2014 September - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Drug Policy Talks

September 8th, 2014 at 7:58pm CST by Luke Adams

7:58pm: The NFLPA will have 32 player reps vote on Tuesday regarding a proposed overhauled drug policy after daylong negotiations, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (Twitter link). Mortensen also reported that if the new agreement gets approved, suspended players such as Josh Gordon and Wes Welker could be reinstated.

4:45pm: Negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA on a new drug policy for the league continue to progress, with Albert Breer of the NFL Network reporting that the two sides met in person in New York this afternoon for face-to-face discussions (Twitter link). According to Breer, the in-person meeting is a signal of how talks have advanced, though the policy for DUIs remains a sticking point (Twitter link).

Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report spoke to a union source who said that are three points that are “non-negotiable” for the players in the new policy. According to Cole (all Twitter links), the players want to ensure that there are no suspensions for initial arrests, reasonable standards for positive marijuana tests, and control over appeals for HGH suspensions. On those last two points, the union would like marijuana standards to be roughly in line with most state-employee standards, and want a third party – rather than the commissioner – have final say on HGH decisions.

As for the idea that the league wants to enact suspensions for initial arrests, Cole adds (via Twitter) that even team executives are confused by that, pointing out that charges might be dropped or a player may be proven innocent. Based on what we’ve heard so far, it sounds as if the NFL would like to institute mandatory deactivations, rather than suspensions, for players charged with DUI. That would allow the league to avoid seeing that player on the field immediately following his arrest, but wouldn’t necessarily dock him any pay unless he was later suspended after due process.

Minor Moves: Monday

September 8th, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Luke Adams

With the season’s first Sunday in the books, a handful of teams are shuffling their rosters in preparation for next week’s games. Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

The Bears have added receiver Greg Herd to the practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Herd spent time with the team during training camp before he was cut on August 23.
The Seahawks have signed cornerback Josh Thomas to take the place of the injured Jeremy Lane, reports ESPN’s Terry Blount (via Twitter). They’ve also made some changes to their practice squad, adding guard Nate Isles and safety Terrance Parks in place of guard David Arkin and safety Josh Aubrey, the club announced today (Twitter link).
With Dave Zastudil being bothered by a groin injury, the Cardinals have signed punter Drew Butler, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).
Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi has been claimed off waivers by the Ravens, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bilukidi was cut over the weekend by the Bengals.
When the Bengals cut Bilukidi, they signed Onterio McCalebb to their active roster, but he lasted just two days — he has been waived, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who adds (via Twitter) that the club has also terminated wide receiver Cobi Hamilton from the exempt list of the practice squad.
To make room for Bilukidi, the Ravens waived running back Fitz Toussaint, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
The Broncos have cut long snapper Kevin McDermott from their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. His spot will be taken by tight end Dominique Davis, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has been replaced on the Browns‘ practice squad by defensive lineman Calvin Barnett, says Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

The Bears have signed safety Ahmad Dixon from the Vikings‘ practice squad, cutting cornerback Demontre Hurst to open up a spot on their roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Dixon was drafted by the Cowboys but was waived by Dallas during preseason roster cutdowns.
Offensive tackle Andrew McDonald is also making the move from one team’s practice squad to another club’s 53-man roster, according to agent Brett Tessler, who tweets that his client has a deal with the Seahawks. McDonald had previously been one of the 10 players on the Panthers‘ practice squad.
The Bills have cut defensive end Jacquies Smith to make room for Nigel Bradham, who is returning this week from his one-game suspension, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak.
The Seahawks have placed cornerback Jeremy Lane, who is suffering from a groin injury, on their injured reserve list with the designation to return, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Defensive back Jamarca Sanford, who had been on the Vikings‘ injured reserve list, has been released with a settlement, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
The Chiefs have signed wideout Armon Binns to their practice squad and removed cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke from their IR with an injury settlement, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links).

Extra Points: Rice, Bills Ownership, Injuries

September 8th, 2014 at 6:14pm CST by Matt Feminis

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.

FA Workouts: Kickers, Seahawks, Chiefs, Bills

September 8th, 2014 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of veteran kickers, David Akers and Rob Bironas, have been working out together in Tennessee and hope to continue their NFL careers this season, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). While there are no openings at the position around the league for now, it’s probably just a matter of time until a kicker gets hurt or loses his job after missing a few field goals, and Akers and Bironas look like two of the most reliable options available. I expect we’ll see them on NFL rosters at some point this season.

Here’s more on free agents looking for new teams:

On the lookout for some help at cornerback after placing Jeremy Lane on injured reserve, the Seahawks worked out Mike Harris and Keith Lewis today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
The Chiefs will also be looking for some reinforcements on defense after seeing two key players go down with major Achilles injuries on Sunday. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that defensive end Jerel Worthy, who was recently cut by the Patriots, was among the players auditioning for Kansas City today.
Defensive end James Davidson, a UTEP alum who was in camp with the Bengals, is working out for the Bills today, according to Caplan (via Twitter).
Caplan also provides an update (via Twitter) on ex-Eagles wideout Arrelious Benn, who isn’t trying out for any teams yet, but received a six-week injury settlement from Philadelphia and hopes to be ready to return to action even earlier than that.

49ers Re-Sign Kassim Osgood

September 8th, 2014 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

For the third time this calendar year, the 49ers have signed wide receiver and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to a contract, per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Osgood was just released by the team on Saturday, so it didn’t take long for him to make it back onto the roster.

Osgood, 34, was released by San Francisco during the team’s cutdown to 53 players, re-signed days later, and then cut again before the team’s first game. Because he wasn’t on the club’s Week 1 roster, Osgood’s full-season salary won’t be guaranteed, which gives the Niners some added flexibility, as I explained over the weekend.

In his first year with the Niners, Osgood appeared in only 45 offensive snaps and snagged just one reception during the regular season. However, he was a key contributor in kick and punt coverage, compiling an impressive 13 special teams tackles.

The Niners won’t need to make a corresponding cut, since the team waived LaMichael James earlier today.

49ers Waive LaMichael James

September 8th, 2014 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

LaMichael James has asked for and been granted his release from the 49ers, according to agent Jeff Sperbeck (via Twitter). Sperbeck writes that he and his client appreciate San Francisco’s willingness to allow James “to pursue his career elsewhere” and tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle that there have been talks with the Niners about a potential release for “the last few weeks” (Twitter link).

James, who turns 25 next month, entered the season third on the Niners’ depth chart at running back, behind starter Frank Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde. While he has contributed on special teams, James’ offensive snaps have been limited in his first two seasons in the NFL, as he has accumulated just 41 carries for 184 yards since entering the league.

James was mentioned in trade rumors earlier this year, with reports at the time suggesting the 2012 second-rounder would welcome a trade if it meant a chance to get more playing time. He could get that opportunity now, depending on which team decides to claim him off waivers or – if he clears waivers – to sign him.

Now that Ray Rice is no longer in the picture in Baltimore, the Ravens may be one team that considers placing a waiver claim on James. As for the Niners, with Kendall Hunter on injured reserve and James on waivers, the club may add another running back before Week 2’s contest against the Bears.

Ray Rice Released, Suspended Indefinitely

September 8th, 2014 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

2:22pm: The Ravens were told a “softer” version of events than those shown on the video, tweets Judy Battista of NFL.com. That sounds to me like an attempt to save face, since it’s hard to imagine a “soft” version of an incident that led to Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of an elevator.

1:43pm: The NFL, which claimed not to have seen the most recent video before today, has announced Rice has been indefinitely suspended, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello (Twitter link).

1:34pm: In the wake of TMZ’s publication of a new video that shows Ray Rice knocking his then-fiancée unconscious in an Atlantic City casino elevator, the running back has been released by the Ravens, the team announced today (Twitter link). Rice had been on track to return from his two-game suspension following the team’s game on Thursday against the Steelers, but now he’ll be looking for work. And as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, it will likely be a long time – if ever – before another team signs him.

By releasing Rice, who had three years remaining on his contract, the Ravens will clear about $3.53MM in cap room for 2014, and will carry $9.5MM in dead money on their cap for the 2015 season. Of course, cap figures were hardly a consideration in the move, with the Ravens facing increased scrutiny for their support of Rice following the release of the new elevator footage.

As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier today, the team claimed not to have seen the video before this morning, but a source said Rice described the incident in detail and that it was in line with how it played out on the security footage. In that case, it’s fair to question why the Ravens would back Rice for the last several months before deciding to cut him now under an avalanche of bad PR.

With Rice no longer on the roster, the Ravens figure to rely on Bernard Pierce and Justin Forsett for the majority of their carries, with Lorenzo Taliaferro potentially in the mix as well.

Robert Mathis Tears Achilles, Out For Year

September 8th, 2014 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts were already planning on being without edge rusher Robert Mathis for the first four games of the season, and now they’ll have to get used to being without him for longer than that. Multiple league sources tell Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Mathis suffered a torn Achilles tendon while working out in Atlanta last week, and will be sidelined for the entire 2014 season.

The NFL’s sack leader in 2013, Mathis has been a key part of the Colts’ defense for the last decade, averaging more than 10 sacks per season and earning spots in five Pro Bowls since emerging as a regular in 2004. However, following the suspension and the Achilles injury, his time in Indianapolis may be approaching an end.

The team could decide to place Mathis on the non-football injury list this season, since he didn’t suffer the injury in a team workout. That would mean the club could withhold his salary for this season, and then would have to decide whether to keep him around for next year, when he has a cap hit of $10.75MM for his age-34 season. Indianapolis could save $7MM in cap room by releasing him before the 2015 season.

For now, the Colts will have to find a way to get pressure on quarterbacks this season without their best pass rusher in the fold.

Dolphins Sign Kelvin Sheppard; Ellerbe To IR

September 8th, 2014 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

After recording 100 tackles in his first season with the Dolphins, Dannell Ellerbe‘s second year with the team has been prematurely cut short. Head coach Joe Philbin confirmed today that Ellerbe would land on Miami’s season-ending injured reserve list after sustaining a hip injury in the club’s opener against the Patriots (link via James Walker of ESPN.com). The Dolphins will sign linebacker Kelvin Sheppard using the open roster spot vacated by Ellerbe.

Sheppard, 26, spent the 2013 season with the Colts after two years in Buffalo. His best season came in 2012, when he was a starter for the Bills and racked up 80 tackles to go along with a pair of sacks. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) suggest Sheppard has typically fared better against the pass than the run, scoring much better in pass coverage and as a pass rusher than as a run stopper.

As for Ellerbe, his $6MM base salary this year is fully guaranteed, but only a portion of next year’s $8.425MM salary is currently guaranteed, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Whether or not the linebacker returns to Miami for the 2015 season will depend in part on how his recovery goes, but his cap number figures to be considered as well.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Mathis, Barbre

September 8th, 2014 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Dez Bryant and the Cowboys appeared to be making progress toward a contract extension in the weeks leading up to the regular season, but the two sides didn’t reach an agreement before the team’s opener against the Niners yesterday. According to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News, Bryant said he still intends to table discussions during the season, but seemed disappointed that he and the team couldn’t work something out before that unofficial deadline.

“Truly, I really understand that this is a business,” Bryant said. “I only worry about the things that I can control.”

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

Peter King of TheMMQB.com, who reported last week that the NFL encouraged multiple clubs around the league to consider Michael Sam as a practice squad candidate, writes today that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones denied that the league reached out to him to consider the rookie defensive end.
An MRI on Eagles guard Evan Mathis revealed an MCL sprain of his right knee, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The injury isn’t expected to end Mathis’ season, but it should sideline him for an extended period, so he may be a candidate for the IR list with the designation to return.
Allen Barbre, who was stepping in for the suspended Lane Johnson, suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s game and is also expected to miss multiple weeks, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. With Johnson slated to miss the next three games, and Mathis and Barbre likely out for those contests as well, the Eagles will likely be forced to feature a makeshift offensive line for at least the rest of September.
Ex-Falcons wideout Darius Johnson is looking for another shot with an NFL team, and has a workout lined up with the Giants this week, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.