Titans Put McCluster On IR, Sign Richardson
The Titans have officially ended the season of all-purpose weapon Dexter McCluster, the team announced today (via Twitter). McCluster has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, and wide receiver Rico Richardson has been promoted from the practice squad to take his place on the roster.
McCluster, 25, inked a three-year deal with the Titans after spending the first four years of his career with the Chiefs. A Pro Bowler in 2013 for his exceptional work on punt returns, McCluster has underwhelmed in Tennessee this year. For the season, he recorded 26 catches for 197 yards, along with 40 carries for 131 yards for an average of 3.3 yards per carry. Those numbers are well below his Kansas City averages of 375 receiving yards per season and 4.4 yards per carry. McCluster also didn’t contribute much in the return game for the Titans.
While McCluster didn’t have an overly productive first year with the Titans, he’ll likely return to the team next season. He’s currently on the books for a cap hit of $3.35MM, and would count for $2MM against the cap if he were released.
Extra Points: Dolphins, Murray, Oakman, Raiola
James Walker of ESPN.com previewed the Dolphins‘ 2015 offensive free agents, a group that includes tight end Charles Clay, guard Daryn Colledge, center Samson Satele, and running backs Knowshon Moreno and Daniel Thomas. It’s an interesting group, Walker writes, because most of these players were contributors or expected contributors until injuries shortened the season. Clay appeared to be in store for a big payday this offseason, but that no longer appears to be the case. More from around the NFL..
- Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News wonders how DeMarco Murray‘s left hand injury might factor into his contract situation. The Cowboys star running back is set to hit the open market this offseason.
- Baylor defensive lineman Shawn Oakman is strongly considering entering the 2015 draft, multiple sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports. Oakman led Baylor with ten sacks and recorded 18.5 tackles for loss in 12 games this season. Oakman might be playing his final game in a Baylor uniform on January 1st against Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.
- Lions center Dominic Raiola is not ready for retirement just yet, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The pending free agent says tha the still has more in the tank, even after 14 seasons. A second-round pick out of Nebraska in 2001, Raiola has played the last two seasons on prove-it deals, and the Lions will have to decide whether to bring him back for a 15th year this off-season.
- A league source told Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com that veteran left tackle Michael Roos, who has spent his entire career with the Titans since being drafted in 2005, is open to the possibility of returning to the club and manning the right tackle spot. The 32-year-old saw some time on the right side in his first two seasons.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
With contending teams vying for playoff spots and fighting for higher seeds, and non-contenders perhaps taking a longer look at younger players down the stretch, we can expect teams to make plenty of minor tweaks to their 53-man rosters this week. Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- According to the league transaction wire, quarterback Chandler Harnish has been released by the Vikings, tweets Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. Harnish was under an injured designation with a foot injury.
- The Browns have made room for the addition of Andrew McDonald (noted below) by waiving linebacker Zac Diles, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- The Buccaneers have released cornerback Crezdon Butler, and will likely announce more moves on Wednesday, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link). One possible replacement for Butler could be former safety Mistral Raymond — a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) that the former Viking worked out for Tampa Bay today.
- The Raiders have plucked a player from across the bay, signing cornerback Chance Casey from off the 49ers’ practice squad, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- A day after being cut by the Colts, offensive tackle Andrew McDonald has been claimed off waivers by the Browns, according to agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). It’s not clear yet who is coming off Cleveland’s roster to make room for the new addition.
- Cornerback Josh Thomas, who apparently lost his playbook recently, won’t be needing it back now — he was released by the Jets today, according to the team (Twitter link). New York called up safety Rontez Miles from the practice squad to take Thomas’ place on the roster.
- Offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb has been cut by the Vikings, the team announced today (Twitter link). Webb’s release comes on the heels of his missed block that led to a blocked field goal during Sunday’s loss to the Lions.
- Having already made multiple roster moves today, the Ravens completed a couple more, placing running back Lorenzo Taliaferro on the injured reserve list and signed former defensive tackle Casey Walker off the Patriots’ practice squad, the club announced in a press release. Baltimore still has an open spot on its 53-man roster.
- The Titans have swapped tight ends on their active roster, signing Matthew Mulligan and placing Brett Brackett on injured reserve, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter links). Brackett’s season comes to a premature end due to a knee issue.
- The Cardinals have placed defensive tackle Ed Stinson on injured reserve, ending his season, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter). Taking Stinson’s place on the roster is wide receiver Brittan Golden, promoted from Arizona’s practice squad.
- The Falcons cleared a roster spot by placing cornerback Robert Alford on injured reserve yesterday with a wrist issue, and will fill that spot today by promoting cornerback Ricardo Allen from their practice squad, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the move (via Twitter).
- Agent Mike McCartney indicated today (via Twitter) that his client, offensive lineman Ryan Jensen, has received a promotion from the Ravens‘ practice squad to the team’s 53-man roster. It’s not clear yet whose spot Jensen is taking, but defensive backs Asa Jackson and Terrence Brooks are both expected to be placed on IR this week.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
We’ve already got one ongoing post designed to track today’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the league, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:
- The Saints added guard Andrew Miller to the taxi squad while releasing offensive tackle DeMarcus Love and defensive tackle Garrison Smith, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers cut running back Tauren Poole from their taxi squad yet again and replaced him by re-signing Micanor Regis, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- A source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) that the Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz, creating a second open spot on the Kansas City practice squad.
- The Cowboys have their practice squad back up to 10 players, signing linebacker Mister Alexander to fill the final opening, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
- Wide receiver Travis Labhart has been placed on the Texans‘ practice squad-injured list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Having lost cornerback Chance Casey to the Raiders, the 49ers replaced him on their practice squad by signing cornerback Cameron Fuller, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Ravens have filled up their practice squad by signing cornerback Quinton Pointer, the team announced today.
- Earlier today, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported (via Twitter) that the Texans were working out quarterback Seth Lobato, but the club ended up signing another quarterback to its taxi squad. Ricky Stanzi is the signal-caller that landed with the Texans, tweets Wilson.
- The Jets have signed former Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey to their practice squad, according to the team (Twitter link).
- After cutting him over the weekend, Washington has re-signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to the club’s practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team also added defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui to the unit, cutting linebacker Justin Jackson to accommodate the move (Twitter link).
- Having lost Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker to injuries, the Titans added quarterback Jordan Palmer to their active roster yesterday, and have added another signal-caller to their practice squad today for emergency purposes. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweets that QB Alex Tanney has signed with Tennessee’s taxi squad.
- Former Wake Forest defensive lineman Zach Thompson is signing to the Ravens‘ practice squad, taking one of the two open spots on the unit, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The 49ers have brought back a player who was part of the club’s practice squad earlier this season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve re-added tight end Xavier Grimble.
Extra Points: JPP, Cameron, Gruden, Locker
Jason Pierre-Paul’s walk year spike may cost the Giants, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. After performing solidly but not spectacularly for the bulk of the season, Pierre-Paul is putting on a great show down the home stretch, just in time to increase his worth. “That’s one of those things that go unnoticed, but I think people are starting to realize he gets tremendous sack numbers but his sack numbers, just because they went down, they don’t realize how much of a hustle player he is,’’ said second-year defensive end Damontre Moore. More from around the NFL..
- Not everyone is looking strong heading into free agency. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked at three players who hurt their stock with their play on Sunday, including Browns tight end Jordan Cameron and Ravens running back Justin Forsett.
- Jon Gruden openly wonders if the Bears should have kept Josh McCown and ditched Jay Cutler, as Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) writes. While Cutler has struggled, I would note that McCown hasn’t exactly shined in Tampa Bay.
- Given his issues with durability as well as the fundamentals of the position, Jake Locker will have to settle for a backup job as a potential reclamation project in 2015, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. The Titans quarterback was placed on IR earlier today.
- With many issues still to be settled, it sounds unlikely that the league will put a team in Los Angeles in time to play in 2015, writes Peter King of The MMQB.
- In an interview on WBBM-AM 780, Bears GM Phil Emery spoke about last week’s controversy involving offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune has the goods.
- In case you were worried, the Super Bowl will go on, despite the failure of Congress to renew the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
Titans Sign Jordan Palmer; Locker To IR
Like the division-rival Texans, the Titans are cycling through quarterbacks as injuries pile up, and have added a veteran free agent to the mix, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports that Jordan Palmer is signing with the club. To accommodate the new addition to the 53-man roster, Tennessee is moving Jake Locker to the injured reserve list, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
Palmer, the younger brother of Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, spent last season with the Bears as the No. 3 QB, behind Jay Cutler and Josh McCown, but was cut by the team during the 2014 preseason. The 30-year-old Palmer has also spent time with the Bengals and the Jaguars, and had a brief stint with the Bills prior to the regular season. He has logged just 15 pass attempts in his career.
The other half of the quarterback shake-up is perhaps of greater interest to Titans fans — with Locker heading to the IR list, his season is officially over, and his career in Tennessee appears to be coming to an end as well. The former first-round pick is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March, and new head coach Ken Whisenhunt hasn’t shown much interest in keeping or developing the 26-year-old. Locker likely won’t draw much interest in the offseason as a starter after a subpar, injury-plagued 2014 season. But in the right situation, he could become a solid backup with upside.
With Zach Mettenberger also sidelined, Charlie Whitehurst looks like the probable starter for the Titans’ Thursday night game against Jacksonville.
Injury Updates: Sunday
We’ll keep track of the latest injury news here, with the newest updates added to the top of the list…
- Lions‘ right tackle LaAdrian Waddle left today’s game with a right knee injury, according to Josh Katzenstein of DetroitNews.com. Waddle’s teammates were not optimistic about the injury, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Seahawks‘ left tackle Russell Okung was forced out of the matchup with the 49ers before halftime with a chest injury, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- The 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention earlier today, and were down to their third string running back at times. We heard that Frank Gore was knocked out of the game with a head injury, which was diagnosed as a concussion, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
- Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy hyperextended his knee, an injury that could end his season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. With no chance of playoffs and the 2015 top pick in their grasp, keeping McCoy on the sidelines for the final two games could be the smart long-term decision for the team.
- Washington lost two starters earlier today, with left tackle Trent Williams and quarterback Colt McCoy both leaving the game and not returning, reports Tarik-El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Williams suffered a shoulder injury, while McCoy aggravated his neck during the game.
Earlier updates:
- After having his right ankle taped during the first half of today’s game against the Broncos, Chargers receiver Keenan Allen had to be carted off the field during the second half, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. It’s unclear whether Allen re-aggravated his ankle ailment, or suffered a new injury.
- Texans quarterback Tom Savage was limping after today’s game against the Colts, and will have an MRI tomorrow, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Savage, selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was filling in for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is likely lost for the year. If Savage can’t go next week, Houston would presumably turn to journeyman Thad Lewis, who was signed less than a month ago.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore is headed to the locker room after suffering an head injury while blocking in today’s game against the Seahawks, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).
- The Ravens’ secondary has been ravaged by injuries this season, and it appears as though they’ve lost a few more key defenders. Rookie safety Terrence Brooks‘ season is over after he suffered damage to his PCL and possibly his MCL on a kickoff today, while cornberback Asa Jackson‘s status is unclear after he injured his PCL, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Another AFC North team is down several players in its defensive backfield, as Browns corners Joe Haden (shoulder) and Joe Haden (concussion) were forced from today’s game against the Bengals, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Starting in the absence of an injured Zach Mettenberger, Titans quarterback Jake Locker suffered what appears to a shoulder injury after taking a hit from the Jets’ Quinton Coples, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Charlie Whitehurst has taken over at QB for Tennessee.
Update On Race For 2015 No. 1 Pick
Not much has changed in a week regarding the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Four out of the five two-win temas projected to select in the top five next offseason going into Week 15 lost again today, with the lone winners being the New York Jets.
The Jets of course defeated the Titans, who themselves are vying for the number one pick. The Jets now have three wins and will probably miss out on a top-five pick, due to a difficult strength of schedule that had them choosing after the Buccaneers, Titans, and Jaguars despite finishing with the same win total.
With two games left, the draft order among non-playoff teams is beginning to take shape, and the top four selections are comprised of the two win teams currently sit as follows, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter):
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers; vs. GB, vs. NO
- Tennessee Titans; @ JAX, vs. IND
- Jacksonville Jaguars; vs. TEN, @ HOU
- Oakland Raiders; vs. BUF, @ DEN
One of those four is guaranteed to improve to 3-12 next week barring any ties, as the Titans will travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.
Washington is sitting at 3-11 much like the Jets, with Washington currently slotted to pick fifth overall. They could still jump the Jaguars, should Jacksonville beat the Titans at home on Thursday, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
Even if the Jets lose out, the only way they can jump back into the top five is with a win from Washington or the Raiders in these last two weeks.
Latest On Titans Ownership; Manning Interested?
Following the Bills sale earlier this year, the Titans could be the next team to hit the market, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Bud Adams, who had owned the Houston/Tennessee franchise since 1960, passed away in October, leaving his son-in-law Tommie Smith to serve as majority owner. However, not every member of the family is inclined to retain the club for the long-term, especially after the Buffalo franchise was sold for $1.4 billion. Insiders believe the Titans could be worth as much as $2 billion, and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is being floated as a potential leader of an ownership group.
For that possibility to occur, obviously, Manning would have to retire in the near future — those close to the future Hall of Famer tell La Canfora that there’s been no movement either way regarding his retirement, with one source saying that “I don’t even think [Manning] knows.” Still, the CBS scribe allows that it “wouldn’t be a shock” to see Manning hang it up in 2015, which would pave the way for him to move into an owner/executive career, a path he has long been interested in pursuing.
Indeed, one reason Manning nearly opted to sign with the Titans in 2012 was that he wanted to become involved with the team’s front office structure once his playing days ended — at the time, Manning’s friend (and current Browns owner) Jimmy Haslam was considering purchasing the Tennessee franchise. Manning, a University of Tennessee alum, might still be intrigued by joining the Titans in some manner, and undertaking a post-playing career similar to that of Broncos general manager John Elway.
Manning wouldn’t be the only suitor interested in controlling the Titans, continues La Canfora. FedEx CEO and Washington minority owner Fred Smith is based in Memphis, and the Titans have appealed to him for some time. Sources also say that Steelers minority owner David Tepper could be a strong contender to vie for the club. Manning, obviously, would be the most high-profile suitor, and join the Panthers’ Jerry Richardson as the only current owners to have previously played in the NFL.
AFC South Links: Jaguars, Wayne, Titans
Jaguars rookie Storm Johnson is finally going to get an opportunity to be the team’s featured running back. The seventh-rounder has been inactive for the past six weeks, but an injury to Denard Robinson has forced the 22-year-old into the lineup. Even without the injuries, the coaching staff was trying to find a way to promote their talented young player. Via Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union:
“We were trying to find a way, regardless of the injury to D-Rob, to get Storm up,” said coach Gus Bradley. “I think it’s been based on the last couple weeks of practice. That’s what I’ve been talking to him about. It wasn’t because of injury that you’re getting this opportunity. We were talking to him about it anyway. He’s earned it.”
Johnson, who has compiled 64 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season, appreciated the recognition:
“It meant a lot that my hard work has been noticed. People have been watching me. It makes me want to work harder and do what I’ve been doing.”
Let’s see what else is happening in the AFC South…
- ESPN.com’s Mike Wells can’t envision the Colts letting go of Reggie Wayne at the conclusion of the season. Instead, he suggests the team should let the veteran make his own decision, since he’ll likely retire when his tenure with the Colts is finished. “This is what I am. This is what I believe in,” Wayne told Wells. “I’ve been here this long, I just don’t see myself anywhere else. This is where I want to finish. At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, whenever that day is, I just want to be wearing blue and white. That’s just what I want to do.”
- Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com previews the Titans‘ tops needs in free agency, focusing on a pass-rushing linebacker and help on the offensive line. The writer adds that the team will not be afraid to spend.
- John Glennon of The Tennessean collects the opinions of various NFL pundits regarding the future of Zach Mettenberger. All of the analysts believe the rookie will certainly be in the running to be the Titans quarterback of the future. However, none would be surprised if the team pursued a veteran in free agency or another young player in the draft.
- Following news that offensive lineman Michael Oher was placed on the injured reserve, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets his belief that the tackle’s tenure with the Titans is over.