Minor Moves: Monday
We’ll track the day’s minor transactions right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Dolphins have waived receiver Stephen Williams, replacing him on the roster with tight end Brett Brackett (Twitter link).
- The 49ers have officially waived-injured running back Kendall Hunter, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan. Other teams will have the opportunity to claim Hunter, but the back is in the final year of his contract and will be sidelined for the season, so he figures to go on San Francisco’s IR. The Niners are expected to add a running back to replace him, notes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter).
- Safety Brandon Hardin has been removed from the Jets‘ injured reserve list with a settlement, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York (Twitter link).
- The Browns have re-signed defensive back Royce Adams, who was waived by the club last month, tweets Brian McIntyre. Since the Browns cut four players today, Adams’ signing leaves the roster at 87 players.
- Wide receiver Reese Wiggins was the roster casualty for the Lions as the club made room for new waiver claim Jonathan Baldwin, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Buccaneers have swapped an offensive player for a defender, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed safety Mark Joyce, having waived-injured wideout David Gettis to make room on the roster.
- The Colts have signed linebacker Shawn Loiseau, the team announced today in a press release. Loiseau, who has previously spent time on the Colts’ practice squad and offseason roster, last played for the Arena Football League’s L.A. Kiss. Because Indianapolis had an opening on its 90-man roster, no corresponding move is necessary to clear room for the new addition.
- The Cowboys have signed guard Wayne Tribue and waived-injured guard Brian Clarke, a source tells Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Tribue has never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, though he has spent time with the Broncos, 49ers, and Saints. As for Clarke, he was one of the two dozen UDFAs signed by the Cowboys following the draft, receiving a $1.5K signing bonus from the team.
Sunday Roundup: Bon Jovi, Orton, Browns
Let’s round up some links from around the league as Sunday morning turns into Sunday afternoon:
- In order to stem concerns from Bills‘ fans that the Toronto-based group led by rocker Jon Bon Jovi would like to ultimately move the team to Toronto if its ownership bid is successful, Bon Jovi himself wrote a letter published in the Buffalo News on Sunday morning stating that he hopes to make the Bills successful “in Buffalo.” As John Wawrow of the Associated Press writes, however, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told the AP several weeks ago that he has no doubts regarding Bon Jovi’s group’s long-term intentions to move the team to Toronto.
- Bears‘ GM Phil Emery is open to a reunion with Kyle Orton if Orton wants to play in 2014, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Orton, who was released by the Cowboys last month, began his career in Chicago and the Bears have twice tried to re-sign him since trading him to Denver in the Jay Cutler deal five years ago. Orton would represent an upgrade at backup quarterback over Jimmy Clausen and Jordan Palmer.
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks that it is a “good sign” that Browns‘ receiver Josh Gordon and his attorneys are heading back to New York on Monday to resume Gordon’s appeal hearing. Cabot believes that Gordon will still be suspended, but perhaps not indefinitely.
- In the same piece, Cabot opines that Browns‘ second-year pro Barkevious Mingo could produce double-digit sacks in 2014. George M. Thomas and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal similarly believe that Mingo looks poised for a breakout campaign.
- In a separate piece, Ulrich writes that Browns‘ rookie QB Johnny Manziel could be gaining ground on presumed starter Brian Hoyer.
- Scott Brown of ESPN.com writes that Steelers‘ head coach Mike Tomlin is paying particularly close attention to the unheralded running backs fighting to make the team’s 53-man roster, including Tauren Poole, Miguel Maysonet, and Josh Harris.
- I posted an article earlier today regarding a potential contract extension for 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh, and Eric Branch of the San Fransisco Chronicle adds to that discussion. He writes that CEO Jed York believes he and Harbaugh are “on the same page” in their contract talks and that both parties will assess where they are after the 2014 season.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune writes that Buccaneers wide receiver Tommy Streeter has been the pleasant surprise of training camp thus far.
- Herbie Teope of ChiefsSpin.com tweets that Chiefs‘ star safety Eric Berry returned to practice today.
- ESPN.com has created a chart detailing the first impressions that the first-round picks of 2014 have made.
NFC South Notes: Bucs, McCown, Cooks, Dickson
The Buccaneers were the subject of Peter King’s in depth training camp review, and the thing that stood out most for King was the potential size among the pass catchers. He notes that in three receiver, one tight end sets they have the opportunity to put four different receiving options that stand 6’5″ tall (Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, Tommy Streeter, Austin Sefarian Jenkins). The shrimp of the group is Chris Owusu, and he is 6’2″, but could play out of the slot with Jackson and Evans on either side of him.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC South:
- King also touched on two new players in Buccaneers camp, singling out Michael Johnson as the best new addition. He picked Johnson as the most important player to have a huge year if the team was going to finish among the best in the NFC. He also made a bold prediction on quarterback Josh McCown, saying he will be a “middle-of-the-pack” starter, which is all the team needs him to be.
- Saints‘ first-round pick Brandin Cooks was a standout during the team’s Black and Gold scrimmage, amassing over 100 total yards, reports Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. That includes a number of highlight plays, including one deep pass that was negated by penalty. According to Terrell, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan also put up a big number, using 20+ expletives during the scrimmage, although it is unclear exactly how many were yelled at Cooks.
- The Panthers are planning to utilize double tight end looks more often this season with the addition of Ed Dickson this offseason, according to USA Today. Dickson will join Greg Olsen as a second tall receiving option, that can also be used as an in-line blocker.
NFC Notes: Saints, Carr, Barr, Hyde
Writing about the Saints, OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald says, “On one end of the spectrum they do a pretty poor job with planning for tomorrow due to restructures, void years, etc… but on the other end of the spectrum they also find these really good bargains on players.” Fitzgerald references Marques Colston, Zach Strief and Junior Galette chief among those bargains, deeming Galette the team’s best contract. On the flip side of the coin, however, is Curtis Lofton. Fitzgerald says the veteran linebacker’s guaranteed money is out of whack, and his deal is “littered” with prohibitive roster bonuses and a potentially costly voidable year.
Read on for several more NFC news and notes:
- Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr hasn’t joined the Cowboys for training camp yet because he’s been with his cancer-stricken mother, who passed away on Wednesday.
- Another player who has been sidelined for training camp is 49ers tight end Garrett Celek. He missed four games last season because of a hamstring injury, and is dealing with a back injury right now. Division III product Derek Carrier stands to benefit, writes SFGate.com’s Eric Branch, as Carrier and Celek are the contenders for the third tight end job behind Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman believes in Carrier’s ability: “He’s got a chance to be a productive player in this league. There’s no doubt. Derek’s got a nice feel for the passing game, he’s got good hands, and he can cover some ground now – he can really run. I don’t like to put timetables on people, but this a big year for him. He’s got a hell of an opportunity this year to really take a big step.”
- Meanwhile, 49ers coaches are raving about the mental prowess of rookie runner Carlos Hyde, going so far as to call him savant-like, writes Matt Barrows in the Sacramento Bee.
- Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer says there is a “strong” chance first-rounder Anthony Barr could start the season opener, reports Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Bears rookie linebacker Christian Jones was one of the highest-profile undrafted free agents because he was key member of the national champion Florida State Seminoles, because he’s an impressive athlete who garnered second-round grades from draft evaluators and because he failed a drug test at the Combine. Not surprisingly, he’s made early waves in training camp for the linebacker-needy Bears, writes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, who says it would be a surprise if Jones didn’t make the team: “The question now is whether Jones can maintain the momentum. Through the first seven practices, Jones appears to be one of the most athletic linebackers on the team, and probably the only true strongside linebacker at the position.”
- ESPN’s Pat Yasinkas checks in on a handful of Buccaneers position battles, including the worrisome guard spots: “This one remains wide open. Jamon Meredith, Oniel Cousins, Patrick Omameh and Kadeem Edwards have been taking turns working with the first team and it doesn’t look like anyone has pulled ahead of the pack yet.”
Extra Points: Abraham, Casey, Jags, Bucs
Some assorted to notes to close out this Friday evening:
- Cardinals linebacker John Abraham, who was arrested for DUI last month, has issued a statement through the team’s website. He says, in part, that he is “taking the necessary steps to handle [his] personal business.” A previous report indicated that Abraham was set to join Arizona’s training camp next week.
- Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey is coming off of a career season and is seeking a contract that reflects that, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. While he says that he doesn’t want to cause any headaches, Casey is earning just $1.43MM this season and knows that the top performers at his position are earning more than five times that number.
- The Jaguars are working out former Florida State wide receiver Kenny Shaw today, tweets Mark Long of the Associated Press. The Browns cut Shaw, a UDFA, last last month when they signed Rutgers product Jamaal Westerman.
- The Buccaneers will pair new tight end additions Brandon Myers and Austin Seferian-Jenkins with holdovers Tim Wright and Luke Stocker to form a solid position group, writes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, who notes that Jenkins and Wright have the capacity to line up wide.
- The Texans’ newly-implemented 3-4 defense, lead by coordinator Romeo Crennel, is starting to round into form, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Quarterback Kory Faulkner, waived Tuesday by the 49ers, cleared waivers and is now free to sign with any team, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Guard Fou Fonoti cleared waivers as well and now reverts to SF’s injured reserve.
- The Browns have signed offensive lineman Ryan Lee, the team announced today (via Twitter). By our count, Cleveland had three openings on its roster, so the club won’t need to waive anyone.
- Wide receiver Gerrard Sheppard, who spent most of last season the Ravens’ practice squad, was claimed off waivers by the Packers today after being cut by Baltimore, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Green Bay had an open spot on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary.
- In order to make room for McDonough, whose signing is noted below, the Redskins have waived-injured former Hampton cornerback Courtney Bridget, Jay Gruden confirmed today (Twitter link via Zac Boyer of the Washington Times).
Earlier updates:
- Defensive linemen Cody Larsen and Will Pericak have signed with the Broncos, the team announced today (link via the Denver Post). Both players’ NFL experience is limited to preseason action and time spent on practice squads. The moves increase Denver’s roster count to 89, leaving one additional opening.
- With a couple defensive backs banged up in camp, the Buccaneers have added some depth by signing cornerback Kip Edwards, who went undrafted in 2013 and has spent time with the Browns, Bills, and Vikings (Twitter link via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com). The club used the spot vacated by recently released guard Carl Nicks to fit Edwards onto the 90-man roster.
- The Redskins have signed defensive tackle Jake McDonough, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. So far, the move has been confirmed by McDonough’s agent, but not the team — when it becomes official, Washington should have to cut a player to make room.
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC South?
The NFC South was a two-team race in 2013, with the 12-4 Panthers ultimately eking out the division title over the 11-5 Saints. However, unlike in most of the NFL’s other divisions, the defending NFC South champions aren’t the frontrunners to take the crown again in 2014 — betting side Bovada.lv has New Orleans as the odds-on favorites to win the South.
The Saints certainly look good heading into the season, having added first-round wideout Brandin Cooks to an already explosive offense and signed star safety Jairus Byrd to fortify the secondary. But they aren’t a lock to win one of the league’s most intriguing divisions.
According to Bovada, the Panthers aren’t even the second-most likely club to win the South in 2014. That distinction goes to the Falcons, who won the division in 2012 before unexpectedly slipping to 4-12 last season. Having revamped their offensive and defensive lines this offseason – with rookie tackle Jake Matthews, guard Jon Asamoah, and defensive linemen Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson among the new additions – the Falcons are poised to bounce back.
Another 2013 underperformer, the Buccaneers, shouldn’t be ruled out as a contender either. As our Zach Links detailed last night, Tampa Bay’s ’13 season was derailed by controversy surrounding then-coach Greg Schiano and then-quarterback Josh Freeman, but the club has made a number of interesting offseason moves, including signing defensive end Michael Johnson and drafting Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans. The Bucs’ success – or lack thereof – this coming season may hinge on Josh McCown‘s performance under center, since the roster is certainly loaded with plenty of talent at other positions.
And of course, last season’s division champs shouldn’t be overlooked. A candidate for regression, Carolina’s cap struggles forced the team to part ways with a few key contributors, including longtime Panther Steve Smith, and there are questions about whether Cam Newton will have enough weapons to utilize. But this is still a strong team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, where few clubs have a scarier pass-rushing duo than Carolina’s Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson.
What do you think? Who wins the NFC South in 2014?
Which team will win the NFC South?
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Carolina Panthers 40% (110)
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New Orleans Saints 31% (86)
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Atlanta Falcons 18% (50)
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12% (32)
Total votes: 278
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
Who will win the AFC South?
Who will win the AFC East?
Who will win the NFC North?
Who will win the NFC West?
Who will win the NFC East?
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notable signings:
- Michael Johnson (DE): Five years, $43.75MM. $16MM guaranteed.
- Anthony Collins (OT): Five years, $30MM. $9MM guaranteed.
- Alterraun Verner (CB): Four years, $25.5MM. $8MM guaranteed.
- Josh McCown (QB): Two years, $10MM. $4.75MM guaranteed.
- Clinton McDonald (DT): Four years, $12MM. $4.75MM guaranteed.
- Evan Dietrich-Smith (C): Four years, $14.25MM. $3.5MM guaranteed.
- Brandon Myers (TE): Two years, $4.25MM. $2MM guaranteed.
- Mike Jenkins (CB): One year, $1.5MM. $1.5MM guaranteed.
- Dane Fletcher (LB): One year, $1.2MM. $1.1MM guaranteed.
- Jonathan Casillas (LB): One year, $1.4MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Jamon Meredith (G): Two years, $3MM. $350K guaranteed.
- Oniel Cousins (G): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Major Wright (S): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Mike Kafka (QB): Two years, $1.23MM.
- Louis Murphy (WR): One year, $795K.
- Lavelle Hawkins (WR): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Quinton Pointer (CB): One year, minimum salary.
- Ronald Talley (DE): One year, minimum salary.
Notable losses:
- Nate Byham (TE)
- Gabe Carimi (OL): Waived
- Tom Crabtree (TE)
- Andrew Economos (LS)
- Gary Gibson (DL)
- Adam Hayward (LB)
- Davin Joseph (G): Released
- Derek Landri (DT): Released
- Ted Larsen (C/G)
- Brian Leonard (RB)
- Rian Lindell (K)
- Erik Lorig (FB)
- Carl Nicks (G): Released after agreeing to amicable settlement
- Dan Orlovsky (QB)
- Donald Penn (OT): Released
- Darrelle Revis (CB): Released
- Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (DE)
- Lawrence Tynes (K): Released
- Tiquan Underwood (WR)
- Dekoda Watson (LB)
Trades:
- Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for Jeremy Zuttah.
- Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 185) from the Bills in exchange for Mike Williams.
- Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 149) from the Bills in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 221) and a 2015 fifth-round pick.
Draft picks:
- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (1.7): Signed
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (2.38): Signed
- Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (3.69): Signed
- Kadeem Edwards, G, Tennessee State (5.143): Signed
- Kevin Pamphile, OT, Purdue (5.149): Signed
- Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming (6.185): Signed
Other:
- Hired Lovie Smith as head coach.
- Hired Jeff Tedford as offensive coordinator and Leslie Frazier as defensive coordinator.
- Longtime owner Malcolm Glazer passed away.
- Declined Adrian Clayborn‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($6.969MM).
- Have discussed extension for Gerald McCoy.
- Signed 12 rookie free agents after the draft.
Things got weird in Tampa Bay last year. Real weird. Former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano kicked off the season with what many perceived as a campaign against his own starting quarterback. Josh Freeman wasn’t voted as a team captain for the first time since his 2009 rookie season, but when teammates huddled up to discuss the election process, they came away with the conclusion that it was rigged and Freeman rightfully should have had a C on his jersey, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Weeks later, word came out that Freeman had to enroll in the league’s drug program for abusing Adderall and the NFLPA filed a grievance on the matter for breach of confidentiality. There was speculation that Schiano was the one who stripped Freeman of his captaincy and the one who leaked news of the drug problem to the press. When you couple that with an 0-8 start that ended in a 4-12 record for 2013, the Bucs had no choice but to bounce the discipline-loving, cliched sound bite-giving coach. Now, the Bucs will be guided by former Bears coach Lovie Smith who is set to bring the Tampa 2 back to Tampa and, hopefully, foster a healthier environment in the locker room.
After the Bucs demoted Freeman (and later cut him), rookie quarterback Mike Glennon was thrust into the starting role and performed about as well as you’d expect most rookie signal callers to perform. Glennon produced an cumulative -6.1 rating from Pro Football Focus, placing him 33rd amongst all eligible QBs in their rankings. Taking his spot on the depth chart will be free agent pickup Josh McCown, who ranked 9th in PFF’s QB rankings. The veteran journeyman started for the Bears in place of Jay Cutler last season after he was lost to injury and filled in admirably, The 35-year-old ended the 2013 season completing 66.8 of his passes for 1,829 yards with 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 passer rating, the third highest behind Peyton Manning and Nick Foles. In fact, McCown left such a strong impression in Chicago that many fans wondered why the Bears didn’t re-sign him rather than giving an expensive long-term deal to Cutler. Some might wonder if the veteran can replicate his play from last season, but he would appear to be a nice upgrade over the rising sophomore Glennon, who can still be groomed as the club’s QB of the future.
McCown will have the pleasure of throwing to three-time Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson and No. 7 overall pick Mike Evans. The Texas A&M product rocketed up draft charts across the NFL in the weeks leading up to the draft and firmly established himself as the best wide receiver in the class behind Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. In Evans, the Bucs are getting a big 6’5″ target who is hard to take down and can eke out extra yards after a catch that many WRs wouldn’t be able to. Evans doesn’t offer the blazing speed of Watkins or Odell Beckham Jr., the third WR to come off the board in the draft, but he offers serious upside in his own right and appears to be rather NFL-ready. Meanwhile, Mike Williams, who spent the first four years of his career with the Bucs, was shipped to the Bills for a sixth-round choice.
As if that wasn’t enough to help McCown in his first year with Tampa Bay, the Bucs also drafted Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round and signed former Raiders and Giants tight end Brandon Myers to a two-year deal. Seferian-Jenkins, like many of the league’s top tight ends, comes from a basketball background and that shows with his high-end athleticism. The 6’5″ athlete has very strong agility and soft hands for a player of his size and is also a decent blocker. Heading into the draft, some teams were wary of the 21-year-old’s perceived character flaws thanks to a 2013 DUI arrest. However, the Bucs interviewed the youngster extensively and walked away without concern.
In March, left tackle Anthony Collins was brought aboard to help protect the starting backfield of McCown and Doug Martin. Collins got a five-year, $30MM deal ($9MM guaranteed) from Tampa Bay even though he never had an extended run as a starter during his six seasons with the Bengals. Still, in his 673 offensive snaps last season, Collins never recorded a negative grade in a game, according to PFF (subscription required). If he can bring that kind of production as a starter, then the Bucs will look pretty smart in the long run.
Also new to the Bucs’ starting o-line is former Packers center Evan Dietrich-Smith. Dietrich-Smith also doesn’t have a ton of starting experience, having started just nine games during his first three seasons in Green Bay before starting in all 16 games for the Packers in 2013. Still, PFF (subscription required) ranked him No. 8 out of 35 qualified centers and he graded particularly well as a pass blocker. Off the bench, the Bucs added guard Oniel Cousins and retained OG Jamon Meredith with a two-year deal. Jeremy Zuttah, a former Rutgers notable who was a holdover from the Schiano era, was sent to the Ravens for a fifth-round choice (fellow RU alums Brian Leonard and Tiquan Underwood were also released).
Tampa Bay’s biggest financial commitment of the offseason came on the other side of the ball when they inked defensive end Michael Johnson to a five-year contract worth $43.75MM with $24MM in guaranteed cash. The Bengals free agent was this year’s fifth-best free agent according to our own Luke Adams and graded out as one of the best 4-3 defensive ends last season in stopping the run. Johnson’s 3.5 sacks in 2013 pale in comparison to his 11.5 sacks from 2012, but he’s still a dominant force that should help disrupt opposing offenses. Along with with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was the statistical leader amongst DTs in stopping the run, the Bucs should have a fearsome defensive line to help anchor Smith’s defense. Former Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald was also brought aboard on a four-year, $12MM deal and he’s expected to sit behind McCoy and Akeem Spence on the depth chart.
The Bucs said goodbye to Darrelle Revis this offseason in order to get out from under his $16MM annual cap hit. While he’ll look to hold his position as one of the league’s top cornerbacks in New England, Tampa Bay brought in Alterraun Verner to take his place. Verner, widely regarded as the second-best free agent cornerback on the open market behind Aqib Talib (excluding Revis, of course, who did not become an FA until he was released by Tampa Bay), signed a rather team-friendly deal considering what he brings to the table. Verner isn’t a truly elite corner like Revis, but since entering the league in 2010, Verner has never placed outside the top 25 in Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings. Verner will help anchor a secondary that has some question marks, including starting strong safety Mark Barron. Barron missed most of the Bucs’ OTAs and minicamp with what was thought to be hamstring issue, but he actually underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January.
The Bucs got a lot done over the offseason, but they’d still like to hammer out a new deal with McCoy and keep him in the fold for the long term. In the short-term, it’s a new era in Tampa Bay and while they might not look the part of Super Bowl contenders, it’s certainly a step up from where they were last season under their old regime.
Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Moves: Monday
We’ll round up the day’s minor transactions from around the NFL right here, with additional moves listed at the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening:
- The Colts have waived WR Aaron Burks, tweets Craig Kelley of Colts.com.
Earlier updates:
- Guard Cody White and receiver Alan Bonner have been placed on the Texans’ injured reserve list after being waived/injured, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- The Bills have removed linebacker Darrin Kitchens from their injured reserve list with an injury settlement, reports Wilson (Twitter link).
- Rookie defensive lineman Kalonji Kashama has been waived by the Lions, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
- The Giants have replaced one offensive lineman with another, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, tweeting that the team claimed Mark Asper off waivers from the Bills and dropped Demarcus Love.
- The Browns have waived kicker Jake Rogers, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- The Broncos now have three open roster spots after waiving tackle Aslam Sterling with a left squad designation, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- In addition to their move noted below, the Dolphins have also signed offensive tackle Tony Hills and waived wideout Gerald Ford, the club confirmed today (via Twitter).
- The Chiefs have signed South Alabama cornerback Damond Smith, the team announced today (via Twitter). By our count, Kansas City was already carrying 90 players, so a corresponding move figures to be made at some point today.
- The Raiders have filled the open spot on the roster by signing safety Jeremy Deering, who also returned kicks at Rutgers, says Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
- Former Buccaneers defensive back Anthony Gaitor has re-signed with the club, joining Michigan defensive tackle Jibreel Black as Tampa Bay’s new additions, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter), undrafted rookies Brendan Bigelow (RB) and Quintin Payton (WR) have been waived to make room for the incoming players.
- The Browns have waived offensive lineman Chris Faulk, who was coming off a major ACL injury, according to Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald (via Twitter).
- Offensive lineman Michael Philipp, who signed with the Dolphins two months ago, has been cut by the club, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Sunday Roundup: Nelson, Robinson, Browns
Let’s look at some links from around the league as training camp rolls along and ruminations over hot-button issues like the color of Johnny Manziel‘s cleats consume far too much of everyone’s time:
- Jets‘ rookie safety Calvin Pryor does have a concussion, tweets Brian Costello of The New York Post. We learned earlier this morning that Pryor, who suffered the injury Saturday, was absent from practice today.
- Jordy Nelson‘s new deal might be a bargain for the Packers, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
- Saints‘ cornerback Patrick Robinson, who missed most of 2013 with an injury and who has seen Champ Bailey take most of the reps as the team’s No. 2 corner thus far, is flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2010, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com does not expect the Jaguars to make a play for a veteran receiver, adding that the team’s focus is in developing rookies Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee.
- Newly-signed TE Ed Dickson has shown flashes of his impressive athletic ability in Panthers camp, writes Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer. Dickson, who struggled with drops during his tenure with the Ravens, is looking for a fresh start in Carolina.
- Safety Dashon Goldson, who underwent ankle surgery following the 2013 season, is being brought along slowly by the Buccaneers, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
- The Texans worked out former Raiders’ outside linebacker Eric Harper at the same time they auditioned Quentin Groves and Lawrence Sidbury, writes Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post. Houston ultimately signed Sidbury and Groves.
- Texans‘ guard Cody White suffered a torn Achilles tendon during yesterday’s practice, tweets John McClain of The Houston Chronicle.
- Although it seems unlikely that Johnny Manziel will beat out Brian Hoyer as the Browns‘ starting quarterback to open the season, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes that Cleveland’s schedule “sets up well” for Manziel to assume the starting role early in the season. The Browns have a bye in Week 4 and then a series of “easy” games against teams like the Titans, Jaguars, and Raiders.
- Speaking of the Browns‘ quarterback dilemma, Lindsay Jones of USA Today Sports tweets that Hoyer will continue to take reps with the first-team offense through Tuesday’s practice, and then Cleveland’s coaching staff will reevaluate the team’s situation under center. Wednesday’s practice, then, may be a telling one.