HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Stephen Hill Works Out For Panthers

September 1st, 2014 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After being cut this weekend by the Jets, wide receiver Stephen Hill worked out today for the Panthers, as first reported by ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Carolina also took a look at ex-Eagles wideout Kadron Boone today, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. However, according to head coach Ron Rivera, the team doesn’t intend to sign either player at this point (link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer).

Hill, a former second-round pick, spent an underwhelming two years with the Jets, catching just 45 passes since being selected 43rd overall in 2012. However, he’s still just 23 years old, so he figures to draw interest from other clubs that still believe he has some upside.

The Panthers make some sense as a suitor for Hill, considering the team lost a handful of wideouts in the offseason, and is heading into the season with a group headed by rookie Kelvin Benjamin and veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant. For now, it seems Carolina will stick with that group, though the team could readdress the position at some point.

Cowboys Sign C.J. Spillman

September 1st, 2014 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 3:03pm: Spillman’s one-year, minimum-salary contract includes a $40K signing bonus, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 1:05pm: Another player cut by the 49ers this past week has found a new NFL home, as the Cowboys announced in a press release that they’ve signed former Niner C.J. Spillman. We’d heard previously that the defensive back was en route to Dallas to ink a deal with the Cowboys.

Spillman, 28, logged 79 defensive snaps last year for San Francisco, playing a larger role in kick and punt coverage. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), Spillman recorded an impressive 18 special teams tackles. He’ll become one of nine players in the Cowboys’ secondary, and one of five safeties.

Raiders Announce Full Practice Squad

September 1st, 2014 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raiders were one of just a handful of NFL teams that didn’t make any announcements regarding their practice squad yesterday, but the team issued a press release today to formally confirm the previously-reported names on the squad, and to announce the other additions. Here’s the full list of players that will make up Oakland’s initial practice squad:

  • George Atkinson III, RB
  • Denico Autry, DE
  • Ras-I Dowling, CB
  • Bojay Filimoeatu, LB (previously reported)
  • Spencer Hadley, LB
  • Dan Kistler, T
  • Ricky Lumpkin, DT (previously reported)
  • Lamar Mady, G (previously reported)
  • Seth Roberts, WR
  • Scott Simonson, TE (previously reported)

Ryan Succop, Titans Agree To One-Year Deal

September 1st, 2014 at 1:13pm CST by Ben Levine

1:13pm: The Titans have officially agreed to terms with Succop on a one-year deal, reports Wyatt (via Twitter). Per Terry McCormick (via Twitter), rookie kicker Travis Coons will be cut to make room on the roster.

MONDAY, 11:18am: Succop is still receiving interest from several teams, but is making the most progress with the Titans, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

SUNDAY, 9:38pm: The Titans waived Maikon Bonani yesterday, indicating that the team was going to move forward with Travis Coons as their starting kicker. Those plans have apparently changed, as Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean reports that the team is expected to sign veteran Ryan Succop.

Succop’s five-year tenure as the Chiefs‘ starting placekicker ended yesterday when he failed to make the team’s final cuts. The 27-year-old has made 81 percent of his career field goal attempts and has never missed an extra point. Last season, he converted 22-of-28 field goal attempts, leading Pro Football Focus (subscription required) to rank him as the 19th-best kicker. To compare, the Titans kicker last season, Rob Bironas, ranked as the 25th-best.

Texans Sign Danieal Manning

September 1st, 2014 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 12:14pm: Manning took a physical with the Texans and officially signed today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

SUNDAY, 4:00pm: The Texans are expected to sign free agent safety Danieal Manning, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, who reports (via Twitter) that a deal is in place, pending a physical. Manning was released by the Bengals as part of their cutdown from 75 players to 53, but didn’t have to pass through waivers because he’s a vested veteran.

Barring any complications, Manning, 32, will rejoin the team with whom he has spent the last three years. The veteran safety saw his 2013 season cut short when he fractured his fibula in October, forcing him out of action for the year’s final 10 games. Prior to ’13, he had started 45 regular season games in the previous three seasons for the Texans and Bears.

Manning recorded a positive overall grade during that stretch, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though PFF’s advanced metrics suggested his play was declining from season to season — he posted a +11.8 grade in 2010, followed by +3.1 in 2011, and -4.2 in 2012. Still, Manning’s traditional numbers were strong even in his most recent full season (2012), when he logged 77 tackles, recovered three fumbles, and grabbed a pair of interceptions, including one for a touchdown.

In Houston, Manning will join a group of safeties that includes Kendrick Lewis, D.J. Swearinger, and Shiloh Keo. One veteran who is no longer part of that group is Chris Clemons, whom the team cut earlier today.

Chargers Sign Ricardo Mathews

September 1st, 2014 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have made a pair of minor moves to their 53-man roster today, announcing in a press release that they’ve cut running back Marion Grice and used the newly-opened spot to sign defensive tackle Ricardo Mathews. San Diego GM Tom Telesco has some history with Mathews, who was drafted back in 2010 by Indianapolis when Telesco was part of the Colts’ organization.

Although he only started six games for the Colts during his four years with the club, Mathews was a major contributor on the team’s defensive line over the last three seasons, appearing in more than 1,300 defensive snaps during that stretch. The 26-year-old set a career-high in 2013 with 23 tackles, though Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as below average against both the run and pass.

Mathews signed with the Texans as a free agent in April, but was released this weekend as the team cut its roster down to 53 players.

Patriots Add Seven To Practice Squad

September 1st, 2014 at 11:52am CST by Rob DiRe

11:52am: The Pats have officially announced their full practice squad in a press release, and the following players are the three that had yet to be reported:

11:00am: The Patriots have added four players to their practice squad, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via a series of Twitter posts). The following players joined the practice squad today:

Minor Moves: AFC South

September 1st, 2014 at 10:52am CST by Rob DiRe

Here are some minor transactions from around the AFC South this Labor Day:

 

Sunday/Monday Transactions: NFC North

September 1st, 2014 at 10:30am CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Chicago Bears:

Detroit Lions:

Green Bay Packers:

Minnesota Vikings:

Sunday/Monday Transactions: NFC East

September 1st, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Dallas Cowboys:

New York Giants:

Philadelphia Eagles:

Washington Redskins:

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