2015 September - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons Release Rex Grossman, T.J. Yates

September 4th, 2015 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

3:27pm: The Falcons have cut Yates as well, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). That leaves Ryan and Renfree as the only quarterbacks on the roster at the moment.

3:23pm: A little over a week after signing him to a contract, the Falcons have released quarterback Rex Grossman, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Because he’s a vested veteran, Grossman won’t have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent.

Grossman, who turned 35 last month, hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass since 2011 in Washington, and we heard earlier in August that he was still recovering from an injury he sustained while training. However, the veteran QB has a history with Kyle Shanahan, so it was no surprise when the new Falcons and their new offensive coordinator brought in Grossman.

It’s a little surprising that Grossman only lasted about a week and a half on the roster, but it could be a case of the team intending to re-sign him after Week 1, when veteran salaries are no longer guaranteed for the season. For now, T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree remain on Atlanta’s roster as Matt Ryan‘s backups.

Cardinals Acquire Matt Barkley From Eagles

September 4th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals have agreed to a trade with the Eagles, acquiring quarterback Matt Barkley, in exchange for a conditional late-round pick, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), it’s a seventh-rounder, and Philadelphia will only get the pick if Barkley remains on Arizona’s roster for at least six games.

Barkley, who turns 25 next week, was drafted 98th overall in 2013 by the Eagles, a fourth-round pick out of USC. He has mostly been stuck on the team’s bench since then, completing 30 of his 50 career attempts for 300 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions.

After the Eagles acquired Sam Bradford this offseason, Barkley was poised to enter the year as no better than the third quarterback on Philadelphia’s depth chart, behind Bradford and Mark Sanchez. With Tim Tebow gaining momentum in the preseason and poised to earn a roster spot as well, Barkley was the odd man out.

In Arizona, Barkley will join a group of quarterbacks that includes Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, and Logan Thomas. The deal looks like bad news for Thomas, whose roster spot was already in jeopardy when Bruce Arians suggested last week that the team might just keep two quarterbacks (Twitter link).

Titans Cut Nine Players

September 4th, 2015 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans are down to 65 players, following the team’s latest round of roster cuts. That means that the club will have to make 12 more roster moves in advance of tomorrow afternoon’s deadline in order to get down to 53 players.

Here are the players who were cut by Tennessee today, via a press release:

DL Isaako Aaitui
CB Ri’Shard Anderson
FB Zach Boren
LB Kaelin Burnett
C Gabe Ikard
WR Josh Stewart
LB Andy Studebaker
DB Jemea Thomas
DB Khalid Wooten

In addition to cutting those nine players, the Titans also removed a 10th player from their roster by trading veteran guard Andy Levitre to the Falcons earlier in the day. In a piece for TitansOnline.com, Jim Wyatt explained why the team moved on from Levitre.

49ers Cut Joe Looney, Craig Dahl

September 4th, 2015 at 2:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The 49ers have informed offensive lineman Joe Looney and safety Craig Dahl that they will be released, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter links). As a vested veteran, Dahl will immediately become a free agent, while Looney will have to pass through waivers. The 49ers have since confirmed the moves.

Looney, who turned 25 on Monday, played 15 games for the Niners last season, starting four games and seeing action at all three interior line positions. He entered the preseason as the favorite to start at center for San Francisco this year, but the club has opted to go in another direction, shifting Marcus Martin from guard to center.

Dahl, meanwhile, started 16 games at safety for the Rams in 2012, but has mostly been a special-teamer since joining the 49ers in 2013. San Francisco has a deep group of safeties that includes Antoine Bethea, Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward, and Jaquiski Tartt, making the veteran Dahl expendable.

Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett and linebacker Philip Wheeler are among the other notable players cut today by the Niners. The team also announced that wide receiver Issac Blakeney and offensive lineman Patrick Miller have been waived, reducing the roster count to 69 players.

Extra Points: Ball, Patriots, Giants, Savage

September 4th, 2015 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Vic Lombardi of CBS4 and Benjamin Allbright of AM1340 in Denver (Twitter links) have heard that the Cowboys and Broncos are discussing a potential trade involving running back Montee Ball, who has slipped down the depth chart in Denver. However, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link) cites a Cowboys source who says no trade talks are occurring, and Star-Telegram colleague Charean Williams tweets that Dallas would likely only be interested in Ball if he’s released.

The Cowboys have been adamant throughout the offseason that they likes their running backs, though acquiring Ball on the cheap seems more like a more realistic option for the team than signing a veteran free agent.

As we wait to see if anything materializes for the Cowboys, let’s round up some odds and ends from around the NFL…

As expected, the Patriots don’t intend to try to recoup the $1MM fine or the two draft picks they lost as a result of DeflateGate, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Team owner Robert Kraft made the decision months ago not to fight the penalties, and even after Tom Brady‘s win in court, it would be a major uphill battle, since teams aren’t protected by the same CBA rules as players.
The Giants will spend the next couple days looking for safeties, either via trades or waiver claims, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That’s no surprise, considering the position looked a little thin even before the team lost several safeties to injuries.
The Texans got some good news on quarterback Tom Savage, who left Thursday’s game with a shoulder injury. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), Savage just sustained a severe sprain, and won’t require surgery. Houston’s third-string QB is expected to miss at least four to six weeks, and head coach Bill O’Brien indicated today that the club will consider signing another QB for the roster or practice squad (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
Asked if the Cardinals have any interest in their former defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, who was released today by the 49ers, head coach Bruce Arians said his club isn’t interested “at this point,” per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
Former Bears long snapper Rick Lovato is trying out for the Dolphins, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Owners To Discuss Changing Goodell’s Role in Disciplinary Process

September 4th, 2015 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the NFL’s latest defeat in court, the NFL’s team owners intend to discuss the possibility of changing commissioner Roger Goodell’s role in the player disciplinary process, several sources tell Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

According to Maske, there’s no guarantee that Goodell’s role will be altered as a result of these discussions, but it’s the first sign that Judge Richard Berman’s ruling on the DeflateGate case could have an impact beyond just getting Tom Brady back on the field for the Patriots.

A person familiar with “the league’s inner workings” tells Maske that it’s too soon to know whether there are enough owners in favor of changing Goodell’s role. If there are, it could result in the league engaging the NFL Players Association about possible modifications to the disciplinary process. The players’ union would like to see a neutral arbitrator hear disciplinary appeals, replacing Goodell in the process.

A timetable for the owners’ discussions has not yet been set, but the next formal meetings are scheduled for October.

Panthers Extend Derek Anderson

September 4th, 2015 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 12:33pm: Adam Caplan of ESPN.com provides some specifics on Anderson’s extension, tweeting that the veteran quarterback gets $4.7MM for the two new years, including $1.5MM guaranteed.

WEDNESDAY, 12:37pm: Anderson’s two-year extension is worth $5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

12:12pm: After locking up their starting quarterback, Cam Newton, to a long-term contract earlier in the offseason, the Panthers have extended their No. 2 signal-caller as well. According to a team release, Derek Anderson has added two years to his deal with the Panthers, keeping him under team control through the 2017 season. Anderson’s contract had previously been set to expire after this year.

“Derek adds stability to the quarterback position as the backup, and we have tremendous confidence in him,” head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. “His experience and veteran leadership has been important in the quarterbacks room and with the coaches. We’re securing a veteran player who has been a big part of what we’re building.”

Anderson, who has been with the Panthers since 2011, saw his first two starts for the team in 2014 when Newton went down, and led the club to victories in both of those games, throwing five touchdowns to no interceptions and completing 67.0% of his passes. It was arguably the best stretch in his career since he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2007 after winning 10 of 15 starts for the Browns.

Earning a salary of $1.175MM in 2015, Anderson isn’t among the league’s highest-paid backups, though the 32-year-old figures to be in line for at least a small raise on his new deal, which he called a “no-brainer.”

Bills Release Matt Simms

September 4th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have released quarterback Matt Simms, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (via Twitter). Earlier this week, coach Rex Ryan said that the odds were “probably stacked against” the quarterback making the 53-man roster.

This summer, some speculated that Simms could knock Matt Cassel from the Bills’ depth chart, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Now, the Bills’ QB list is pretty much locked in as Tyrod Taylor as the starter with Matt Cassel and E.J. Manuel in support.

Simms, 26, spent the last two seasons with the Jets, appearing in four games and completing 19 of 39 passes during his limited playing time, with a touchdown and an interception. However, they waived him in May at a time when their depth chart at QB seemed rather set and the Bills were quick to claim him.

Cardinals Release Matt Shaughnessy

September 4th, 2015 at 12:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have cut defensive end Matt Shaughnessy, according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The cut is rather surprising since the Cardinals already paid him a $500K bonus this offseason. By releasing him, however, they’ll save $1.45MM in salary.

Shaughnessy, who turns 29 later this month, appeared in all 16 games for Arizona in 2013, including 12 starts. In that season, he tallied 3.0 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble. Last season, he appeared in only 8 total games (7 starts) thanks to a mid-season injury. Still, Shaughnessy was important enough to the team that they put him on IR-DTR in October so that he could be activated later in the year.

Shaughnessy’s best year statistically came in 2010 when he racked up 56 total tackles and 7.0 sacks for the Raiders.

Falcons Acquire Andy Levitre From Titans

September 4th, 2015 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

12:03pm: The Titans have officially confirmed the trade, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, who tweets that Tennessee will get a 2016 sixth-round pick and a conditional pick in a future year from the Falcons.

11:31am: The Falcons are acquiring a veteran guard in a trade with the Titans, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reports (via Twitter) that Andy Levitre is heading to Atlanta. Levitre himself first hinted at the move, tweeting out the message “#RiseUp” from his official account.

Levitre, 29, has started all 16 games for the Titans at left guard in each of the past two seasons, and has never missed a game in his six-year NFL career. However, while his consistency and ability to stay on the field is an asset, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the veteran lineman as just the 45th-best guard out of 78 qualified players last season, giving him a -5.8 grade.

There had been plenty of speculation that Levitre would be released by the Titans before the season, since his cap charge for 2015, and for each of the following two seasons, is an exorbitant $8.6MM. By trading Levitre, the Titans will still be on the hook for $2.1MM in dead money this year and $4.2MM next year, but it would reduce his cap hit significantly.

As for the Falcons, they’d take on Levitre’s $6.5MM salary, which seems like an awfully steep price to pay for a guard who’s not among the league’s best. Atlanta released another veteran guard, Justin Blalock, earlier this offseason, and Blalock didn’t carry as large a cap number as Levitre does.

Still, we don’t have the full details on the move yet, so it’s possible there are other factors in play here — Levitre may have accepted a pay cut as part of the deal, or the Titans may be paying a portion of his 2015 salary, for instance.