NFL Workout Updates: 9/8/17
Today’s NFL workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Atlanta Falcons
- QBs Garrett Grayson and Mitch Leidner (link)
Carolina Panthers
- T Korren Kirven (link)
Detroit Lions
- QB Joel Stave; WR Malachi Dupre; OTs Landon Lechler and Givens Price; DT Taylor Harris; S James Sample (Twitter links)
Green Bay Packers
- G Darrell Greene; OTs Cornelius Lucas and Jeremiah Poutasi; DE Jhaustin Thomas (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Kenjon Barner (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- DB Akeem King (link)
New England Patriots
- WR Gabe Marks; TE Ryan O’Malley (Twitter links via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Jets
- RB Cyrus Gray; TE Nick Truesdell; C Erik Austell; G Brandon Thomas; WRs K.J. Brent, Bug Howard, and Domonique Young; TE Robert Tonyan; DE Tyrone Holmes; DT Caraun Reid; LB Vontarrius Dora; CBs Elie Bouka, Jarnor Jones, Damian Swann, and Robert Nelson; S Trey Caldwell and K.J. Dillon (Twitter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Philadelphia Eagles
- DBs De’Vante Bausby, Elie Bouka, Trey Caldwell, and Jarnor Jones (link)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DE Jonathan Woodard; CBs Chris Humes and Sammy Seamster (link)
Tennessee Titans
- DB JaCorey Shepherd (link)
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/8/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Scooby Wright
- Released: LB Philip Wheeler
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR: RB Ka’Deem Carey, QB Connor Shaw
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, DB Kai Nacua
Detroit Lions
- Released from IR: WR Dez Stewart
Houston Texans
- Released from IR: TE Rashaun Allen, S Lonnie Ballentine, CB Denzel Rice, DB Malik Smith
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Josh Walker
New England Patriots
- Released from IR: DT Josh Augusta, WR Devin Lucien
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Bryce Harris
- Waived: RB Daniel Lasco
- Released from IR: TE John Phillips
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: DT Rodney Coe
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released from IR: QB Sefo Liufau
Washington Redskins
- Released from IR: TE E.J. Bibbs, LB Ron Thompson Jr., LB Lynden Trail
Workout Notes: Patriots, Jets, Bills
The Patriots auditioned some players of note this week, including linebacker Akeem Ayers, quarterback Thad Lewis, and wide receiver Jeremy Ross (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com).
Ayers has some history with New England after playing on their 2014 Super Bowl championship team. Last year, Ayers appeared in all 16 games for Indianapolis and recorded two sacks.
Linebackers Nicholas Grigsby and Antwione Williams also showed their stuff for the Pats.
Here’s a look at Wednesday’s other workouts from around the NFL:
- The Jets worked out former Maryland cornerback Alvin Hill, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Canadian defensive tackle Stefan Charles worked out for the Giants on Tuesday, John Kryk of The Toronto Sun tweets.
- The Cardinals worked out wide receivers Donteea Dye, Cobi Hamilton, and Rashad Ross, as Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com tweets.
- The Bills auditioned defensive backs Ironhead Gallon, Lee Hightower, Rickey Jefferson, Marcus McWilson, Orion Stewart, and Jack Tocho, linebackers Kenneth Olugbode, defensive tackle Marcus Hardison, running back Connor Harris, and tackle De’Ondre Wesley, according to Balzer (via Twitter links).
- The Buccaneers auditioned quarterback Trevor Knight, wide receivers C.J. Board and Jake Lampman, and tackles Justin Murray and Avery Young, Balzer tweets.
- The Packers took a look at running back Jacob Huesman, Balzer tweets.
- The Colts auditioned linebacker Travis Feeney and defensive backs Jordan Moore, Taurean Nixon, Ezra Robinson, and Deron Washington, Balzer tweets.
- The Giants auditioned defensive backs B.W. Webb Brandon Dixon, and Jeremiah McKinnon, Balzer tweets.
T.J. Ward Bucs Contract Details Surface
- The one NFC franchise that won’t play this weekend has a new safety that now has an extra week to acclimate to Mike Smith‘s system, and details of T.J. Ward‘s contract continue to emerge. Ward will earn $3MM guaranteed on his one-year deal with the Buccaneers, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. The veteran safety’s contract has a base value of $3.875MM, and offers the chance for an extra $1MM via incentives. Ward, of course, signed with Tampa Bay less than 24 hours after being released by Denver, a move that led the Buccaneers to trade fellow defensive back J.J. Wilcox to the Steelers.
Dolphins-Bucs Week 1 Game Postponed
The NFL postponed the Dolphins–Buccaneers‘ Week 1 game until Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma (Twitter link). Both teams had byes that week, making this rare postponement easier. Both south Florida teams will now play 16 straight games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/5/17
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jordan Tripp
- Placed on IR: LaRoy Reynolds
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR: S Chris Prosinski
Detroit Lions
- Released from IR: DB Tramain Jacobs
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Marcus Burley
- Released from IR: WR Wendall Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: LB Nick Dzubnar
Los Angeles Rams
- Released from IR: WR Nelson Spruce
New England Patriots
- Released from IR: DE Corey Vereen
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Bryce Harris
New York Giants
- Released from IR: S Duke Ihenacho, S Mykkele Thompson
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Neal Sterling
- Waived: FB Julian Howsare
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: S Erik Harris, LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
- Placed on IR: OL Denver Kirkland, S Obi Melifonwu
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DE Alex McCalister, S Tre Sullivan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL Will Clarke, LS Garrison Sanborn
- Placed on IR: QB Ryan Griffin
- Waived: DL Channing Ward
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- The Browns claimed offensive lineman Zach Banner off waivers from the Colts, who cut him despite drafting him in the fourth round this year. Cleveland made room for Banner by placing offensive lineman Rod Johnson on IR. Additionally, the Browns continued their busy offseason regarding secondary turnover by releasing former safety starter Ed Reynolds from IR.
- The Steelers re-signed linebacker Steven Johnson and waived safety Jordan Dangerfield with an injury designation. Johnson initially saw his name appear on Pittsburgh’s cut list Saturday, but the backup will return. Pittsburgh also placed cornerback Cameron Sutton, a rookie third-rounder, on IR.
- Jacquies Smith will move from the PUP list back to the Buccaneers‘ 53-man roster. The team reinstated the defensive end on Monday. A fourth-year player, Smith is expected to be a rotational player in Tampa Bay this season.
- The Dolphins re-signed tackle Sam Young. Miami cut the offensive lineman on Saturday but will keep him around for now. Miami guaranteed Young’s salary, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets, signing Young this week instead of next because an unspecified team wanted him. This will mark Young’s eighth NFL season. The Dolphins signed him to an extension in December.
- Quarterback Jeff Driskel will land on the Bengals‘ IR list. The former 49ers sixth-rounder has yet to play in a game.
- A starter in three games last season, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin landed on the Jets‘ IR Monday. To replace the third-year player, Gang Green re-signed linebacker Bruce Carter. Now a seventh-year veteran, Carter played a depth role with the Jets last season.
- Wide receiver Chris Matthews re-signed with the Ravens, who made room on their 53-man roster by placing cornerback Maurice Canady on IR.
- The Falcons released defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, who resides on the Commissioner’s Exempt list as a result of misdemeanor charges from 2016. While Hageman is on that list, the Falcons will not have to pay Hageman.
- The Chargers claimed linebacker Hayes Pullard off waivers from the Jaguars. A former Browns seventh-rounder in 2015, Pullard started two games for the 2015 Jags and played in all 16 Jacksonville contests last season.
- Jelani Jenkins was expected to start for the Raiders, but the former Dolphins linebacker found himself on the team’s cut list Saturday. The Raiders, though, reached an injury settlement with the fifth-year linebacker, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (on Twitter). Jenkins suffered a groin injury during the preseason. Oakland also reached an injury settlement with Jaydon Mickens, per Gehlken, who adds Mickens suffered an ankle injury.
- The Seahawks waived cornerback Demetrius McCray with an injury settlement, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets.
- The Redskins reached an injury settlement with center Ronald Patrick, waiving the interior blocker from IR as a result.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South 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 Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. 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 South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to practice squad:
- DB Marcelis Branch
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- WR Deante Burton
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Marvin Hall
- DE J’Terius Jones
- TE Joshua Perkins
- RB Jhurell Pressley
- DT Taniela Tupou
- DT Joe Vellano
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed:
- DB Demetrious Cox
- QB Brad Kaaya (story)
- Waived:
- FB Alex Armah
- Placed on IR:
- CB Corn Elder
- Signed to practice squad:
- QB Garrett Gilbert
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- WR Mose Frazier
- OT Blaine Clausell
- DE Bryan Cox Jr.
- DE Zach Moore
- DE Efe Obada
- DT Eric Crume
- S Damian Parms
- S Dezmen Southward
New Orleans Saints
- Claimed:
- WR Austin Carr (story)
- QB Taysom Hill (story)
- Cut:
- FB John Kuhn (story)
- DE Darryl Tapp
- Signed to practice squad:
- DL Alex Jenkins
- OL Landon Turner
- WR Max McCaffrey
- OL Kristjan Sokoli
- TE Garrett Griffin
- LB Adam Bighill
- OL John Fullington
- CB Arthur Maulet
- C Cameron Tom
- WR Travin Dural
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Sterling Bailey
- LB Riley Bullough
- RB Russell Hansbrough
- FB Austin Johnson
- S Isaiah Johnson
- G Michael Liedtke
- T Marquis Lucas
- WR Freddie Martino
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Bobo Wilson
Steelers Acquire DB J.J. Wilcox
The Steelers have acquired safety J.J. Wilcox from the Buccaneers, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Pittsburgh will receive Wilcox and a 2019 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2018 sixth-round pick, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Tampa Bay had just signed Wilcox to a two-year deal this spring, but given that it inked T.J. Ward earlier today, the club no longer need Wilcox around for depth. The Buccaneers won’t take on any dead money by trading Wilcox because they didn’t employ a signing bonus on his contract.
The Steelers had also been mentioned as a potential destination for Ward, but they’ve instead picked up the 26-year-old Wilcox, who boasts 58 career games (38 starts). Wilcox will earn $3.25MM in 2017 and serve as depth behind Pittsburgh starting safeties Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis.
Buccaneers To Sign T.J. Ward
The Buccaneers will sign the newly-released T.J. Ward, as James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. It’s a one-year, $4MM deal that includes a maximum value of $5MM, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Ward started 41 games over three seasons in Denver after inking a four-year deal with the club prior to the 2014 season. Last season, he made 14 appearances, totaling one interception and one sack while ranking as the NFL’s No. 48 safety, per Pro Football Focus. Ward’s 75.9 grade was the worst mark of his career, and the Broncos felt it was better to move on and get a little salary cap relief in the process.
Per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Ward drew interest from seven teams and had serious talks with three. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Steelers had some degree of interest, but they were not serious contenders for his services.
Tampa Bay has already done a fair amount of tinkering at the safety position this offseason. The Bucs re-signed Chris Conte, signed free agent J.J. Wilcox from the Cowboys, and drafted Justin Evans in the second round. But signing Ward will help solidify the defensive backfield, and as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes, Ward will push either Conte or Keith Tandy to the bench, and Wilcox and Evans will see their potential playing time take a hit as a result.
John Spytek, the Bucs’ director of player personnel and GM Jason Licht‘s right-hand man, was Cleveland’s director of college scouting when the Browns drafted Ward in 2010, and he spent two years as a scout with the Broncos when Ward played in Denver. That connection almost certainly played a role in Ward’s decision, along with the fact that Tampa Bay is a potential playoff team.