Titans Sign James Anderson; Brown To IR
The Titans have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker James Anderson, the team announced today (via Twitter). Anderson takes the 53-man roster spot vacated by fellow linebacker Zach Brown, who has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
Anderson, 30, was one of the more notable veteran linebackers on the market, having started all 16 games last season for the Bears. While Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranked Anderson 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers in 2013, his poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage.
Anderson, a former third-round pick who also accumulated 102 tackles and four quarterback sacks, signed with the Pats in the offseason, but was cut during the preseason, and was one of several linebackers who worked out last week for the Titans. As for Brown, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle during Tennessee’s Week 1 game against the Chiefs.
Besides swapping in one linebacker for another on the 53-man roster, the Titans did the same on their practice squad. According to the club (via Twitter), Justin Staples has been added to the taxi squad, replacing Brandon Copeland.
Audition Notes: Titans, Giants
As we approach halftime of the late afternoon contests, we have a couple audition notes to pass along:
- Following the season-ending injury to Zach Brown, the Titans are leaving no stone unturned while searching for replacements at linebacker. Tennessee brought in 10 linebackers for a workout, according to Howard Balzer (on Twitter): James Anderson, Nate Askew, Allen Bradford, Larry Dean, L.J. Fort, Will Herring, Paris Lenon, Stephen Nicholas, Justin Staples, and Kion Wilson all auditioned on Friday.
- We already heard that Giants worked out several punters on Friday, but Balzer reports (via Twitter) that New York also brought in kicker Chris Boswell for a tryout. Boswell was released by the Texans in August.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
South Auditions: Bucs, Titans, Jags, Panthers
Earlier today, we passed along several updates from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on AFC and NFC East teams working out free agents, perhaps with an eye on signing some of them later in the season. A handful of teams in the AFC and NFC South have also auditioned players this week, and Wilson has those items as well, via Twitter. Here are the highlights:
- Special teams was an area of focus for the Buccaneers this week, with the team working out long snappers Brandon Hartson and Charley Hughlett, as well as punter Kasey Redfern. Cornerback Derek Cox and running back Lache Seastrunk also tried out for the club.
- Jacob Pedersen, Brett Brackett, and Blake Annen were among the tight ends to work out this week for the Titans, who also auditioned quarterback Alex Tanney.
- In addition to conducting the previously-reported workout for tight end David Paulson, the Jaguars also took a look at tight end Jake Murphy, along with defensive backs Tommie Campbell and Brandon Ghee.
- A pair of interior offensive linemen, Philip Blake and Evan Finkenberg, tried out for the Panthers.
- We’d previously heard about the Colts hosting free agent running back Mikel Leshoure and signing outside linebacker Chris Carter, but Wilson adds one more name to the team’s list of workouts: former Saints edge defender Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
AFC Notes: Spiller, Brown, Patterson
Heading into Week 2, Raiders coach Dennis Allen is expecting to see a significant step forward from rookie quarterback Derek Carr, writes Nate Stuhlbarg of CSNBayArea.com. “He’s got a tremendous skill set,” Allen said. “And he’s going to do nothing but get better the more opportunity he gets.” Last week, Carr threw for two touchdowns on 20-of-32 passing accuracy against the Jets. Here’s more from the AFC..
- We heard yesterday that the Bills and C.J. Spiller‘s reps have discussed a new contract for the running back, but a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link) that those talks were just “introductory and preliminary” in nature, with no actual numbers exchanged. Still, the club would like to get something done with Spiller before the end of the league year in March.
- While there had been some hope that linebacker Zach Brown could be placed on injured reserve with the designation to return, it appears he’ll head straight to IR, ending his season, Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt said today (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com). With Brown no longer in the mix for this year, the Titans are working out free agent linebacker Justin Staples this Friday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- An explosive wide receiver like Cordarrelle Patterson would look good on the Patriots‘ roster, and New England had an opportunity to draft him in 2013, but ultimately traded the first-round pick for four lower selections. With a matchup against the Vikings on this weekend’s slate, Pats head coach Bill Belichick said today that he has no regrets about the trade that landed Patterson in Minnesota, as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune details.
Player Auditions: Tuesday
The Chiefs had inside linebackers Desmond Bishop, Marvin Mitchell, and Nick Barnett in for workouts, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Here’s the latest news on player workouts from around the NFL..
- The Redskins worked out former Patriots wide receiver Mark Harrison today, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- The Patriots tried out former Falcons linebacker Yawin Smallwood today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- Former Rams safety Matt Daniels visited the Dolphins yesterday, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (on Twitter).
- In the wake of an injury that starting tight end Jordan Cameron suffered in the season opener, the Browns brought in tight end Kellen Davis for a workout on Tuesday, a league source told Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports. Last season, Davis played in 15 games for the Seahawks in a No. 3 tight end role. He finished with three receptions for 32 yards and, most importantly, a Super Bowl ring.
- The Browns also worked out tight end Chase Coffman today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
- The Jets worked out several players, including guards Doug Legursky and Jeff Baca, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). They also worked out some punters and a long snapper.
- The Bills worked out former Cumberlands running back Terrance Cobb, who was among their 29 pre-draft visits this spring, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In total, the Bills worked out 14 players (link).
- The Redskins auditioned quarterbacks Pat Devlin, B.J. Coleman, and Ricky Stanzi, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). They also auditioned four tight ends in total.
- Tight end Chase Harper worked out for the Titans today, Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean tweets.
- The Buccaneers worked out long snapper Brandon Hartson today, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are today’s minor moves..
- The Redskins are planning on using the short term IR designation for Barry Cofield, which coach Jay Gruden mentioned was a possibility, according to Chris Russell of ESPN 980 (on Twitter). The Redskins have since made the move official. The Redskins promoted safety Akeem Davis to the 53-man roster to fill Cofield’s roster spot, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (on Twitter). The Redskins also added tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Marvin McNutt to fill the void of their taxi squad cuts from earlier today, Jones tweets.
- The Ravens re-signed Fitzgerald Toussaint to practice squad after he cleared waivers, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Toussaint was let go to make room for defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi.
- The Patriots announced that they have signed defensive end Cam Henderson to the practice squad and released quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson from the practice squad to make room. Henderson, 24, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent out of UCF with the Falcons in April of 2013, He has since had stints with the Falcons’ and Browns’ practice squads. Bethel-Thompson, 26, is a Sacramento State product who has been with the Dolphins (2011), Vikings (2012-2013) and 49ers (2013).
- The Panthers waived former Rutgers tight end and one-time quarterback D.C. Jefferson from injured reserve, less than a week after he was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).
- The Titans have reached an injury settlement with defensive lineman Antonio Johnson and have released him, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.
- The Seahawks re-signed wide receiver Phil Bates to the practice squad and released linebacker Allen Bradford, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).
- The Saints waived Ty Nsekhe from the injured reserve today, according to Kat Terrell of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter).
- Former Bills defensive end Jacquies Smith was claimed by the Buccaneers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter). Smith was let go yesterday by Buffalo.
- The Titans have signed tight end Brett Brackett to the practice squad and released TE Orson Charles, according to McCormick (on Twitter).
- Evan Mathis has been sent to the IR by the Eagles but is designated to return, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). He’ll be eligible to face the Panthers on November 10th.
South Notes: Colts, Saints, Newton, Titans
With Robert Mathis now sidelined for the season with a torn Achilles, the Colts will have to turn to other players to jump-start their pass rush, and head coach Chuck Pagano says the team will consider all its options. However, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes, the Colts are in a tough spot when it comes to adding outside help. The free agent list is very thin when it comes to pass rushers, and Indianapolis would prefer not to give up future draft picks to acquire a player via trade. In Holder’s view, the club may have to rely on its in-house options to attempt to fill Mathis’ shoes.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:
- ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett passes along a report from colleague Field Yates, who says the Saints auditioned a handful of players on Monday, including running backs Michael Ford, Edwin Baker, and Tauren Poole, and tight ends Michael Egnew and David Paulson (Twitter link).
- There wasn’t necessarily any urgency for the Panthers to restructure Charles Johnson‘s contract, but the team did so anyway, clearing more than $5MM from its 2014 cap. David Newton of ESPN.com wonders if the move might be a precursor to locking up Cam Newton to a contract extension sooner rather than later.
- Tight end Michael Flacco, whose brother Joe Flacco quarterbacks the Ravens, is working out for the Titans today, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
Poll: Which Week 1 Overachiever Is For Real?
Although Ray Rice‘s release and suspension currently dominates headlines, the first weekend of the NFL season had several intriguing matchups, including some that left many in the football community scratching their heads.
The Lions just lowered the boom on Eli Manning‘s Giants in this season’s first Monday Night Football matchup. The Giants’ secondary had no answer for Calvin Johnson, and eventually fell 35-14 as their offense stagnated, picking up less than 2.5 yards per carry on the ground. Should the Bears and Packers be worried about Detroit? Or is this Giants team just destined to become the NFC East’s doormat this year?
Many thought that the Falcons were one of football’s unluckiest teams last season. Injuries prevented the team’s offensive playmaking core of Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Steven Jackson from ever taking the field together. Atlanta was a popular bounce-back candidate heading into this season, and the team’ supporters were vindicated early by the Falcons’ 37-34 victory over the Saints this past weekend. Are the Falcons a serious playoff contender? Or were they overachieving?
The Patriots just went to the AFC Title Game last season without injured stars Sebastian Vollmer, Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork, and Rob Gronkowski. The team would additionally lose Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib to a leg injury in the second quarter of that game against the Broncos. On top of returning all of those impact starters, Bill Belichick‘s squad was strengthened when Darrelle Revis was brought in to fill the the vacated cornerback position after Talib signed with the Broncos in free agency. These new-look Patriots flopped big-time this weekend in the form of a 33-20 loss to the Dolphins. Are the Dolphins for real? Or did they just catch the high-octane Patriots machine before it was firing on all cylinders?
The Bills made some of the biggest waves of the offseason when they traded up on draft night to select Sammy Watkins fourth overall. The win-now move was a clear signal to Bills fans that Doug Marrone intends to contend in his second season at the helm of the team. Although the Watkins move drew some criticism in the spring, the Bills silenced some of those critics by leaving Chicago with a 23-20 victory. The Bears, a popular playoff projection candidate, came into the game with the league’s scariest receiving duo in Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall and a revived pass rush led by Jared Allen. Are Marrone’s Bills going to make noise in the AFC East this season? Or are they going to fall back down to earth next weekend against the Dolphins?
The Titans’ lead was never in doubt on Sunday as the team cruised to a 26-10 victory over the Chiefs in Kansas City this weekend. The Chiefs’ infamous Wild Card meltdown to the Colts last season left confirmed what many skeptics already suspected of Andy Reid‘s squad: that they had vastly overachieved in 2013 thanks largely to the easiest schedule in the NFL. The Titans were expected to rock the boat in a weak AFC South this year, but this commanding victory on the road against a reigning playoff team raised some eyebrows. Are Jake Locker and the Titans going to keep up their winning form? Or did they just take advantage of a highly overrated Chiefs’ team?
Will we see one or more of these teams in the postseason? Do you think any other surprise winners from Week 1 are legit? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Extra Points: Rice, Bills Ownership, Injuries
The NFL has informed teams that any contract with Ray Rice will not be approved until further direction is provided from Roger Goodell, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Additionally, Rice will not be eligible to play north of the border, either, as the CFL will honor the NFL’s suspension, according to Sportsnet’s Arash Madani (via Twitter).
Here’s some more miscellaneous news and notes:
- Bids to buy the Bills are in from Terry Pegula, Donald Trump and Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto-based group, reports the Buffalo News’ Tim Graham (via Twitter). He adds multiple sources believe the process could be wrapped up as soon as Wednesday. As of yesterday, Pegula, who also owns the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, appears to be the favorite to land the winning bid.
- Titans linebacker Zach Brown will miss the rest of the season because of a torn pectoral, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Zaviar Gooden, another athletic linebacker, is expected to replace Brown in the starting lineup.
- Bears center Roberto Garza sustained a high ankle sprain yesterday, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). With Garza sidelined for an undetermined period of time, the Bears will turn to free-agent acquisition Brian De La Puente at center.
- Redskins defensive tackle Barry Cofield will also be sidelined by a high ankle sprain, says Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
- The Patriots worked out running back Daniel Thomas, quarterback Brock Jensen and tight ends Evan Wilson and Brian Wozniak, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link).
- Yates also reports a couple more running back tryouts: Chris Rainey (Cardinals) and Lache Seastrunk (Packers).
- Jason Fitzgerald at OverTheCap.com identifies players entering crucial stages of their contract who helped or hurt their stock on Sunday. Fitzgerald highlights Broncos tight end Julian Thomas, who recorded 7-103-3 in a win over the Colts, noting Thomas or teammate and free agent-to-be Demaryius Thomas “should be able to jump into a new offer” since the team can only franchise one of their pass-catching stars. At the other end of the spectrum, Fitzgerald says Redskins pass rusher Brian Orakpo was “non-existent “on Sunday. Furthermore, Orakpo’s reputation as someone who disappears in games could prevent him from getting the type of mega deal he seeks in free agency.
South Notes: Titans, Watt, Jags, Bucs
Let’s round up a few Wednesday items from out of the NFL’s two South divisions….
- The Titans appear to be eyeing secondary help. In addition to hosting Crezdon Butler for a tryout, as we heard yesterday, the team also auditioned veteran defensive backs Dominique Franks, Julian Posey, R.J. Stanford, and Terrell Thomas, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). In a separate tweet, Wilson adds that Tennessee had interest in signing cornerback Derek Cox before he returned to the Ravens.
- Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link) provides the details on the contract that kicker Ryan Succop signed with the Titans. According to Kuharsky, it’s a minimum-salary pact with a $15K roster bonus.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap provides a full year-by-year breakdown of what J.J. Watt‘s new contract extension with the Texans should look like, based on a report from John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
- After auditioning for the Dolphins yesterday, tight end David Paulson has a tryout scheduled with the Jaguars for next Tuesday, tweets Wilson.
- Wide receivers Joe Anderson and Chris Williams, along with defensive backs Jordan Mabin and C.J. Wilson, worked out for the Buccaneers, according to Wilson (via Twitter).