Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL..
- The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve waived punter Spencer Lanning, as Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com tweets. In 2014, only two punters had more attempts than the 93 punts Lanning made for the Browns. However, Lanning’s performance wasn’t great, so Cleveland cut him after trading for Andy Lee in June, at which point he was claimed by the Bucs. Today’s move leaves Tampa Bay with two punters still on the roster.
- The Falcons announced that they’ve waived rookie safety Damian Parms, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
- Defensive back Ryan White has re-signed with the Packers, as Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette tweets. White was in camp with Green Bay last summer.
- The Bills removed Justin Brown from the injured reserve with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson adds (via Twitter) that the Titans did the same thing with safety Cody Prewitt, removing him from their roster.
- The 49ers have also waived a player with an injury settlement, cutting offensive lineman Ben Gottschalk from their IR, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- The following players landed on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists after clearing waivers, per Wilson (Twitter link): DT Ricky Havili-Heimuli (Falcons), TE Clay Burton (Bills), WR Caleb Holley (Bills), DT Chris Whaley (Cowboys), CB Jason Wilson (Cowboys), and RB Tyler Gaffney (Patriots).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/15
The latest minor moves and signings from around the NFL..
- The Dolphins signed running back Demitrius Bronson and safety Phillip Thomas, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. To make room, Miami waived/injured safety Shamiel Gary and waived receiver Tyler McDonald.
- The Colts re-signed guard Kitt O’Brien and waived guard Dionte Savage, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets. Just days ago, the Colts cut O’Brien and signed Savage.
- The Broncos claimed Matt Hall off waivers from the Colts, Wilson tweets.
- The Saints waived UDFA wide receiver Malcome Kennedy from their IR, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Seahawks signed safety Tyrequek Zimmerman, Wilson tweets.
- The Patriots signed Tony Creecy and Logan Stokes while cutting Chris White and Mason Brodine, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Lions signed tight end Jacob Maxwell, who was briefly with the team as a UDFA, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
- The Titans waived-injured cornerback Curtis Riley and picked up fellow corner Will Brown, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
- The Jaguars signed defensive end Camaron Beard and waived/injured linebacker Matt Robinson, John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets.
- The Eagles signed ex-Falcons wide receiver Freddie Martino and released fellow wideout John Harris, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Defensive end Frances Mays has also been waived/injured.
Earlier updates:
- The Packers announced that they have released punter Cody Mandell, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Mandell was in competition with fellow punter Tim Masthay, but that showdown didn’t even make it until the preseason opener.
- The Browns worked out and signed linebacker Moise Fokou, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). To make room for Smith, the Browns have cut Rodney Smith, Wilson tweets.
- The Seahawks cut Robert Smith with a failed physical designation, Wilson tweets. The safety was claimed off waivers from the Colts late last week.
Extra Points: Bears, Cowboys, Scherff, Browns
Former San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio doesn’t regret vouching for Ray McDonald to the Bears staff but admits bringing him to Chicago was his fault, report Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “I don’t regret trying to vouch for him. At the time, I believed it was the right thing to do,” Fangio said. “The only thing I regret is because it didn’t work out and the club put their faith in my recommendation, (team chairman) George (McCaskey), (GM) Ryan (Pace) and John (Fox) took some hits from it from you guys (the media). You really should have been hitting me, not them.” McCaskey initially vetoed a McDonald-Fangio reunion but changed his mind when he met with the embattled defensive end face to face.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Injuries to Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar have made it increasingly likely that the Cowboys will bring in another running back, writes Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News. McFadden might be able to hit the field tomorrow, but the club is probably on the lookout for several RBs who could audition for a spot in the near future.
- Washington drafted Iowa lineman Brandon Scherff as a tackle, but the No. 5 overall pick might slide in at guard instead, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. The club’s coaching staff likes what they see from former third-rounder Morgan Moses at right tackle, and while fifth overall might seem high for an eventual guard, OL coach Bill Callahan thinks Scherff could have a similar impact to Zack Martin, who earned an All-Pro nod as a rookie with the Cowboys.
- Free agent addition Shaun Draughn is impressing at Browns camp, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, and the 27-year-old looks like a good bet to earn a roster spot behind fellow running backs Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, and Terrence West. Draughn, a five-year veteran, saw time with both the Bears and Chargers last year before finishing the season with Cleveland.
- In his latest mailbag at Titans.com, Jim Wyatt tackles several subjects such as the roster fate of Charlie Whitehurst, a possible reunion with Chris Johnson, and more.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Mexico, Milliner, Walker, Nicks
As the NFL continues to expand its presence in London, the next step in forwarding the game internationally could be Mexico City. There has been a suggestion that the NFL will play five games there, starting in 2017, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com.
This has not been made official by the NFL as of yet, and spokesman Michael Signora had this to say in response to that report:
“We are pleased with the growth in fan demand and the increased partner support we have enjoyed in recent years. With this in mind, we are actively assessing the opportunity to play games in Mexico. We have visited several stadiums in recent months, and are analyzing what needs to be done to bring games to Mexico. It is premature to comment specifically as to when this will happen, let alone how many, if any, games might be played.”
Here are a few more notes from around the NFL this Friday:
- The NFL has reversed a long-standing policy that regulated practice squad contracts by prohibiting teams from negotiating non-salary items into those deals, reports Diana Marie Russini of ESPN (via Twitter). Organizations will now be allowed to offer signing bonuses, roster bonuses, and guaranteed money to practice squad players (via Twitter). Russini expects this to cause teams to aggressively pursue other franchises’ top practice squad players (via Twitter).
- With Dee Milliner‘s recent injury, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reminds fans that the Jets received a number of trade inquiries on the former first round pick. He adds that at least one team was still interested as recently as this week, before the injury (via Twitter).
- The Patriots have opened up talks with defensive tackle Casey Walker about a possible return to the team, reports Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter).
- Former Super Bowl hero Hakeem Nicks is fighting for his NFL career after signing a one-year deal with the Titans, writes Teresa Walker of the Associated Press. The chance to start across from Kendall Wright is an open competition, and Nicks will have to prove himself against former-Falcon Harry Douglas, rookie second-round pick Dorial Green-Beckham, and Justin Hunter.
More Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/15
We rounded up several minor transactions from around the league earlier today, but teams have been busy since then, so we’ve got many more moves to recap. Here’s the latest:
- The Cowboys have signed offensive tackle Cody Clay after a workout, reports Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter). The team waive/injured linebacker Will Smith, who was unavailable due to a groin injury.
- Isaiah Pead and the Rams have agreed a new deal for the final year of his contract on July 30th, reports Howard Balzer of FoxSportsMidwest.com (via Twitter). His base salary was reduced from $940,650 to $585,000 for 2015 (via Twitter).
- Veteran tight end Alex Smith – not to be confused with the quarterback of the same name – has signed with the Saints, who waived rookie tight end Jack Tabb with an injury designation, tweets Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- The Steelers have placed defensive end Clifton Geathers on their injured reserve list, signing free agent defensive tackle Joe Okafor to take his place, the team announced today (via Twitter). As a veteran player, Geathers didn’t have to pass through waivers before landing on IR.
- In addition to confirming the previously-reported signing of running back Michael Ford, the Falcons also made a few more moves. As Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter), the club signed tight end D.J. Tialavea, waived wide receiver Freddie Martino, and waived/injured tight Beau Gardner, who injured his knee.
- Safety Robert Smith, waived yesterday by the Colts, has been claimed by the Seahawks, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Seattle cut safety Ty Zimmerman to clear room on the roster.
- The Titans have made a change at the fullback position, signing Zach Boren and waiving undrafted rookie Connor Neighbors with an injury designation, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online (Twitter link).
- The Giants have signed rookie safety Justin Halley, waiving receiver Chris Harper with an injured designation to create an opening on the roster, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
- The Patriots have reached an injury settlement with defensive lineman Vince Taylor, removing him from their injured reserve list, tweets Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe.
AFC Notes: Foster, Brady, Colts, Nicks
As we inch close to the start of the NFL’s preseason schedule, let’s round up a few of the latest updates from around the AFC….
- Texans running back Arian Foster underwent successful surgery on his groin this morning in Philadelphia, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that there’s some hope Foster’s recovery period will be less than three months. The star running back still appears to be a strong candidate for the club’s IR-DTR slot to open the regular season.
- The settlement conference between the NFL and NFLPA is scheduled to take place at 11:00am eastern time next Wednesday, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and commissioner Roger Goodell will both attend the meeting in Judge Richard M. Berman’s courtroom.
- The Colts snagged cornerback Tevin Mitchel off waivers from Washington this week, despite the fact that he’s expected to miss the season with a shoulder injury, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. As Holder explains, the Colts were targeting Mitchel in the draft this year before Washington grabbed him in the sixth round, and the club now has the opportunity to stash him on its IR for the season.
- Teresa M. Walker of The Associated Press examines Hakeem Nicks‘ efforts to earn a roster spot in Tennessee after signing a one-year deal with the Titans this offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/15
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Broncos have re-signed nose tackle Sione Fua for another stint in Denver, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The former third-round pick, who played for Cleveland last season, last spent time with the Broncos in 2013. Denver waived punter Karl Schmitz in a corresponding move. The Broncos have also reached an injury settlement with rookie offensive tackle Connor Rains, removing him from their IR, tweets Mike Klis of 9News.
- The Buccaneers have signed former Arena League quarterback Sammuel Lamur, the team announced today in a press release. Lamur, the brother of Bengals linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, will be moved to linebacker in Bucs camp.
- The Titans have made a change in their secondary, signing safety Josh Aubrey and waiving safety Cody Prewitt with an injured designation, per a team release.
- The Cowboys swapped one tight end for another this week, signing Brandon Barden and cutting Ray Hamilton, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets, the club also moved linebacker Justin Anderson and offensive lineman Reshod Fortenberry to its injured reserve list.
- Patriots tight end A.J. Derby and Eagles outside linebacker Travis Long landed on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists after going unclaimed on waivers, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have moved retired offensive tackle Jonathan Martin from the reserve/retired list to the reserve/did not report list, tweets Wilson.
AFC Notes: Brady, Patriots, Hunter, Texans
Earlier today, a mammoth 457-page transcript of Tom Brady‘s testimony was released. As Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press writes, the Patriots quarterback denied under oath to Roger Goodell that he tampered with footballs before the AFC title game. Meanwhile, investigator Ted Wells apparently never warned the Brady he would be punished if he didn’t turn over his cellphone. Brady denied discussing air level with the ballboys or even thinking about how inflated the footballs were when he selected them. He also said he’s never asked anyone from the Patriots to tamper with footballs. While we wait to see how that all shakes out, here’s more out of the AFC..
- The transcript also contains confirmation that the Ravens tipped off the Colts on the Patriots‘ alleged doctoring of footballs, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
- The NFLPA filed its counterclaim and amended answer in federal court in Manhattan today, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. As a part of the counterclaim, the union brought forth the Brady appeal transcript, which led it it becoming public.
- Titans receiver Justin Hunter is facing a felonious assault charge following a bar fight last month, but his attorney is confident that the case will “end will” for Hunter, as John Glennon of The Tennessean writes. “I can tell you I’m confident that Justin didn’t do what he’s been charged with and that I have significant concerns about the credibility of the accuser,” attorney Toby Vick said. The NFL is also looking into the incident, and will likely wait for resolution in court before deciding on possible discipline for the wideout.
- Former University of Texas wide receiver Mike Davis recently worked out for the Chiefs and has also worked out for the Panthers, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
- Arian Foster‘s groin issue isn’t the only bad injury news the Texans received today. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), sixth-round rookie OLB Reshard Cliett went down with a knee injury in the club’s first practice, and is expected to be sidelined for the year.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans
No one expected much out of the Titans in 2014, but their 2-14 mark was still a disappointment to fans. In the preseason, newly-hired head coach Ken Whisenhunt set the bar fairly high when he said that he wouldn’t need to exercise patience with his squad. In September, he realized that he had overestimated what he had on his roster. This time around, Whisenhunt is hoping for more out of his team. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too hard to improve over last season.
Notable signings:
- Derrick Morgan, OLB: Four years, $27MM. $8.5MM guaranteed.
- Brian Orakpo, OLB: Four years, $31MM. $8MM guaranteed.
- Da’Norris Searcy, S: Four years, $23.75MM. $7MM guaranteed.
- Brett Kern, P: Five years, $15MM. $5MM guaranteed.
- Harry Douglas, WR: Three years, $11.25MM. $3.75MM guaranteed.
- Ryan Succop, K: Three years, $7.2MM. $2.75MM guaranteed.
- Perrish Cox, CB: Three years, $15MM. $2.5MM guaranteed.
- Anthony Fasano, TE: Two years, $5.25MM. $1.125MM guaranteed.
- Karl Klug, DL: Two years, $3.75MM. $1MM guaranteed.
- Beau Brinkley, LS: Five years, $5.75MM. $840K guaranteed.
- Byron Stingily, T: Two years, $2.5MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Byron Bell, T: One year, $1.5MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Fernando Velasco, G: One year, $1.2MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Hakeem Nicks, WR: One year, $1.4MM. $100K guaranteed.
- Phillip Supernaw, TE: Two years, minimum salary.
- Kaelin Burnett, LB: One year, minimum salary.
Derrick Morgan was the Titans’ most important free agent heading into the offseason and many expected him to land elsewhere. After all, he is considered a better fit as a 4-3 defensive end, and he has never really lived up to his first-round billing in five seasons with the Titans. However, despite modest sack totals (his 6.5 in 2014 matched a career high), Morgan graded as a top-10 outside linebacker according to PFF, which ranked him eighth in 2014 and credited him with 49 total quarterback pressures. Morgan paid visits to the Falcons and Buccaneers and was reportedly scheduled to hit Dallas for a meeting with the Cowboys, but he instead reached a deal to stay in Tennessee.
In addition to retaining Morgan, the Titans went out-of-house to further fortify their pass rush. A few days after the official start of free agency, the Titans inked former Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo. Orakpo, 28, is coming off a disappointing 2014 season that ended after just seven games when he tore his pectoral muscle and was placed on injured reserve. Still, despite the fact that he logged just 0.5 sacks last year, the former first-round pick was viewed as one of the top free agent players a year ago, when he was coming off a 10.5-sack season and earned a franchise tag from Washington. He was ranked as the NFL’s fourth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in 2013 by Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Per PFF, Orakpo racked up an impressive 51 total quarterback pressures in ’13.
Da’Norris Searcy, 26, started a career-high 13 games for the Bills in 2014, racking up 65 tackles for the club to go along with three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The former fourth-round pick has shown a knack for coming up with big plays over the last couple years — in 2013, he scored touchdowns on an interception return and a fumble return. Having also been linked to the Giants, Bears, Colts, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins, Searcy had no shortage of suitors, but the Titans came out on top and got themselves a worthwhile replacement for Bernard Pollard.
In 2013, Harry Douglas emerged from the shadows in Atlanta when Julio Jones and Roddy White went down with injuries. That year, the wide receiver set new career highs in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,067). Jones and White returned to health for the 2014 season, and Douglas returned to his role as Matt Ryan‘s No. 3 target, but he still managed to rack up 51 receptions in just 12 games. Now, Douglas has reunited with ex-Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey (now Tennessee’s assistant head coach) and he could see a significant role in the Titans’ offense this season.
The Titans also signed another notable name at WR when they inked Hakeem Nicks. Once a star with the Giants, Nicks didn’t do a whole lot with the Colts in 2014, seeing career-low 68 passes thrown his way. Nicks finished the season with 405 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions and with other options at the position, it’s hard to see him getting significantly more targets.
The Titans brought in some support for tight end Delanie Walker when they signed former Chiefs tight end Anthony Fasano. Fasano wasn’t a focal point in KC’s offense thanks to the emergence of Travis Kelce, but he did see a lot of snaps in which he was asked to block.
Perrish Cox intercepted five passes for the 49ers in 2014, after playing limited snap counts for the team in 2012 and 2013. He also appeared in two games for the Seahawks in 2012 before returning to the 49ers. Now, he’ll help fortify the Titans’ secondary.
Brett Kern has been the Titans‘ punter in every season this decade, and the Titans made a move to ensure that happens in each subsequent year in the 2010s with a five-year deal. His new $15MM deal nearly triples the 29-year-old punter’s salary and puts him in the top 10 at the position on a per-year basis. Kern’s 46.8 yards per punt ranked fifth in the league last season.
The Titans also retained their placekicker, Ryan Succop, with a three-year deal. The 28-year-old converted 19 of his 22 field goal attempts, including both of his tries from 50+ yards. Succop also made all 27 of his extra-point attempts.
Notable losses:
- Jackie Battle, RB
- Brett Brackett, TE: Waived
- Chase Coffman, TE
- Kris Durham, WR
- Shonn Greene, RB: Released
- Quentin Groves, LB
- Derek Hagan, WR
- Jake Locker, QB: Retired
- Colin McCarthy, LB
- Dontay Moch, LB: Waived
- Matthew Mulligan, TE
- Michael Oher, T: Released
- Eric Olsen, C/G
- Jordan Palmer, QB
- Bernard Pollard, S: Released
- Michael Roos, T: Retired
- Chris Spencer, C/G
- Will Svitek, T
- Taylor Thompson, TE: Waived
- Leon Washington, RB
- Nate Washington, WR
- George Wilson, S
- Kamerion Wimbley, OLB: Retired
Michael Oher‘s contract was considered pricey at the time of the signing and he did little to silence those critics while with the Titans. He also wasn’t terribly vital to the team’s plans following the selection of Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan in 2014. Therefore, it was not a shock to see him waived after just one season with Tennessee. Oher allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries in eleven games in 2014 before landing on IR.
The Titans were not interested in a reunion with quarterback Jake Locker this offseason, but they also weren’t expecting him to walk away from the game altogether. The former first-round pick showed some flashes of talent throughout his brief career, and the 26-year-old had interest from teams, including the Eagles, but he decided to call it career after talking things over with his family. The former Tennessee playcaller never played more than 11 games in a season for Tennessee. In 2014, he was placed on IR in mid-December after suffering a shoulder injury.
Another familiar face in the Titans offense is no longer with the team – running back Shonn Greene. Greene, who will turn 30 later this month, joined the Titans in 2013 on the heels of a pair of 1,000-yard seasons with the Jets. However, the former third-round pick never matched the success he had in New York during his two seasons with the Titans. As a part-time contributor, Greene totaled 687 yards and six touchdowns over the course of the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Bernard Pollard first requested his release back in late January and the Titans eventually agreed to cut him loose in March. He played in just five games last season before landing on injured reserve with an Achilles injury, but he was a solid player as recently as 2013, when he racked up 77 tackles while starting all 16 games, and rated as the league’s No. 21 safety among 86 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In total, Pollard has amassed almost 550 tackles during his nine-year career, while adding 12 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles. The Titans found a replacement for Pollard when they inked Da’Norris Searcy in March.
Longtime Titans offensive lineman Michael Roos was slated to be one of the top offensive tackles on the free agent market, but in late February he decided to retire instead. Roos, 32, was remarkably durable during his time with the Titans until a knee injury prematurely ended his final season in the team this past October. Prior to this season, the former second-round pick had started all but one game over the course of nine years in Tennessee, almost exclusively at left tackle.
In his six years with the Titans, Nate Washington averaged over 50 catches per season in Tennessee. During the 2014 campaign, he saw just 72 targets, his lowest mark since joining the club, as Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter took on larger roles. Washington caught 40 balls for 647 yards and a pair of touchdowns during his final year in Tennessee.
Extensions/Restructures:
- Craig Stevens, TE: Accepted a pay cut, reducing his 2015 salary from $3.5MM to $1.12MM. In exchange, he received a $350K guarantee on his salary, and $150K in incentives.
Trades:
- Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 40; WR Dorial Green-Beckham), a fourth-round pick (No. 108; FB Jalston Fowler), and a seventh-round pick (No. 245; WR Tre McBride) in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 33; Landon Collins).
Draft picks:
- 1-2: Marcus Mariota, QB (Oregon): Signed
- 2-40: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Signed
- 3-66: Jeremiah Poutasi, OL (Utah): Signed
- 4-100: Angelo Blackson, DT (Auburn): Signed
- 4-108: Jalston Fowler, FB (Alabama): Signed
- 5-138: David Cobb, RB (Minnesota): Signed
- 6-177: Deiontrez Mount, OLB (Louisville): Signed
- 6-208: Andy Gallik, C (Boston College): Signed
- 7-245: Tre McBride, WR (William & Mary): Signed
Throughout the offseason, there was widespread interest in Marcus Mariota from quarterback-needy teams and speculation that the Titans could move their No. 2 overall pick. At the end of the day, the Titans didn’t want to move the Oregon star for Philip Rivers or for a sizable package from the Eagles. Mariota, in the eyes of some, was the best quarterback in this year’s class. Fortunately for the Titans, the Buccaneers did not share that same opinion.
While Mariota is widely considered to be a “safe” pick, the same can’t be said for Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. Beckham has been a YouTube star for several years thanks to his highlight reel catches in high school, but he ran into some off-the-field issues at the college level. It remains to be seen whether DGB will pan out as an NFL talent.
Other:
- Hired former Steelers DC Dick LeBeau as assistant head coach.
- Parted ways with VP of player personnel Lake Dawson.
- Decided interim president Steve Underwood would continue to hold the position for 2015.
- Exercised 2016 fifth-year option for WR Kendall Wright ($7.32MM).
- Learned WR Justin Hunter was arrested for felonious assault and could face league discipline.
- Claimed OLB Jonathan Massaquoi off waivers from the Falcons.
- Re-signed CB Brandon Harris to one-year, minimum salary contract, then placed him on injured reserve when he tore his ACL.
- Signed eight players to futures contracts at end of season.
- Signed 13 undrafted rookie free agents following draft.
Justin Hunter was supposed to have a breakout season for the Titans in 2014, but that didn’t quite materialize. Hunter let down the organization again this offseason when he was arrested for felonious assault. Hunter’s legal situation will play out over the coming weeks and that will dictate the level of punishment he’ll receive from the league office.
Top 10 cap hits for 2015:
- Jason McCourty, CB: $8,600,000
- Andy Levitre, G: $8,600,000
- Michael Griffin, S: $8,100,000
- Jurrell Casey, DL: $6,720,000
- Delanie Walker, TE: $5,275,000
- Sammie Lee Hill, DT: $4,666,668
- Brian Orakpo, OLB: $4,468,750
- Derrick Morgan, OLB: $4,000,000
- Da’Norris Searcy, S: $3,625,000
- Ropati Pitoitua, DL: $3,612,500
The Titans don’t exactly look like world beaters heading into 2015, but they certainly look like an improved team heading in the right direction. Few people are picking them to win the division, but they could challenge the Colts and Texans down the road, maybe as soon as 2016.
Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/15
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- Ravens: Signed former Army quarterback Trent Steelman, who tried out as a receiver this week, and cut rookie QB Jerry Lovelocke (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson).
- Bears: Signed G Tyler Moore (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
- Cardinals: Signed CB Shaquille Richardson (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
- Chiefs: Signed DT Hebron Fangupo and RB LaVance Taylor; waived RB Keshawn Hill (Twitter links). Taylor was signed after tweeting his highlight reel to the team.
- Cowboys: Re-signed LB Keith Smith (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). Smith, who played 10 games for the Cowboys last season, was cut by the team in May.
- Giants: Waived WR Ben Edwards and T Troy Kropog (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Both players received a failed physical designation.
- Seahawks: Signed S Tyrequek Zimmerman (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Titans: Signed WR Tebucky Jones, waived T Terren Jones, and placed TE Dorin Dickerson on injured reserve (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com; link via AP).