2015 September - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Make Cuts, Down To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have officially announced the series of roster moves that reduces their roster to 53 players. In addition to confirming the previously-reported cuts of tight ends Dominique Jones and Marcel Jensen, along with the release of Tony Carter, the club announced 19 other moves.

Montee Ball‘s name was not mentioned among those moves, so the young running back, who was considered to be on the roster bubble, remains a Bronco for now. Here are the players who are no longer on Denver’s active roster, per a team release:

Released:

NT Sione Fua

Waived:

ILB Zaire Anderson
ILB Lamin Barrow
RB Kapri Bibbs
WR Isaiah Burse
C Dillon Day
S Josh Furman
G Ben Garland
ILB Steven Johnson
WR Corbin Louks
NT Chuka Ndulue
CB Taurean Nixon
OLB Gerald Rivers
T Kyle Roberts
T Charles Sweeton
WR Jordan Taylor
DE Josh Watson

Reserve/suspended:

S T.J. Ward
DE Derek Wolfe

Cards’ Bobby Massie Suspended Two Games

September 5th, 2015 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 5: Massie will serve a two-game suspension, meaning his appeal reduced the penalty by one game, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).

AUGUST 11: Cardinals right tackle Bobby Massie is facing a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter, Massie is appealing the suspension, which has yet to be announced the league, in the hopes of reducing it.

As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com explains (via Twitter), Massie was arrested for being intoxicated – and asleep – at the wheel during the week of the Super Bowl in Arizona. He’s seeking to have the ban cut from three games to two games.

While the Cardinals had plenty of injury woes at quarterback and on defense last season, Massie and fellow offensive tackle Jared Veldheer stayed healthy all year — both tackles played all 1,089 offensive snaps for Arizona, so it would be a noteworthy loss for the Cards if they started the season without Massie.

Assuming Massie’s suspension is upheld, it will open the door for rookie tackle D.J. Humphries to earn a starting role for at least the first few weeks of the regular season. Humphries, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in April, was expected to begin his NFL career as a reserve, so if the team determines he’s not ready for the right tackle job immediately, Bradley Sowell could step in while Massie serves his suspension.

Whether or not Humphries is prepared to immediately replace Massie on the Cardinals’ line, the first-rounder looks the long-term solution in Arizona. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that Massie, who is entering the final year of his contract, “saw the writing on the wall” when the Cards drafted Humphries, and doesn’t expect to be with the team beyond 2015.

Bills Clearing Room For Marcell Dareus Deal?

September 5th, 2015 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matt Cassel‘s release earlier today appears to be part of the Bills’ plan to make enough room for Marcell Dareus‘ looming contract extension, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (on Twitter).

The Bills, according to Carucci, want to extend Dareus before the season begins. If a deal cannot be completed in the next week before the regular season begins, the team will not address the fifth-year standout’s contract until the season ends, notes Carucci (on Twitter).

Buffalo also wants to extend outside linebacker Nigel Bradham, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (via Twitter).

Like Dareus, who will earn just more than $8MM this season as part of the defensive tackle’s fifth-year option, Bradham is entering a contract year. Although since the third-year starter arrived as a fourth-round pick in 2012, he has no such fifth-year negotiation-delaying luxury, increasing the team’s incentive to lock up the underrated outside backer.

Titans Release Hakeem Nicks

September 5th, 2015 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

A year after setting new career-lows in catches and receiving yards, Hakeem Nicks hasn’t survived preseason roster cuts. According to Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com (Twitter links), Nicks has been released by the Titans. However, McCormick adds that there’s a chance the team could re-sign the wideout after Week 1, when veteran salaries no longer become guaranteed for the season.

Nicks, who spent his first five years with the Giants, posting multiple 1,000-yard seasons in New York, caught just 38 balls for 405 yards and four touchdowns last year in Indianapolis.

An August report suggested that there would be some interest in Nicks if the Titans were to release him, but it took a while for him to find a home in free agency earlier this year, so I can’t imagine the competition over him this time around will be particularly fierce.

Chargers Trade Jeremiah Sirles To Vikings

September 5th, 2015 at 1:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings have acquired Jeremiah Sirles from the Chargers via trade, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Chargers will receive a sixth-round pick for the second-year offensive lineman, per the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken (Twitter link).

A 2014 undrafted free agent, Sirles had been working behind D.J. Fluker at right guard this preseason. The 6-foot-6 Sirles, a Nebraska product, started in the Bolts’ Week 17 contest last season for Johnnie Troutman at right guard.

After the Chargers’ signing of Joe Barksdale and heavy interest in moving Fluker to guard, Sirles may receive a better opportunity to play in Minnesota. He played in just 114 snaps last season.

The Vikings lost Phil Loadholt for the season last month and fourth-round rookie T.J. Clemmings is currently manning right tackle. Veteran Michael Harris figures to be the team’s right guard, meaning the 24-year-old Sirles could be set for some swing work in his new home.

Jets Trim Roster To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have officially announced the cuts and other roster moves that will get their squad down to 53 players today. We’ve already heard about several of the moves — quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Josh Johnson, along with veteran defenders Jason Babin and Joe Mays, have been cut, and Stevan Ridley has been moved to the reserve/PUP list.

Here are the rest of the Jets’ moves to reduce their roster to 53, via a team release:

Cut:

WR Shaq Evans
WR Chris Owusu
WR Walter Powell
TE Arthur Lynch
TE Wes Saxton
RB Daryl Richardson
FB Julian Howsare
OL Charles Brown
OL Wesley Johnson
DL Ronald Talley
DL Jordan Williams
LB Deion Barnes
LB Taiwan Jones
CB Keon Lyn
S Durell Eskridge

Reserve/suspended:

OL Oday Aboushi
DL Sheldon Richardson

Saints Cut Parys Haralson

September 5th, 2015 at 1:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints’ linebacking corps continues to fluctuate, with the team now deciding to cut veteran linebacker Parys Haralson, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Haralson was a part-time starter in New Orleans the past two seasons, starting 20 games but appearing in all 32 since joining the team in 2013.

Prior to that, the 31-year-old linebacker was a fixture on the 49ers, starting from 2007-11 after being a fifth-round pick of the team’s in 2006.

Already out Curtis Lofton in free agency, the Saints earlier this summer cut Junior Galette and Anthony Spencer, the latter moving to injured reserve, so a lesser-known linebacking corps will man the second level for the team this season.

Haralson should attract interest, earning positive marks from Pro Football Focus the past two years for his work at outside backer.

Bills Release Matt Cassel, Red Bryant

September 5th, 2015 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have made five more roster moves to get their roster under 53 players in advance of this afternoon’s deadline. According to a press release, quarterback Matt Cassel and defensive tackle Red Bryant are among the players who have been cut by the team. Buffalo also confirmed the release of safety Jonathan Meeks and announced that it has waived center Dalton Freeman and linebacker Kevin Reddick.

Cassel, 33, was acquired by the Bills back in March in a trade with the Vikings. His release comes as a bit of a surprise, since the club already cut Matt Simms, and the latest move leaves Buffalo with just Tyrod Taylor and E.J. Manuel at quarterback. Still, Cassel had been set to earn a base salary of $4.15MM, so cutting him will create some cap flexibility, and the Bills could put that room toward an extension for Marcell Dareus.

Speaking of Dareus, he’ll start the season on the reserve/suspended list, which should leave the Bills with two openings on their 53-man roster. That makes the club a strong candidate to add a player or two on waivers tomorrow.

Chargers Cut Nick Novak

September 5th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The preseason play of undrafted rookie Josh Lambo brought a changing of the guard in San Diego, with the Chargers deciding to part ways with veteran Nick Novak, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken (on Twitter).

A Texas A&M product, Lambo will provide an edge on kickoffs in possessing a stronger leg than Novak, who is free to sign with any team in being a vested veteran.

Novak, 34, was the Bolts’ kicker the past four seasons. Prior to that, he bounced around the league, playing nonconsecutive stints from 2005-2010.

Novak made 22-of-26 field goals last year and is only two years removed from his best campaign, making 34-of-37 kicks in 2013. He hasn’t missed more than four kicks in a season since his first in San Diego.

Offers Coming In For Browns’ Terrance West?

September 5th, 2015 at 1:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the roster cutdown deadline looms, the Browns are fielding offers for Terrance West, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Texans are one of the suitors for last year’s third-round selection.

The Cowboys also appear to have engaged in discussions for West, but the Browns’ asking price proved too much at this time, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

The former third-round pick lost playing time to Isaiah Crowell last season, and coach Mike Pettine indicated Crowell could be given the opportunity to start before West this year.

2015 third-rounder Duke Johnson could also usurp West on the depth chart but is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted that West is not necessarily guaranteed a roster spot (on Twitter).