NFC Notes: Peterson, Osgood, Fairley, Rams
A day after Adrian Peterson‘s trial date for his child abuse charges was set for December 1, the Vikings running back is potentially facing another arrest today, according to Isiah Carey of FOX 26 Houston. Carey reports that Montgomery County prosecutors filed paperwork to have Peterson rearrested after he admitted to smoking “a little weed,” in violation of his bond conditions. There won’t be any action immediately since the judge presiding over Peterson’s case is facing a recusal hearing, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow, but the Montgomery County DA has asked the judge to set aside Peterson’s $15K bond.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Kassim Osgood was cut this week by the 49ers just days after head coach Jim Harbaugh called him the team’s best special teams player, and Harbaugh said today that he hopes to get Osgood back on the 53-man roster “imminently,” according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).
- The Lions say they declined Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option for 2015 to motivate him to have a big contract year, and so far that approach seems to be working, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Of course, it’s fair to wonder if Fairley would have been more productive and more consistent anyway, and question whether the Lions should have given up the flexibility to bring him back in 2015 at an affordable one-year price.
- As he nears free agency, Falcons running back Antone Smith is increasing his value every time he touches the ball, says ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure.
- Passing along news that Rams owner Stan Kroenke figures to be granted an extra year to transfer ownership of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and NBA’s Denver Nuggets, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post suggests there’s speculation that Kroenke will push for a permanent exemption from the NFL’s cross-ownership rule if he tries to move the Rams to Los Angeles. Currently, league rules prohibit ownership of teams in other sports that are in different markets than the owner’s NFL franchise.
49ers Sign Bubba Ventrone
WEDNESDAY, 11:13am: The Niners have cut wideout and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to make room for Ventrone, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. It’s the third time in the last six weeks that Osgood has been released by San Francisco, but it may not be long before he returns to the team.
TUESDAY, 6:23pm: The 49ers have signed safety Bubba Ventrone, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Ventrone was cut by San Francisco on August 30th as a part of their downsizing to a 53-man roster.
The Villanova product appeared in 16 games for the 49ers last season, primarily on special teams. Across seven NFL seasons, Ventrone has 61 career tackles, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. At 5’10” and 200 pounds, Ventrone isn’t the biggest guy on the field, but he has been widely praised for his toughness and work ethic. The 49ers’ punt-coverage team is giving up an average of 14.8 yards on punt returns, so someone like Ventrone is sorely needed in SF.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
With practices resuming following the weekend’s games, and teams having a better of idea of how serious its players’ injuries are, Tuesdays are often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as clubs replenish their rosters and swap in players at potential positions of need. As such, we expect to update this post plenty of times throughout the day, with the latest news of practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. Here’s the latest:
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano, who was waived by the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to stay with New England on its practice squad, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Vellano is the beneficiary of the new practice squad rules that allow a second-year player to be eligible despite playing in 16 games in 2013.
- Defensive back Chandler Fenner and wide receiver Julian Talley, both waived by the Giants yesterday, have been re-signed to the practice squad, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- The Eagles re-signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn to their practice squad, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
- The Packers signed Joe Kruger, the brother of Paul Kruger, to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Former Ravens defensive tackle A.J. Pataiali’i has been added to the Browns’ taxi squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- As noted below, cornerback Mike Harris has signed with the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing fellow defensive back Josh Victorian, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- The Jets have released cornerback LeQuan Lewis from their practice squad, signing another cornerback – Dashaun Phillips – in his place, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- One wide receiver has replaced another on the Cowboys‘ practice squad, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as Tim Benford has been cut and LaRon Byrd has been signed.
- The Rams are down to nine players on their practice squad, having cut wide receiver Justin Veltung today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Lions have signed defensive back Mike Harris to their taxi squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Detroit had a full 10-man unit, so a corresponding cut will be necessary to finalize the move.
- Offensive tackle Ryan Miller has been cut from the Broncos‘ practice squad, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- The Browns have cut long snapper Charley Hughlett from their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Hughlett was brought in to provide competition for the team’s regular long snapper, Christian Yount, but Cleveland has opted to continue on with Yount.
- The 49ers have swapped one offensive lineman for another on their practice squad, cutting tackle John Fullington in order to bring aboard guard Andrew Tiller, according to the club.
- Guard William Campbell and defensive tackle Jeremy Towns are the newest members of the Bills‘ practice squad, replacing fullback Lonnie Pryor and tight end Jamie Childers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Three days after cutting him from their active roster, the Jaguars have re-signed tight end Mickey Shuler to their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the squad, wide receiver Kerry Taylor has been cut.
- Last week’s promotion of quarterback Chandler Harnish to the active roster suggested the Vikings were more confident in him than McLeod Bethel-Thompson in an emergency scenario, and the team’s moves today reflected that as well. The Vikes announced in a press release that Bethel-Thompson has been let go from the practice squad, with Harnish, wideout Donte Foster, and defensive back Pierre Warren joining the unit.
- To keep tabs on all 32 practice squad rosters, be sure to check out our complete list.
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Harbaugh, Rams
Here’s the latest from the NFC West as the Seahawks get set to take on Washington..
- Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians says that if a quarterback is added, he wants someone familiar with his offense and protection schemes, writes Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (via Twitter). We learned earlier today that Arizona is holding off on possibly going out-of-house for a quarterback since Drew Stanton and Carson Palmer could technically be cleared for this week.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh says that he had a “good talk” with CEO Jed York this morning about the public speculation on his job security, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Meanwhile, Harbaugh asked the media not to ask his players about him or how well he is supported, saying that it’s not the responsibility of his players to go to bat for him.
- Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said the team will work out several linebackers on Tuesday, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Fisher also noted that practice squad LB Denicos Allen is under consideration for promotion.
NFC Notes: Lions, Harbaugh, Cards, Eagles
After cutting Alex Henery, the Lions are in the market for a new kicker (again) and there aren’t a ton of options out there outside of Jay Feely and Matt Prater, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Other available names include Giorgio Tavecchio, Derek Dimke, and 38-year-old Neil Rackers, while Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) mentions veterans Connor Barth, Rian Lindell, and Garrett Hartley as other possibilities.
With Feely, Prater, and Barth all set to audition for Detroit on Tuesday, let’s round up a few more notes on the Lions’ kicking options, as well as other updates from around the NFC:
- As Feely prepares to try out for the Lions, he’s helped by the fact that punter Sam Martin handles kickoffs for Detroit, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Martin is one of a few punters to handle kickoff duty in the NFL and that means Feely will only be needed for his strength: Nailing field goals.
- Some Lions fans have wondered aloud if Jason Hanson would entertain the idea of coming out of retirement, but Hanson’s agent tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that his client is done playing football.
- As reports of tension between 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and his players continue to pile up, many in the locker room came to his defense after yesterday’s 22-17 win over the Chiefs, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “There’s really been no drama. It’s all been created by you guys (media), something to talk about. We seriously don’t think about that, talk about that, give that any thought. . . . We don’t care,” said left tackle Joe Staley. Kicker Phil Dawson and quarterback Colin Kaepernick also showed their support for Harbaugh.
- 49ers CEO Jed York issued yet another denial of reports that Harbaugh will be out of a job even if the team wins the Super Bowl this year. “It’s categorically not true,” York told DIRECTV’s Rich Eisen, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. York acknowledged that Harbaugh can sometimes rub people the wrong way, but also said that the coach and GM Trent Baalke “work fairly well together.”
- Cardinals general manager Steve Keim says that he won’t be adding another quarterback yet, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. In theory, both Drew Stanton and Carson Palmer could be ready for the Redskins this week. The team will determine the status of both in the next day or two and go from there.
- The Eagles emphasized upgrading special teams in the offseason and yesterday was proof they accomplished that, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Eagles’ first score on Sunday came on a blocked punt and they have four special-teams touchdowns this season, including one in each of the last three games.
NFC Notes: Harbaugh, Orton, Palmer, Johnson
Amid numerous reports of discontent in the 49ers locker room stemming from head coach Jim Harbaugh’s management style, the team’s owner has taken to social media to dispute the claims. “Jim is my coach,” said Jed York on Twitter. “We are trying to win a [Super Bowl], not a personality or popularity contest. Any more questions?” Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported earlier today that there is “no way” Harbaugh returns to San Francisco in 2015, even if the team wins the Super Bowl. Until Harbaugh agrees to a contract extension, York & Co. will be forced to continue to respond to queries on their coach’s status. Let’s look at more from the NFC.
- Among the reasons that new Bills starter Kyle Orton left the Cowboys was that his relationship with Tony Romo was “untenable,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Around the League). Ed Werder of ESPN reported (via Twitter) much of the same last week, noting that Orton “hated the offensive power struggle.”
- Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, out since Week 1, has been working with a nerve specialist and has shown some improvement, per Glazer (on Twitter). Arizona is hopeful Palmer can return to the field by Week 6 or 7.
- Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson was arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct last night, tweets James Monical of KSTP in Minneapolis.
Coaching Notes: Harbaugh, Raiders, Holmgren
Jim Harbaugh‘s pursuit of a future Hall of Famer didn’t sit well with some of his players. The 49ers attempt to sign Peyton Manning in 2012 (and their subsequent dishonestly with then-quarterback Alex Smith) led to Harbaugh “losing” some of his players, team sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
When Smith specifically asked his former coach about the team’s interest in Manning, Harbaugh was reportedly dishonest about the team’s intent. As the source told Schefter, “that was the first big sign to the players that they couldn’t trust Jim.”
Last week, NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said that 49ers players “want [Harbaugh] out. They’re not on the same page.” Harbaugh responded, saying “that’s a bunch of crap.”
It’s uncertain who to believe right now, but one thing can be assured… this storyline will not be going away anytime soon.
Let’s check out some more notes pertaining to Harbaugh and potential coaching vacancies…
- Appearing on Fox’s NFL pregame, reporter Jay Glazer said there is “no way” Harbaugh will be back with the 49ers next season (video link via TheBigLead.com).
- ESPN reports that a potential Harbaugh destination could be The University of Kansas (via Twitter of New York Post’s Bart Hubbuch).
- NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said Harbaugh is a “name to watch” in regards to the Raiders opening (via Twitter).
- Speaking of the Raiders, ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio reports that Mike Holmgren‘s name has quietly been emerging as a contender for the eventual opening (assuming Tony Sparano‘s “interim” tag is sincere). The connection makes plenty of sense; Holmgren and Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie previously worked together with the Packers. To add additional fuel to the fire, multiple sources tell PFT that Holmgren was actually spotted visiting the Raiders’ facilities earlier this week.
NFC Links: Harbaugh, Donnell, Prater, Eagles
The 49ers have a very volatile situation on their hands, as tensions between management and head coach Jim Harbaugh are only outmatched by those between the coach and his players. Much has been made about this ongoing situation, but the team was still playing at a high level last week. Their defense suffocated the Eagles’ offense, and the team still looks like a Super Bowl contender despite currently sitting at third in the NFC West.
Seth Wickersham of ESPN profiled Harbaugh, writing that he thrives in chaos and that it doesn’t matter what the atmosphere is in the locker room. His competitiveness could be enough and overcome the tensions and the 49ers could be looking at another deep playoff run.
Here are some more links from around the NFC:
- The Harbaugh situation is also the focus of Matt Maiocco’s mailbag for CSNBayArea.com. He also addressed the injury situation of Marcus Lattimore, noting that he is eligible to return to the 49ers after week six, but will likely only see playing time if there is an injury to either Carlos Hyde or Frank Gore.
- Giants‘ tight end Larry Donnell has been one of the great breakout stars of the first quarter of the NFL season, but he will not go unnoticed any more, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- The Lions signed former Eagles’ kicker Alex Henery to replace Nate Freese, but Kyle Meinke of MLive.com points out that Matt Prater‘s recent release could change things. Meinke believes if Henery shows any reason to be worried about him, the Lions could be aggressive in their pursuit of Prater next week.
- Even though it is only the beginning of October, Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com has already pointed out five college prospects who the Eagles could target in the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago.
Extra Points: Harbaugh, Falcons, London
We were due for a close Thursday night game, right? So much for that. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL as Packers fans relish tonight’s blowout..
- Deion Sanders remains steadfast in his assertion that 49ers players want Jim Harbaugh out, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “I have sources that wear football uniforms, coats, suits and ties,” Sanders said. “This is real. You’re talking about Trent Baalke. We know there is a rift between he and Harbaugh. We all know..that has trickled down into the locker room. Not only are my sources correct, I checked (with) three insiders from different networks and it’s 100 percent. You can shoot the messenger but the message is real.” For his part, Harbaugh shrugged off Sanders’ comments earlier this week.
- After the Falcons were forced to use a tight end at right tackle last week when three of their offensive linemen went down with injuries, head coach Mike Smith suggested this week that the league’s competition committee could look at increasing the size of active gameday rosters in future seasons. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution has the details.
- In a lengthy and interesting piece for The MMQB.com, Jenny Vrentas examines the possibility of the NFL eventually establishing a franchise in London, addressing potential roadblocks and discussing how it could work.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC North Notes: Rice, Browns, Thompson
When Terrell Suggs lifted himself off of Cam Newton on the final play of the Panthers’ first drive last Sunday, he thought sack-less streak was over. However, the Ravens linebacker learned later that he only got credited for a half sack, sharing it with fellow outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil. “I’m definitely fighting the NFL on that,” Suggs said laughing, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. “I’m definitely sending [the tape] in.” More from the AFC North..
- The NFLPA announced that former United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones has been appointed by commissioner Roger Goodell to hear and decide the appeal filed on behalf of Ravens running back Ray Rice. “We are grateful to Judge Jones for taking on this role,” said commissioner Goodell. “She will have our full cooperation as she hears and decides this appeal.”
- It’s too early to say that Browns first-year defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil is “under fire,” but his side of the ball has underperformed through three games this season, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Reporters asked O’Neil about a number of the Browns’ issues today, from Joe Haden‘s early struggles to whether Barkevious Mingo has fallen short of his expectations as a pass rusher.
- Wideout Deonte Thompson is currently earning a weekly salary of $17K on the Ravens‘ practice squad, well above the standard rate of $6.3K, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. As Brian McIntyre notes (Twitter links), several other practice squad players are also earning above the minimum rate, including Browns guard Ryan Seymour ($10K), Vikings fullback Zach Line ($10K), Seahawks receiver Phil Bates ($7.3K), and 49ers cornerback Leon McFadden ($6.5K).