Month: December 2024

Washington Places Tracy Porter On IR

3:27pm: The team has confirmed that Porter has been placed on IR and that Minnifield has been promoted to the active roster in his place (Twitter link).

2:39pm: Speaking to reporters today, head coach Jay Gruden announced that Washington will place veteran cornerback Tracy Porter on season-ending injured reserve, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Porter left the team’s Week 12 game against the 49ers with a shoulder injury.

Porter, 28, was a full-time starter at cornerback for the Raiders a year ago, and signed a two-year, $6MM deal in free agency with Washington, but saw his role reduced significantly this season. Although he earned more frequent snaps on defense during the last couple weeks, Porter only played 89 snaps for the year, finding himself buried on the depth chart behind Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Biggers, David Amerson, and others for a good chunk of 2014.

Because he inked a two-year contract, Porter remains under team control for the 2015 season, but his base salary will increase to $2.25MM, which may be exorbitant for Washington if the club views him as a fourth or fifth corner.

With Porter heading to the IR, Washington will have an open spot on its 53-man roster. According to John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter), defensive back Chase Minnifield looks like the probable candidate for promotion from the practice squad, but nothing’s official yet.

South Notes: Texans, Panthers, Workouts

The South is the only divisional region not represented in this week’s Thanksgiving action, but that doesn’t mean there’s not news coming out of the divisions. Here’s the latest from around the AFC and NFC South:

  • With Ryan Mallett out for the year, the Texans didn’t get much of an opportunity to see if he might be the team’s quarterback of the future. As such, the club is unlikely to count on him for 2015, and may be back to the drawing board when it comes to finding a QB. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report examines the Texans’ “quarterback purgatory,” while John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes that finding a big-time signal-caller should be atop the team’s offseason to-do list.
  • The Panthers lost multiple offensive linemen during the offseason and have seen even more fall to injuries since the season got underway. As the team assesses its options for the rest of this year, a team source tells Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer that addressing the tackle positions in either free agency or the draft will be a top priority this coming offseason.
  • In addition to working out Terrance Parks, whom they signed to their practice squad, the Texans also auditioned safeties M.D. Jennings and DeJon Gomes, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • According to Wilson (via Twitter), the Colts auditioned several pass-catchers this week, including tight end Michael Flacco and wideouts Jace Davis and Nick Williams. The club also brought in offensive lineman Kitt O’Brien for a tryout.
  • The Buccaneers signed a pair of tight ends earlier this week, and took a look at at least one more before making their decision, per Wilson, who tweets that the team worked out veteran free agent Tom Crabtree.

Texans Sign Thad Lewis

WEDNESDAY, 12:30pm: The Texans have made Lewis’ signing official, placing Mallett on injured reserve to accommodate the move.

MONDAY, 6:03pm: Following news that quarterback Ryan Mallett would miss the rest of the season, the Texans have added another signal-caller, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed Thad Lewis.

The 27-year-old was cut by the Bills in August following only one season with the team. He finished the 2013 campaign with 1,092 yards passing, four touchdowns and three interceptions. He also compiled 24 rushing attempts in 6 games, running for 52 yards. While ProFootballFocus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) did not rate his performance positively, he still ranked ahead of some notable starters, including Eli Manning, Joe Flacco and Geno Smith.

Lewis worked out for the Rams and Eagles earlier this season. Philadelphia auditioned the quarterback for a second time when Nick Foles went down with an injury, but the team ultimately didn’t add a replacement.

Undrafted out of Duke in 2010, Lewis has bounced around the league, also spending time with the Rams, Browns and Lions.

Robert Griffin III Notes: Wednesday

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who first reported last night that Washington would be making a quarterback change, head coach Jay Gruden informed his team this morning that Colt McCoy will start this Sunday instead of Robert Griffin III (Twitter link). In his initial report, Schefter suggested that the former second overall pick remains a “significant” part of Washington’s long-term plan, but it’s hard to imagine things turning around for RGIII and the club at this point. Here are today’s updates on Griffin:

  • Jason Reid of the Washington Post (Twitter link) calls any talk of Griffin being part of the team’s long-term plans “nonsense,” suggesting that club sources are merely trying to boost the signal-caller’s trade value.
  • The consensus among decision-makers who spoke to Albert Breer about RGIII’s trade value is that he’d be worth a mid-round pick — something like a third-rounder, plus change. One AFC executive told Breer that Washington would perhaps ask for a second-rounder and settle for a third or maybe a fourth. Another GM offered the following analogy: “He’s a car that’s been driven off the lot. Also, the dynamics of his contract drive price down at this stage” (all Twitter links).
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap and Bill Barnwell of Grantland each explore what’s next for Griffin, with Barnwell suggesting 10 potential suitors for the 24-year-old if and when Washington shops him in trade discussions. The 10 clubs identified by Barnwell are the Rams, Bills, Eagles, Buccaneers, Jets, Raiders, 49ers, Cardinals, Texans, and Titans.
  • While some Washington players feel bad for RGIII and others agree it was time for a change, the most common comment around the locker room is “this is a circus,” says Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington (Twitter link).
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com takes a look at how Washington’s cap would be affected if the team keeps, trades, or cuts the third-year quarterback.

Patriots Extend Matt Slater Through 2016

9:39am: Slater’s new deal features $1MM base salaries in 2015 and 2016, along with $100K in incentives in each season, and a $2MM signing bonus, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

8:36am: Slater receives $3MM in guaranteed money as part of his new deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

8:13am: The Patriots and special teams ace Matt Slater have reached an agreement on a contract extension that will keep Slater under contract through the 2016 season, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Yates, the two-year extension is worth $4MM.

Slater, 29, has been with the Pats since being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. Although he occasionally contributed in the return game and on offense in the past, he has played almost exclusively in kick and punt coverage in recent years, earning Pro Bowl nods in each of the last three seasons. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), Slater has logged at least 13 special teams tackles in every full season since 2010 — so far this year, he has 11.

Slater is earning a base salary of $1.2MM in 2014, though his cap number is about $1MM higher than that figure due to bonuses and incentives. It’s not clear how the new deal breaks down, but an annual average value of $2MM seems about in line with the special teams captain’s previous deal.

Extra Points: Washington, RGIII, NFLPA

So much for having “every intent” to keep Robert Griffin III as the starter. Washington is planning to start Colt McCoy over RGIII on Sunday at Indianapolis, a team source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Facebook). While Griffin is not a part of Washington’s plan for Sunday’s game, he still appears to be a significant part of the Redskins’ long-term plan, per another source. More from around the NFL as the speculation is sure to continue in the nation’s capital..

  • The Chargers are looking for a consensus from city business and civic leaders on their proposal to build a new stadium in San Diego, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. In the interim, the Chargers are keeping their options open because of what is happening in Los Angeles. The Rams and Raiders, of course, also have an eye on L.A.
  • The NFL and the NFL Players Association met Tuesday morning in New York to continue discussions about a revised personal conduct policy, as Jim Trotter of ESPN.com writes.
  • Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that the NFLPA wants the option for players facing felony charges to be put on leave with NFL/NFLPA approval. Also, the union proposal would give a neutral arbitrator power to compel testimony from league and union officials (link).
  • Nothing Rex Ryan can do in the next five weeks will save his job as Jets coach, writes Bob Glauber of Newsday.
  • Linebacker Rolando McClain has been too good and too valuable not to get an extension from the Cowboys, opines Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News.

Latest On Jets, Rex Ryan

The end of the season is near for the 2-9 Jets and the same could be said for Rex Ryan‘s tenure as head coach.

  • Has Ryan been a marked man all season long? Sources told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post that, during the offseason, Ryan bumped into scouts and other coaches from around the league who told him Jets General Manager John Idzik had been telling people his plan all along was to replace Ryan after the season and bring in his own head coach. “Did he think that wasn’t going to get back to me?” an angered Ryan told one confidant.
  • Two AFC coaches have told Cannizzaro that they would be happy to see the Jets fire Ryan. That’s not out of disrespect, but because they don’t want to have to face him. “You don’t think [Patriots head coach Bill] Belichick will be glad to see Rex out of the division?” one of the coaches said. “I guarantee you he’d be happy to see Rex out of the AFC East. I know I’d rather not face him — and I like Rex.”
  • Two sources told Cannizzaro that Ryan has been hinting to those around him that he will move to TV when/if the Jets fire him.
  • After getting outcoached on Monday, even Ryan knows he’s a goner, writes Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. Still, the Jets coach sounds confident that he’ll make it until the end of the year. “I’m not worried about it,’’ Ryan insisted. “One thing I know, unless it changes drastically, I will be the head coach here for the next five weeks. That’s what I know and I’m going to go about my job like I always do.’’
  • Internally, the Jets also see Ryan staying on through the end of the season, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter).

NFC West Notes: Brooks, 49ers, Rams

The Seahawks aren’t in the driver’s seat of the NFC West as they anticipated, but coach Pete Carroll says that their record doesn’t dictate their effort on the field. “We’d still be playing these games as championship games,” Carroll said, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “That’s the way we look at it. If we were here and our record is different than it is, we’d be playing every one of these games like it’s the last game we get to play all year. That’s how we do it. And it doesn’t matter.” More from the NFC West, where the Cardinals are on top..

  • Ahmad Brooks’ cap figure of $9.65MM for 2015 makes him a prime candidate for a trade, or a drastic pay cut if he wants to stay with the 49ers, former agent Joel Corry told Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Niners can save $4MM in 2015 by releasing Brooks. Corry went on to say that he doesn’t expect SF to sign both Mike Iupati or Alex Boone – it’s either-or.
  • Another team was interested in signing tight end Justice Cunningham to its active roster, but the Rams liked him enough to beat them to the punch and promote him to the 53-man roster, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • Thomas (via Twitter) also notes that the Rams must create an additional roster spot later in the week when they activate defensive end Chris Long from the IR/DTR list.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

Here are Tuesday’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the NFL:

Earlier updates:

  • The Titans have swapped one offensive lineman for another, placing starting center Brian Schwenke on injured reserve and signing interior lineman Eric Olsen to replace him, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter links). Presumably, Chris Spencer, who replaced Schwenke on Sunday after the second-year starter suffered a knee injury, will be the starting center going forward, with Olsen providing depth.
  • The Dolphins have added a cornerback, according to agent David Canter, who tweets that his client R.J. Stanford has signed with Miami. The move has yet to be announced by the team, so it’s not clear yet what the corresponding cut will be, but there’s a decent chance that it could involve Jamar Taylor landing on injured reserve — the cornerback left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury and at least one report indicated it could end his season.
  • We heard earlier today that Chargers center Rich Ohrnberger was expected to miss the rest of the season with a back injury, and the team has confirmed as much, announcing in a press release that Ohrnberger has been placed on injured reserve. San Diego has promoted linebacker Cordarro Law from the club’s practice squad to the active roster to fill the newly-created opening.
  • The Bengals announced another team’s roster move today, tweeting that linebacker Terrell Manning had been signed off their practice squad by the Giants. For their part, the Giants haven’t yet made the signing official by announcing a corresponding move.
  • Washington has released linebacker Akeem Jordan from its injured reserve list, making him a free agent, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.

AFC North Notes: Hoyer, Manziel, Rice

Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group implores you not to adjust your computer screens. Yes, the Browns and the Bills are set to play a meaningful late season game. “This is going to be an old-fashioned, blue-collar matchup as much as it can be when all the players are millionaires,” said Hall-of-Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure, who played for both franchises. “The teams are similar and so are the fan bases. I’ve told people that fans of these two cities will buy tickets before they’ll buy their kids jackets. That’s how much the franchises mean to their cities.” More on the Browns and other notes from the AFC North..

  • The Browns are committed to Brian Hoyer for the rest of the season, but they’re not sold on him long-term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Johnny Manziel might be the long-term answer, perhaps as soon as next season, but they won’t be trotting him out there to start this year.
  • After the Ray Rice situation and some other contract issues were cleared up, the Ravens are now $4.287MM under the NFL salary cap limit of $133MM, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Still, should Rice win his grievance against the Ravens for wrongful termination, he would be owed $3.529 million in salary that he was due before the team cut him Sept. 8 when a graphic video surfaced of his domestic violence incident.
  • Joe Kruger, the brother of Browns outside linebacker Paul Kruger, visited the Steelers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).