any team in being a vested veteran.
Novak, 34, was the Bolts’ kicker the past four seasons. Prior to that, he bounced around the league, playing nonconsecutive stints from 2005-2010.
Novak made 22-of-26 field goals last year and is only two years removed from his best campaign, making 34-of-37 kicks in 2013. He hasn’t missed more than four kicks in a season since his first in San Diego.
Chargers Release Austin Pettis
The Chargers have released receiver Austin Pettis, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
Pettis, whom the Chargers signed to a futures-reserve contract in January, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams after they took him in the third round of the 2011 draft. He posted 107 catches and nine touchdowns in St. Louis, amassing career highs in receptions (38), yards (399) and scores (four) in 2013. He caught 12 passes in five games last year before the Rams released him in October.
AFC Notes: Pats, Iosefa, Levitre, Chargers
Until the NFL’s slate of Week 4 preseason games gets underway tonight, there’s only one story dominating the headlines, and that’s Judge Richard Berman’s decision to vacate Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension today. We’ll have a few more reactions and notes on that decision coming up later this afternoon, in the wake of the NFL’s announcement that it will appeal the ruling.
In the meantime, let’s check in on a few more items from around the AFC, including an additional tidbit on Brady’s Patriots….
- The Patriots are bringing in fullback Joey Iosefa for a visit and a workout today, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Iosefa is the rare draftee who didn’t survive his team’s first round of cuts this week — he was selected in the seventh round by the Buccaneers in May.
- While there’s been some speculation that veteran Titans guard Andy Levitre is on the verge of losing his roster spot in Tennessee, it sounds like the team will keep him as a backup, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Levitre will earn a base salary of $6.5MM this season and will have a cap hit of $8.6MM. Those figures remain the same in 2016 and 2017, so he’ll be a release candidate going forward.
- Rooke kicker Josh Lambo has shown he deserves to be on every general manager’s emergency short list, but Nick Novak is the clear choice for the Chargers‘ job as the team makes its cuts to 53 players, writes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Rams/Chargers To Join Forces On L.A. Stadium?
A pairing of the Rams and Chargers in Inglewood, Calif. is gaining momentum among NFL owners who fear that the Raiders don’t have the cash to make the move work, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. At this time, the Rams are on board with that plan but the Bolts are reluctant since there isn’t “a lot of trust” between the two teams at this time (link).
Long-term, Cole wonders aloud (link) if the Raiders’ financial situation could force Mark Davis to sell the team to someone with deeper pockets. He also hears that NFL owners and executives are kicking around the idea of moving the Jaguars to St. Louis to replace the Rams if they head west (link). Nothing is certain at this time, but it sounds like there could be a serious domino effect stemming from the NFL’s venture into the Los Angeles market.
Meanwhile, Floyd Kephart, the man trying to redevelop the Oakland Coliseum complex and finance construction of a new stadium for the Raiders, has been pitching his plan to the team for several months. As it turns out, that proposal didn’t jive with the team’s “terms and conditions” for deal and is a non-starter for the Raiders, Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group writes. In short, the Raiders made it clear to Kephart that they needed to control stadium revenues to help pay for the team’s $500MM contribution toward the stadium, including a $200MM stadium loan from the NFL. Kephart’s proposal, meanwhile, would have had the financial shortfall filled primarily through issuing bonds backed by future stadium revenue.