NFC Notes: Antone Smith, Gore, Bucs
No running back in the NFL is scoring long touchdowns more frequently this season than Antone Smith of the Falcons, and team owner Arthur Blank has taken notice, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
“It’s incredible to see his performance,” Blank said. “And it’s actually really interesting because I really hadn’t paid a lot of attention to it, but he’s been to several other clubs in the NFL. You really wonder what it is in a player’s career that at a certain point in time, they blossom and they just trigger and go. And he’s obviously doing that now.”
While Smith has had several stops throughout his NFL career, Blank is hoping that the veteran running back won’t be moving onto a new team next season. Asked if he’d like to see Smith wearing a Falcons uniform beyond this season, the owner replied, “Absolutely. I have no reason to not want that, for sure.”
Here are a few more Thursday items from out of the NFC:
- Responding to a report that suggested the 49ers informed him this past offseason that his roster spot was in jeopardy, running back Frank Gore said that didn’t happen, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. Still, Gore isn’t sure if the Niners will try to re-sign him after the season, though he hopes to continue playing in San Francisco.
- Buccaneers director of player development Isaiah Harris was arrested this morning on a misdemeanor DUI, and the team didn’t waste much time in letting him go. In a statement explaining the decision, Bucs GM Jason Licht indicated that “this type of incident, particularly for someone whose primary responsibilities are to mentor and develop our players off the field, cannot be tolerated.”
- While defensive coordinator Dan Quinn‘s name comes up in any discussion about potential head coaching candidates, the Seahawks‘ coordinator on the other side of the ball, Darrell Bevell, have faced criticism for the offense’s recent performance. As Terry Blount of ESPN.com details, Bevell responded to his critics this week, acknowledging that he needs to find a way to get the ball to Marshawn Lynch and Percy Harvin more often.
South Notes: Gruden, Titans, Saints, Bucs
Before Jay Gruden signed on to coach the Redskins, he had a very positive interview with the Titans, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “It was a good visit,” Gruden said. “I was very interested in the job, but Washington called me I guess the night after the interview and had me fly up here and they offered me the job right away.” Gruden says he was never offered the Tennessee job and soon after, the Titans hired Ken Whisenhunt as their head coach.
Here’s more from out of the league’s two South divisions:
- Titans tight end Craig Stevens underwent surgery today to repair a torn quadriceps tendon, and will be sidelined for the season, writes Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com.
- The Saints‘ reasons for releasing fourth-round linebacker Khairi Fortt were never made entirely clear, and head coach Sean Payton declined to elaborate today on the team’s thinking, indicating that the move was in the club’s best interest, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Fortt was claimed off waivers by the Bengals and has since been cut by Cincinnati as well.
- The Buccaneers, who signed corner Isaiah Frey earlier today, are clearly toying with their nickel back spot, tweets Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune. Keith Tandy worked in that role last week and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has said that the team needs better play out of that position.
- The Buccaneers likely re-signed Lonnie Pryor to their practice squad in anticipation of Jorvorskie Lane‘s suspension, Cummings tweets.
- Bears cornerback Charles Tillman told Robert Klemko of The MMQB that he “maybe” has two years left in the tank. Tillman also says that divine intervention led him to sign with Chicago this offseason rather than join Lovie Smith with the Buccaneers.
- In an investigative piece for ESPN The Magazine, Shaun Assael takes a look at the addiction issues battled by Colts owner Jim Irsay.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Bucs Sign Isaiah Frey
The Buccaneers announced that they have signed cornerback Isaiah Frey to the 53-man roster. A spot on the roster became available today when fullback Jorvorskie Lane was handed a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances.
Frey was drafted by the Bears in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Lovie Smith‘s final year as head coach in Chicago. In 2013, he played nickel back for the Bears, appearing in all 16 games and making six starts. In that time, he racked up 47 tackles, a pass deflecton, and two quarterback hits.
As for Lane, his suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to return to Tampa Bay’s active roster on Monday, November 3rd following the team’s November 2 game against the Browns.
Workout Notes: Bengals, Titans, Giants
The Bengals signed one former Raider earlier today, reportedly adding wideout Greg Little to their roster. And according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), Cincinnati recently took a look at another ex-Raider as well, working out free agent quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Here are a few more notes on workouts, visits, and auditions from around the NFL:
- With Michael Roos out for the season, the Titans are working out veteran offensive lineman Winston Justice, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (Twitter link). Since entering the league as a second-round draft pick in 2006, Justice has had some injury problems and provided inconsistent production, but he has also logged 43 starts, primarily at right tackle.
- As the Giants try to determine how to plug the hole left by Victor Cruz‘s season-ending patella tendon tear, the team is working out free agent wideout Kevin Ogletree, says Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link). Ogletree had his best season in 2012 for one of the Giants’ divisional rivals, when he grabbed 32 balls and four touchdowns for the Cowboys.
- Cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks, who was drafted in the seventh round in May by the Bengals and was subsequently cut by the team, visited the Jaguars this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- Josh Thomas was the first cornerback to sign with the Jets in the wake of Dee Milliner‘s season-ending injury, but the team has considered other options as well. Wilson tweets that Drayton Florence, Jacob Lacey, and R.J. Stanford all auditioned for the club.
- In addition to considering Justin Jones, whose workout with the team was previously reported, the Dolphins are also taking a look at tight end Jamie Childers, writes Wilson for the National Football Post.
- Wilson also reports (Twitter links) that several players visited and/or worked out for the Buccaneers this week. That list includes fullback Lonnie Pryor, defensive end George Uko, and defensive backs Brandon Burton, Richard Crawford, Isaiah Frey, and Trevin Wade.
Practice Squad Notes: Wednesday
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here..
- The Patriots announced that they re-signed offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann to the practice squad while releasing fellow lineman Chris Martin. The 23-year-old Hauptmann was let go just last week.
- With their top quarterbacks healthy once again, the Cardinals released QB Dennis Dixon from the taxi squad, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Buccaneers are releasing running back Jeff Demps from their practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The former Olympic sprinter is still looking to find his place in the NFL after spending time in Tampa Bay and New England. The Bucs acquired Demps from the Pats in April of last year along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for LeGarrette Blount.
PUP, IR-DTR Players Soon Eligible To Practice
Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Rams, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many of those clubs may be welcoming some players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to practice.
Of course, just because those players are able to return to the practice field doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player on the PUP list could theoretically return for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest. If the player doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, he’ll revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform list who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: NaVorro Bowman (LB), Garrett Celek (TE), Kaleb Ramsey (DT)
- Chargers: Jeromey Clary (OL)
- Colts: Stanley Havili (FB)
- Falcons: Drew Davis (WR), Zeke Motta (S)
- Jets: Antwan Barnes (LB)
- Lions: T.J. Jones (WR)
- Panthers: De’Andre Presley (WR)
- Raiders: D.J. Hayden (CB)
- Ravens: Terrence Cody (DT)
- Redskins: Stephen Bowen (DE), Leonard Hankerson (WR)
- Saints: Cheta Ozougwu (OLB)
Players who began the season on the PUP list didn’t participate in any preseason practices, but that’s not the case for players on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.
That means that players who were placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing next week. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after – for instance – Week 2 will have to wait another two weeks to return to practice.
Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: Glenn Dorsey (DT)
- Bears: Marquess Wilson (WR)
- Buccaneers: Charles Sims (RB)
- Chiefs: Joe Mays (LB)
- Colts: Xavier Nixon (T)
- Cowboys: Demarcus Lawrence (DE)
- Giants: Geoff Schwartz (G)
- Lions: Kyle Van Noy (LB)
- Packers: J.C. Tretter (C)
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
We’ll keep tabs on today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- After the Seahawks plucked offensive lineman Patrick Lewis from their taxi squad, the Browns replaced him with fellow tackle Braxston Cave, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
- The Bears re-signed defensive end David Bass to their practice squad, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Bass was dropped yesterday to make room for cornerback Al Louis-Jean‘s promotion.
- A day after cutting tight end Phillip Supernaw to claim Ryan Taylor off waivers, the Ravens have re-signed Supernaw to their practice squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Baltimore will have to cut a player from its squad in order to make the move official.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden has taken the 10th and final spot on the Rams‘ practice squad, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Chargers have signed former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester to their practice squad, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Safety Adrian Phillips has also joined the unit, replacing injured running back D.J. Adams, says Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- In addition to confirming the signing of defensive lineman Joe Vellano to their practice squad, which was reported yesterday, the Patriots have also announced the addition of offensive lineman Chris Martin and the release of fellow offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann.
- While the Broncos expect to be fine on Sunday with the running backs on their current 53-man roster, the team has added Jeremy Stewart to its practice squad “just in case,” tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Buccaneers have replaced tight end Taylor Sloat on their practice squad with wideout Eric Page, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
- Using the 10th and final opening on their taxi squad, the Bengals have added interior offensive lineman Jeff Baca, head coach Marvin Lewis told reporters today (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
- The Redskins signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to their practice squad today, according to the club (via Twitter). That leaves one spot still open on the unit.
- Tight end Jacob Maxwell has been let go from the Dolphins‘ practice squad, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who tweets that running back Orleans Darkwa will fill the newly-opened spot.
- The Lions have swapped out one defensive lineman for another, with Derrick Hopkins replacing Xavier Proctor, who has been placed on the practice squad IR (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Poll: Next NFL Coach To Get Fired
After four games and zero wins to start the 2014 season, the Raiders decided that they had enough of Dennis Allen. Allen’s dismissal wasn’t terribly surprising and, truthfully, neither was the timing – the Raiders were blown out in London by the Dolphins in their week 4 showdown and Allen had led Oakland to back-to-back 4-12 seasons. The Raiders will now look to turn their year around under interim coach Tony Sparano, who could have a real chance at landing the permanent gig if he can get something out of his team. While Allen’s seat was the hottest in the NFL, there are coaches elsewhere who have shaky job security.
The always entertaining Rex Ryan is in his sixth year at the helm of the Jets and his squad isn’t looking so hot at 1-3. Gang Green opened the season with an ugly win over the Raiders, blew a considerable lead to the Packers in Week 2, and lost to the Bears and Lions in Weeks 3 and 4. This isn’t how most people saw things turning out for Ryan, who began his Jets tenure with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. The offensive minded coach wasn’t able to make things work with once promising quarterback Mark Sanchez and sophomore Geno Smith could be headed down the same path. Owner Woody Johnson has a great affinity for the affable Ryan, and so do many Jets fans, but that might not be enough to save his job if the Jets can’t get in the playoff hunt.
In St. Louis, veteran head coach Jeff Fisher is in his third year with the team and many have said that both he and GM Les Snead are on the chopping block. Unfortunately for Fisher, the Rams have one heck of a mountain to climb in 2014. Lodged in the ultra-tough NFC West, the Rams are without quarterback Sam Bradford thanks to a torn ACL (again) and starting Austin Davis in his stead. The Rams seem on pace to land a high draft pick and go for a top quarterback in the 2015 draft, but there’s no guarantee that Fisher will be the one grooming him.
Around the league, there are several more teams that could shake things up on the sidelines. Who do you think is the next coach to go?
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are the latest practice squad signings and cuts from around the league, as well as minor 53-man roster transactions, with any additional moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Texans signed cornerbacks Charles James, a Charleston Southern product, and Kendall James, a Maine product, to their practice squad, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Chargers pulled a reverse of Monday’s move, re-signing defensive tackle Chas Alecxih to the practice squad and releasing safety Adrian Phillips, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
- The Bears have signed kick returner Teddy Williams off the Cardinals’ practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williams had been listed as a cornerback for Arizona, but the Bears call him a receiver — teams have tried him at both positions, but the 26-year-old’s primary asset is his speed. To make room for Williams, the Bears have cut linebacker Terrell Manning.
- Meanwhile, the Cardinals replaced Williams on their practice squad with former fourth-round wideout Jalen Saunders, who was waived by the Jets this week, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
Earlier updates:
- Running back Lache Seastrunk, who was drafted by the Redskins and spent time on the Panthers’ practice squad, has signed with the Titans‘ practice squad, the club announced today (Twitter link). Seastrunk will fill the 10th and final opening on the unit.
- Wideout Kevin Cone and tight end Taylor Sloat have replaced linebacker Carlos Fields and tight end Ian Thompson on the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link). With Mike Evans expected to be sidelined for at least a couple weeks, Cone could be considered for the 53-man roster at some point, particularly if any other Tampa Bay wideouts are injured this weekend.
- As part of their practice squad shuffling, the Dolphins removed defensive end Gerald Rivers from the squad, tweets Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Bucs
Steve Smith didn’t make many waves in the days leading up to Baltimore’s game against the Panthers this past weekend, but the veteran wideout had some things to say about his former team today. Appearing on WFNZ in Charlotte, Smith criticized Panthers GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Ron Rivera for the way they handled his release in Carolina, suggesting that it became “personal” for Gettleman, and accusing Rivera of hiding in his office rather than talking to Smith face-to-face when he was cut. The Ravens‘ No. 1 receiver also refuted Ian Rapoport’s report that indicated he had asked for his release from the Panthers, suggesting that he simply “wanted to play ball” in Carolina.
Here’s more from around the NFC South:
- In addition to signing linebacker Horace Miller to their practice squad after working him out this week, the Panthers also took a look at linebacker Marshall McFadden, who was cut by the Raiders during the preseason, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Several of the players who tried out for the Falcons this week have been previously reported, but Wilson adds a couple of new names to that list (via Twitter). Linebackers Zac Diles and Moise Fokou also auditioned for the team, says Wilson.
- Quarterback Ricky Stanzi, wideout Ryan Spadola, and defensive tackles George Uko and Zach Minter were among the group of players that worked out for the Buccaneers this week, says Wilson (via Twitter).