Latest On Aldon Smith
At least four NFL teams have interest in signing ex-49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, but everything is in a holding pattern at the moment, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The NFL has yet to make a decision on a possible punishment for Smith and, as a result, teams are wary of signing him. If Smith were to sign with a club and then receive a year-long suspension, that would be a PR embarrassment for both the team and the league.
Smith, 25, was arrested by Santa Clara police on hit and run, DUI, and vandalism charges, though when he was released from jail in August, the outside linebacker disputed the fact that he had been driving under the influence. The incident was the latest in a series of off-field run-ins for Smith, who has had DUI arrests in the past, and missed nearly half the 49ers’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014.
When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, Smith recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team. However, his off-field issues have limited his production since then.
With 44 career sacks, Smith stands as the 49ers’ fifth all-time sack leader, despite only playing four seasons and appearing in only 50 games. His 19.5 sacks in 2012 is tied for 12th all-time in a single season in NFL history, and only three behind Michael Strahan’s record 22.5 in 2001.
NFC Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/15
While many teams filled up their 10-man practice squads on Sunday, plenty of teams didn’t confirm their moves right away, or kept a few spots open on those units. On top of that, at least one club that signed 10 players to its taxi squad on Sunday has already made several changes, bringing in new players and jettisoning players who didn’t even spend 24 hours on the squad.
We’ll have updates on Monday’s NFC practice squad signings and cuts in this space, with teams listed in alphabetical order. When new moves occur, we’ll bump this post back to the top of the page. Here’s a round-up of today’s moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed (link via Josh Weinfuss):
- CB Cariel Brooks
- T Rob Crisp
- LB Gabe Martin
- G Antoine McClain
- WR Jaxon Shipley
- RB Kerwynn Williams
- CB Leon McFadden
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed (press release):
- LB Derek Akunne
- T Pierce Burton
- CB Akeem King
- QB Matt Simms
- LB Tyler Starr
Chicago Bears
- Signed (Twitter links):
- LB Lamin Barrow
- T Nick Becton
- DL Brandon Dunn
- CB Jacoby Glenn
- WR Jalen Saunders
Dallas Cowboys
Signed (Twitter link via Todd Archer):- OT John Wetzel
- S Tim Scott
- LB Dakorey Johnson
- To be signed:
- WR Vince Mayle (Twitter link via Dane Brugler)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed (press release):
- RB John Crockett
- CB Robertson Daniel
- DT Christian Ringo
New Orleans Saints
- Signed (via Evan Woodbery on Twitter):
- TE Blake Annen
- CB Don Jones
New York Giants
- Signed:
- DL Montori Hughes (Twitter link via Zach Braziller)
- TE Will Tye (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed:
- T Tanner Hawkinson (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed:
- DE Robert Thomas (Twitter link via Gregg Bell)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed (press release):
- T Edawn Coughman
- T Terren Jones
- WR Rannell Hall
- TE Cameron Brate
Washington:
- Signed:
- OLB Ryan Delaire (Twitter link via Zac Boyer)
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC 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 Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams 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 NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Brandon Bostick (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky)
- CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Darren Urban)
- DL Lawrence Okoye (Twitter link via Doug Kyed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to practice squad (link via Matt Maiocco):
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- CB Marcus Cromartie
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- DT Kaleb Ramsey
- OLB Marcus Rush
- NT Garrison Smith
- QB Dylan Thompson
- OG Andrew Tiller (Twitter link via Matt Barrows)
- S Jermaine Whitehead (Twitter link via Barrows)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE RaShaun Allen (Twitter link via Bob Condotta)
- CB Justin Coleman (Twitter link via Mike Kaye)
- OL Will Pericak (Twitter link via Condotta)
- LB Eric Pinkins (Twitter link via Condotta)
- T Terry Poole (Twitter link via Condotta)
- CB Kevin Short (Twitter link via Terez Paylor)
- WR Kevin Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- RB Rod Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- WR Kasen Williams (Twitter link via Rob Rang)
St. Louis Rams
- Signed to practice squad:
- T Isaiah Battle (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport)
- RB Malcolm Brown (link)
- S Christian Bryant (link)
- TE Justice Cunningham (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
- S Jacob Hagen (link)
- FB Zach Laskey (link)
- DE Matt Longacre (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- CB Trovon Reed (link)
- DT Louis Trinca-Pasat (Twitter link via Thomas)
- DT Doug Worthington (link)
NFC Notes: Bucs, Byrd, Brooks
After taking a peek at a few AFC notes this morning, let’s have a look at some NFC links in advance of today’s flurry of waiver claims and practice squad news:
- The Buccaneers are first in line to claim players waived by the 31 other teams in the league, and Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times says one position where the Bucs will likely add a player is defensive end. After placing Larry English on injured reserve and cutting backups Lawrence Sidbury and rookie Ryan Delaire, Tampa Bay currently has only three defensive ends on its roster.
- We learned yesterday that Saints safety Jairus Byrd had avoided the regular season PUP list, meaning that he is eligible to play immediately when he is medically ready. As Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune observes, it is still unclear as to exactly when Byrd will be back, but the fact that he is on the 53-man roster indicates that he could be ready to go soon.
- Ahmad Brooks will remain on the 49ers‘ 53-man roster as the league continues to monitor his criminal case, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. Head coach Jim Tomsula said he expects Brooks to play next week’s season opener, and the NFL issued a statement stating that it was not appropriate to place Brooks on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at this time.
- John Keim of ESPN.com takes a closer look at some of the fallout from the Robert Griffin III drama in Washington. Keim notes that not everyone in the organization believes in Kirk Cousins, and Griffin’s biggest fan is team owner Dan Snyder. If Cousins gives Snyder a reason to believe in him, then Griffin may be traded or released. But if Cousins struggles, and there is plenty of reason to believe he will, the possible tension between ownership and the rest of Washington’s brass may be further illuminated.
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com looks at five Washington starting jobs that could change hands this season, including quarterback (obviously), left guard, and strong safety.
- If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Eagles will definitely sign RB Raheem Mostert to their practice squad, according to Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
- The Lions, meanwhile, plan to sign Andrew Peacock to their practice squad today, according to a tweet from Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. Peacock cleared waivers last week.
49ers Acquire Nick Easton From Ravens
8:51pm: Easton’s Ravens-to-49ers exchange is for a conditional seventh-round pick, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter).
11:51am: According to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Baltimore received a conditional draft pick from the Niners for Easton (Twitter link via Zrebiec).
11:20am: The Ravens have traded center Nick Easton to the 49ers, the player’s agent told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan was the first to report (via Twitter) that the two teams were working on a deal involving the undrafted free agent.
The Harvard product had a solid preseason, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun notes (via Twitter). ProFootballFocus.com advanced metrics (subscription required) show that Easton played 155 snaps this preseason. His overall grade was the highest on the entire team, and it also led all centers.
Zrebiec adds that the odds were stacked against the rookie considering the team’s depth, as John Urschel and Ryan Jensen can both play center.
49ers Put Kendall Hunter On IR, Set Roster
Linebacker Ahmad Brooks, facing a sexual battery charge, remains on the 49ers’ roster following the team’s cuts today. As Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets, general manager Trent Baalke issued a statement saying that the club is continuing to let the legal process under the league’s personal conduct policy. According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link), the NFL has announced it has no basis for placing Brooks on the commissioner’s exempt list for now.
After announcing six cuts yesterday and then acquiring center Nick Easton from the Ravens today, the 49ers required 17 roster moves to get down to 53 players. The most notable among those 17 transactions might have been the decision to place running back Kendall Hunter on injured reserve for the second straight year. Here are the rest of the Niners’ moves, via a press release:
Cut:
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- CB Marcus Cromartie
- G/C Dillon Farrell
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- TE Xavier Grimble
- CB Leon McFadden
- LB Nick Moody
- DT Kaleb Ramsey
- OL Justin Renfrow
- DL Marcus Rush
- NT Garrison Smith
- QB Dylan Thompson
- G Andrew Tiller
- S Jermaine Whitehead
Placed on injured reserve:
- TE Rory Anderson
- RB Kendall Hunter
Reserve/suspended:
- WR Jerome Simpson
Additionally, the 49ers made a move with a player who had been removed from their active roster already, reaching an injury settlement with linebacker Desmond Bishop, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Bishop, who had been on San Francisco’s injured reserve list, is now a free agent and is healthy enough to contribute right away if he finds a new team.
49ers Cut Joe Looney, Craig Dahl
The 49ers have informed offensive lineman Joe Looney and safety Craig Dahl that they will be released, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter links). As a vested veteran, Dahl will immediately become a free agent, while Looney will have to pass through waivers. The 49ers have since confirmed the moves.
Looney, who turned 25 on Monday, played 15 games for the Niners last season, starting four games and seeing action at all three interior line positions. He entered the preseason as the favorite to start at center for San Francisco this year, but the club has opted to go in another direction, shifting Marcus Martin from guard to center.
Dahl, meanwhile, started 16 games at safety for the Rams in 2012, but has mostly been a special-teamer since joining the 49ers in 2013. San Francisco has a deep group of safeties that includes Antoine Bethea, Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward, and Jaquiski Tartt, making the veteran Dahl expendable.
Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett and linebacker Philip Wheeler are among the other notable players cut today by the Niners. The team also announced that wide receiver Issac Blakeney and offensive lineman Patrick Miller have been waived, reducing the roster count to 69 players.
49ers Release Philip Wheeler
The 49ers have released linebacker Philip Wheeler, a source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Wheeler was dealing with a hamstring issue for most of camp, but he’s finally healthy and notched two sacks on Thursday night, as Getlin notes (link). Wheeler had a week 1 roster bonus for $130K with the 49ers, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap tweets.
As a veteran with experience, Wheeler could be picked up rather quickly by another team in need of a linebacker. The 30-year-old signed on with San Francisco in late April. Wheeler has spent time with the Colts, Raiders, and Dolphins over the course of his seven-year career and in total, he has played in 108 games (60 starts). For his career, he has registered 455 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2013 with the Dolphins, he led the team with a career-high 118 tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Wheeler as the 18th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set last season, giving him an overall grade of 2.6.
49ers Release Darnell Dockett
After an offseason that saw many notable defensive players depart from San Francisco via free agency, retirement, or as a result of legal issues, another veteran defender is no longer a Niner. This time, however, it appears to have been the team’s decision. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the 49ers have released defensive lineman Darnell Dockett.
Dockett, 34, was sidelined for the entire 2014 campaign due to an ACL tear. In 2013, the former third-round pick started all 16 games for the Cards, logging 46 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, Dockett’s cap number for 2015 was nearly $10MM, which forced the Cards to cut him earlier this year, at which point their NFC West rivals in San Francisco snatched up the three-time Pro Bowler.
In addition to recovering from that ACL tear, Dockett also battled a rib contusion during the preseason, and appears to have become expendable in San Francisco, where the Niners have Tank Carradine, Tony Jerod-Eddie and first-round draft pick Arik Armstead competing for playing time behind the starters.
A $2MM chunk of Dockett’s salary for 2015 was guaranteed, and he also earned a $500K workout bonus, to the 49ers will be on the hook for $2.5MM in dead money. However, by releasing him now, the team avoids paying him a $250K roster bonus, which he would have earned had he been on the Niners’ Week 1 roster.
With Dockett set to hit the open market again, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on the Cardinals to see if his old team is interested in a reunion.
West Notes: Manning, Chancellor, 49ers
Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC West..
- Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said on ESPN that he hopes to play next season, as Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. “I am really enjoying myself.. I feel good and feel I can help and contribute,” Manning said. Manning, 39, had another excellent season for the Broncos in 2014, putting up 4,727 passing yards to go along with 39 touchdown passes. However, he was hampered by injuries late in the season and struggled down the stretch, particularly in the team’s divisional playoff loss to the Colts, in which he totaled just 211 passing yards on 46 attempts.
- Both the Seahawks and Kam Chancellor need to find a way to save face, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and he doesn’t think that it will be hard to do. Chancellor is due to make $4.55MM this year, $5.1MM in 2016, and $6.8MM in 2017, so Florio suggests that the Seahawks could take $1MM from next year and $1MM from 2017 and move it to 2015. Alternatively, the Seahawks could give Chancellor more guaranteed cash in 2016 and/or 2017. At some point, Seattle should stop reworking deals, but Florio doesn’t think that this is the place to draw the line given Chancellor’s importance in the locker room.
- Niners head coach Jim Tomsula said the decision to waive defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye during the first round of cuts to 75 players was made to give him the best opportunity to land with another team this season, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “Just to be frank, Lawrence hasn’t played a lot of football,” Tomsula said. “So for somebody to give him an opportunity in fairness to him, they’re going to want to (see him before the cut to 53 players). So, when you have a guy in that situation, was my thought, that it gives him a better opportunity … What he’s done in three years or two-and-a-half years is remarkable.”