2014 October - Pro Football Rumors

Chiefs Unlikely To Extend Justin Houston

October 28th, 2014 at 8:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With a 4-3 record through the first eight weeks of the season, the Chiefs are still in the thick of the AFC playoff picture, and their defense, which ranks ninth in DVOA, has played a central role in the club’s success. One key cog in Kansas City’s defensive unit might not be around for the long-term, however, as sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports that linebacker Justin Houston and the team are “worlds apart” in extension talks, meaning the NFL’s current sack leader is likely to either become a free agent at season’s end, or be slapped with the franchise tag.

We’ve heard before that Houston was expected to play out his contract, despite the fact that, as Getlin reports, the Chiefs and Houston representatives have been discussing a long-term pact for the better part of a year. If Kansas City does opt to place the franchise tag on Houston’s, he will earn a fully guaranteed salary of between $12.9MM and $15.1MM — the figure will be set once the 2015 salary cap is set. Per Getlin, league sources expect Houston to meet, or possibly exceed, the $30.8MM that J.J. Watt received when he signed an extension with the Texans.

Houston, a Georgia product, was selected in the third round of the 2011 draft. In 50 games (44 starts), Houston has registered 164 tackles and 36.5 sacks; he’s tenth in the league in sacks during that span. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) confirm that Houston is an outstanding pass-rusher, and also give him a positive grade in pass coverage. Overall, he grades as the second-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the league this season, second only to Khalil Mack.

In the final year of his rookie deal, Houston is earning just $1.406MM, and counts only $1.598MM against the cap. The Chiefs have a little more than $3.5MM available in 2015 cap space, so it might be tough for them to justify a franchise tagged player on their roster. However, Kansas City could cut fellow pass-rusher Tamba Hali to create more than $5.5MM in cap relief, while releasing lesser players like Anthony Fasano or Mike McGlynn could open up even more cap space. Regardless, a long-term deal would probably make better financial sense for both parties — but it doesn’t sound like that outcome is likely.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

October 28th, 2014 at 6:24pm CST by Luke Adams

They may not be the sort of deadline-day transactions we’re hoping for, but some teams around the league are making roster moves, adding and subtracting players from their respective practice squads. We’ll track the latest updates below:

The Broncos have added receiver Douglas McNeil to their practice squad, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. An Arena League standout, the 26-year-old McNeil caught 66 balls for 858 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games for the Portland Thunder. He takes the practice squad spot of John Boyett, who was released last week following his arrest for assault.
The Colts announced receiver Chandler Jones was signed to their practice squad at the expense of running back Jeff Demps. This will be Jones’ second stint with the Colts this season, while Demps’ stay with the team lasted just a week. Jones is an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, where he is the school’s all-time leading receiver.
The Giants have cut linebacker Carlos Fields from their practice squad, according to NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter).
Running back Ben Malena has replaced cornerback Kendall James on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
The Rams have signed offensive tackle Steven Baker to their taxi squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The club had plenty of space to add Baker without cutting a player, but released quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the practice squad nonetheless, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
Wideout Tavarres King has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, says Caplan (via Twitter). The team doesn’t have any openings on its PS, but after today’s trades, there are two spots available on the active roster, so I imagine at least one player is in line for a promotion.

Earlier updates:

The Dolphins performed a bit of an overhaul on their practice squad today, adding tight end Evan Wilson, tight end Gerell Robinson, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin to replace quarterback Seth Lobato, tight end Jake Murphy, and defensive back Rod Sweeting, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links).
With backup running back Stepfan Taylor expected to be sidelined for the near future, the Cardinals have added some backfield insurance via their practice squad, signing running back Zach Bauman, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Cornerback Anthony Gaitor has been waived to make room for the new addition.
Wide receiver Jace Davis, who was with the Ravens during training camp and the preseason, has re-signed with the team’s practice squad, according to a press release. Davis takes the 10th and final spot, which had been vacated after tight end Phillip Supernaw was promoted to the active roster on the weekend.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Brown, Allen, Browns

October 28th, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (foot sprain) will be out “at least a few weeks,” writes the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson, who points to Nov. 24 against the Saints or the following week against the Chargers as possible return dates for Smith. When asked about adding a free-agent cornerback, head coach John Harbaugh said, “We don’t have to. If we can find the right guy, we’ll do that. They are scarce.” Instead, for now, the Ravens will turn to Dominique Franks to replace Smith. The team also has Chykie Brown, who has been inactive the last two games.

In other AFC North news…

Despite the Ravens stating publicly they don’t intend to go outside the current roster for cornerback help, Wilson tweets the team inquired about Tony Carter of the Broncos prior to the trade deadline.
The Steelers are another AFC North team with cornerback issues because Cortez Allen, who signed a five-year, $25MM deal before the season, has not only lost his starting job, but is in danger of being inactive, writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Post-Gazette. Head coach Mike Tomlin insists he remains confident in Allen’s abilities, but says the cornerback is leaving too many plays on the field: “[Allen] has to finish opportunities that he’s not getting done. Oftentimes, he is in position because he does a great job getting in position, but position is just an element of it. You have to finish.”
Fittipaldo also notes the Steelers expect to have right tackle Marcus Gilbert back in the starting lineup. He sat out last week with a concussion.
Steelers receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL in receptions and targets, ranks second in receiving yards, is fourth in receiving touchdowns and paces all receivers with a 13.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. In Brown’s case, the stats don’t lie, says Tomlin, who boasted (via the team’s website) that the fifth-year playmaker is performing at an elite level. “He’s one of the best in the world at what he does,” said Tomlin at his weekly news conference. “(Antonio) is physically and mentally on top of his game, and when you have somebody who’s playing like that, you step into a stadium and he’s a known issue but still he performs. We say similar things about guys like J.J. Watt. We knew what he was capable of when we were getting ready to play the Houston Texans, but it still doesn’t stop the storm from coming. Antonio is playing at that type of a level from a wide receiver standpoint, a J.J. Watt discussion kind of a level.”
The Browns rank last in the NFL in punt returns, which prompted ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi to wonder if Josh Cribbs might get a phone call. However, head coach Mike Pettine quashed any speculation by saying, “Josh’s name hasn’t come up.”

Minor Moves: Tuesday

October 28th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

While we’re tracking today’s practice squad signings and cuts in one post, and we’ve made note of more significant transactions in their own posts, we’ll use this space to round up the day’s minor moves relating to teams’ 53-man rosters:

The Giants are signing cornerback Mike Harris off of the Lions’ practice squad to their active roster, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). As Twentyman notes, Detroit didn’t have space on its active roster to promote Harris.
The Seahawks have opened up a pair of roster spots by cutting wide receiver Phil Bates and tight end Brett Brackett, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
One defender has replaced another in Houston, where the Texans have signed linebacker Zac Diles and released cornerback Elbert Mack, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), cornerback Marcus Williams has been promoted to the Jets‘ active roster from their practice squad, replacing A.J. Edds, whose release is discussed below.

Earlier updates:

The Raiders have waived linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move leaves an open spot on Oakland’s 53-man roster, which the team has yet to fill.
The Rams have confirmed they’ve placed tackle Jake Long on injured reserve, making room for linebacker Korey Toomer, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The signing of Toomer is noted below.
Defensive end Greg Latta has been cut from the Broncos‘ injured reserve list, tweets Aaron Wilson.
The Saints placed wide receiver Joe Morgan on the reserve/suspended list today, re-signing tight end Tom Crabtree to replace him on the 53-man roster, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. As Triplett notes, head coach Sean Payton didn’t specify the reason for Morgan’s suspension, but it’s the latest obstacle for a player who looks increasingly unlikely to stick in New Orleans beyond this season.
The Bills have put safety Kenny Ladler on injured reserve with an arm injury, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Ladler signed with the team in May as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt, started the season on the practice squad, and had been promoted to the active roster earlier this month.
Linebacker Korey Toomer has been promoted from the Rams‘ practice squad to their active roster, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). It’s not clear yet what the corresponding move is, but Jake Long and Brian Quick are both expected to be placed on injured reserve any day now.
Over at The National Football Post, Wilson has the details on another roster move, writing that the Jets have cut linebacker A.J. Edds. Primarily a special teams contributor, Edds had also been serving at a backup at all three linebacker spots.

Pats Acquire Jonathan Casillas From Bucs

October 28th, 2014 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

3:59pm: The Bucs are getting a 2015 fifth-round pick in the deal in exchange for Casillas and a 2015 sixth-rounder, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the Pats have waived offensive lineman Chris Barker to make room on the roster for Casillas, says Field Yates of ESPN Boston (via Twitter).

3:02pm: After acquiring one linebacker (Akeem Ayers) from the Titans last week, the Patriots are finalizing a deal for another, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers are sending Jonathan Casillas to New England. The move is being completed in advanced of today’s 3:00pm CT trade deadline.

Casillas, 27, began his NFL career with the Saints in 2009 after going undrafted out of Wisconsin. He joined the Bucs in 2013 and has played for the team since then, starting seven of his 17 games with the club. In parts of five seasons, Casillas has accumulated 127 tackles in 55 contests, defending five passes and recovering a pair of fumbles. While he has played 109 defensive snaps so far this season, the Wisconsin product’s playing time has been on the decline since 2011.

Several Buccaneers had been cited as potential trade candidates, but according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), running back Doug Martin isn’t going anywhere, and it sounds as if Vincent Jackson will stay put as well.

Falcons Sign Charles Godfrey

October 28th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have signed a veteran safety recently cut by one of their division rivals, the team announced today, confirming that Charles Godfrey has joined the team. To make room on the roster, the club has cut safety Sean Baker (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution).

Godfrey, who will turn 29 in November, was sidelined for most of the 2013 season after tearing his Achilles early in the year. While the Panthers elected to keep him on the roster through the offseason and for the start of the 2014 campaign, the team reworked his contract significantly, reducing his base salary by more than $4MM and converting some of that money to per-game roster bonuses.

After starting all but one of his 73 games for Carolina during his first five years with the team, Godfrey began this season playing a lesser role, appearing in just 84 defensive snaps through four games. However, he was forced into more frequent action in recent weeks and struggled with the increased workload and a shift to cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF’s data gave Godfrey a -0.5 grade for his play through the first four weeks, and a -9.9 mark for weeks five through seven. The Panthers released Godfrey last Tuesday.

Rams Acquire Mark Barron From Bucs

October 28th, 2014 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s trade deadline is now behind us, but it didn’t pass without at least one noteworthy and somewhat surprising move. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Buccaneers are finalizing a deal to send former first-round safety Mark Barron to the Rams.

Schefter adds (via Twitter) that St. Louis is parting with its fourth- and sixth-round picks for 2015 in the swap. The team will also clear an opening on the 53-man roster for the incoming defender by cutting quarterback Case Keenum, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Barron, who turned 25 yesterday, was the seventh overall pick in the 2012 draft, having notably been selected two spots ahead of Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. While it would be unfair to label the Alabama product a total bust, he has been underwhelming during his two and a half seasons in Tampa Bay, ranking 70th among safeties in 2012, 55th in 2013, and 66th in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). In 37 games (all starts) for Tampa Bay, Barron has totaled 226 tackles, three interceptions, 19 passes defended, and a pair of sacks.

Because he was a first-round pick in ’12, Barron’s rookie contract will expire after the 2015 season, though the Rams will have the opportunity this spring to decide whether or not to exercise his fifth-year option for 2016. There’s not much risk in picking up that option, since it’s initially guaranteed for injury only, but given Barron’s average play to date, and the pricey salary attached to the option, I’d be surprised if the Rams exercise it, barring a huge 2014 second half from their new safety. As for Barron’s 2015 salary, the Bucs will carry about $2.24MM in prorated bonus money on their cap, while the Rams will be on the hook for the safety’s $2.363MM base, which is fully guaranteed.

For the Rams, Barron represents a player with some upside at a position where the team has been struggling to find reliable production. T.J. McDonald has manned the strong safety spot in St. Louis for most of this year and last, but his -9.8 grade places him 80th among 83 qualified safeties, per PFF. By acquiring Barron, the Rams will have another fairly low-cost option under team control for the next year and a half.

Meanwhile, having parted ways with Barron and linebacker Jonathan Casillas at the deadline, the Bucs have added a few extra picks to their arsenal as they continue their rebuild. It’s unlikely that the Casillas deal with the Patriots netted the team much in return, but acquiring a fourth- and sixth-rounder for Barron isn’t insignificant, even if it represents a huge loss in value for a recent top-10 selection. Although Barron and Casillas were on the move today, the Bucs held onto several other potential trade candidates, including Vincent Jackson and Doug Martin.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times first reported early this morning that the Bucs were listening to offers for Barron.

NFC Notes: Cardinals, Falcons, Giants

October 28th, 2014 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

With less than one hour remaining until the trade deadline for 2014 passes, there’s been little Tuesday action around the league. If the Cardinals don’t make a move though, it won’t be for lack of trying, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Somers tweets that the Cards have made “many calls” in search of a pass rusher, but haven’t had any luck so far.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

In explaining his philosophy on roster-building to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Falcons owner Arthur Blank indicated that he prefers his team to make most of its major moves in the offseason rather than during the season.
While the Giants will miss Jon Beason, there shouldn’t be much of a step down at middle linebacker when the team plugs in Jameel McClain, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. As Raanan observes, the Giants signed Beason to a three-year deal in the offseason, but given his frequent battles with injuries, the club could look to get out of the contract this winter.
In a separate NJ.com piece, Raanan writes that the Giants don’t seem particularly interested in signing any of their players to in-season extensions. That includes top defenders Jason Pierre-Paul and Antrel Rolle, whose contracts expire at season’s end.
According to David Newton of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Panthers coach Ron Rivera said today that placing linebacker Chase Blackburn on injured reserve was a tough move and that he doesn’t think Blackburn will require surgery on his injured knee.

Trade Notes: Tuck, Seahawks, Chargers

October 28th, 2014 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

The 2014 trade deadline is less than four hours away, and while we saw one major deal completed this month, when the Seahawks sent Percy Harvin to the Jets, it remains to be seen whether any other notable names will be on the move before 3:00pm central time today. While we wait to find out what happens, let’s round up a few trade-related items from around the NFL….

In addition to trade candidates we’ve already heard about, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) identifies veteran pass rusher Justin Tuck as one player who could be on the move today. Tuck just signed a two-year deal with Oakland in the offseason, but with the team still winless and Tuck owed as much as $5MM next season, it’s only logical that the Raiders would listen to any offers they receive.
In his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora takes a look at several non-contending teams, suggesting which players he’d make available if he were the general manager of the Buccaneers, Jaguars, Raiders, Falcons, and others. In many cases, La Canfora names the Seahawks as potential suitors for the trade candidates he mentions, pointing out that Seattle is one of the league’s most aggressive teams and is actively trying to improve its roster at the deadline.
The Chargers, having not executed a midseason trade since 2007, are unlikely to be active at today’s deadline, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Panthers Cut Reaves, Put Blackburn On IR

October 28th, 2014 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

Facing a short week, the Panthers have made a handful of roster moves today as they prepare to host the Saints on Thursday night. The team announced today that it has signed tackle Mike Remmers off the Rams’ practice squad, promoted safety Robert Lester from its own practice squad, cut running back Darrin Reaves, and placed linebacker Chase Blackburn on season-ending injured reserve.

The Panthers are facing some injury issues on the offensive line and in the secondary, with tackles Byron Bell and Nate Chandler, and defensive backs Thomas DeCoud and Bene Benwikere all dealing with health problems to varying degrees. Those nagging injuries necessitated adding a player at each of those positions, and it makes sense that Reaves was one roster casualty — he subbed in when Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, and Mike Tolbert were are all on the shelf, but with both Stewart and Williams expected to play this week, his services aren’t required for now.

As for Blackburn, he suffered a knee injury in Week 6, and had been sidelined since then. Even when he was healthy, the 31-year-old saw a reduction in playing time this season, with Carolina relying on nickel formations more frequently. In his six games in 2014, Blackburn logged 12 tackles and forced a fumble. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end.