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Chargers Work Out Chris Givens, Griff Whalen

September 13th, 2016 at 8:14pm CST by Ben Levine

After having lost wideout Keenan Allen for the season, the Chargers are actively seeking receivers. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter), the team brought in wide receivers Chris Givens and Griff Whalen for a workout today.

Chris GivensGivens, 26, briefly caught on with the Eagles this offseason, but the veteran failed to make the opening day roster. The former fourth-rounder played for the Ravens and the Rams in 2015, catching 20 passes for 353 yards and one touchdown. His best season came during his rookie campaign in 2012, when he hauled in 42 catches for 698 yards and three touchdowns.

Whalen, 26, spent the offseason with the Dolphins but was ultimately cut by the team. The former undrafted free agent out of Stanford spent his first four NFL seasons with the Colts, where he appeared in 34 games. Whalen finished 2015 with 19 catches for 205 yards and one touchdown.

As Roster Resource shows, the Chargers are currently counting on Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin, Dontrelle Inman, and Isaiah Burse to replace some of Allen’s production. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Allen has struggled through injuries over the past year, but he still managed to catch at least 65 passes in his three previous NFL seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Workout Notes: 9/13/16

September 13th, 2016 at 7:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The latest workouts from around the NFL.

  • The Bears worked out former New England defensive end Rufus Johnson today, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The former sixth-rounder has one career appearance under his belt. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter) adds three more players to the list of workouts: linebackers Deiontrez Mount and Jermauria Rasco and defensive end Jimmy Bean.
  • The Colts worked out running back Brandon Wegher this week, according to his reps at Enter Sports Management (on Twitter). The former Morningside standout made one appearance for the Panthers in 2015. The team also worked out former Seahawks running back Zac Brooks, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Safety Elijah Shumate worked out for the Raiders this week, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame spent time with the Buccaneers this summer.
  • The Patriots worked out four players today, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (via Twitter): WR Anthony Dable, DE Ryan Russell, OL Ian Silberman, DE Davis Tull. Dable is an interesting inclusion, as the 27-year-old has spent much of his professional career playing in the German Football League.
  • The Lions worked out a trio of defensive backs, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter): safety Jimmy Wilson and cornerbacks Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Demetrius McCray. The three players each have extensive NFL experience, with 12 combined starts in 2015.
  • The Packers worked out running back Storm Johnson, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The former seventh-rounder last played in the NFL in 2o14, when he played six games for the Jaguars.
  • The Buccaneers worked out a trio of players today, according to Caplan on Twitter: defensive tackle Kyle Love, defensive end Kroy Biermann and guard Josh LeRibeus. Biermann is the most veteran of the bunch, with the 31-year-old compiling 331 career tackles in eight NFL seasons.
  • Former Eagles offensive lineman Andrew Gardner worked out for the Seahawks today, tweets Caplan. The former sixth-rounder has started 11 NFL games since entering the league in 2009.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/13/16

September 13th, 2016 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Browns have promoted defensive lineman Gabe Wright to the active roster, reports Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). The former fourth-round pick was previously waived by the Lions after only one season with the team.
  • The Titans announced that they have signed cornerback Cody Riggs back to the team’s active roster and waived quarterback Alex Tanney. Riggs, who played in 11 games for the Titans last season, was cut late last week after initially making the 53-man roster. Riggs totaled 14 tackles, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble in 2015.
  • The Redskins released center Austin Reiter, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former seventh-rounder was cut to make room for defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who signed with the team earlier today.
  • The Packers reached an injury settlement with Kyle Steuck, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Texans waived rookie fullback Soma Vainuku from injured reserve, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • The Cowboys have reached an injury settlement with defensive end Mike McAdoo, reports Wilson (via Twitter). The former North Carolina standout has previously spent time in the Canadian Football League.
  • The Jaguars have waived safety Marqueston Huff, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The former fourth-rounder was previously claimed off waivers from the Titans after being handed a one-game suspension.
  • The Jets have cut tight end Braedon Bowman, reports Wilson (via Twitter). The undrafted rookie was inactive during this past week’s loss to the Bengals. The spot will presumably go to Sheldon Richardson, who was suspended for the first game of the season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/16

September 13th, 2016 at 6:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: RB Blake Sims (link via Matt Zenitz of AL.com)
  • Cut: RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Marquis Bundy (via team announcement)
  • Cut: WR Chris Hubert (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts:

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Cut: WR Shaq Evans (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via reps at Precision Sports)
  • Cut: LB Jason Fanaika (Twitter link via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com)

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: QB Alex Tanney (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com)
  • Cut: OL Ronald Patrick

Washington Redskins

Cowboys Sign Ryan Davis

September 13th, 2016 at 6:26pm CST by Ben Levine

After working out 14 players on Tuesday, the Cowboys have emerged with a defensive end. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the team has signed Ryan Davis. Ryan DavisESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes that the veteran had tried out for the team earlier this afternoon.

Davis, an undrafted rookie back in 2012, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jaguars. While the former Bethune-Cookman standout never started a game, he still managed to produce some impressive numbers during his tenure in Jacksonville. Over the past three seasons, Davis has 11 sacks, including 6.5 during the 2014 season. The 27-year-old was released by the Jaguars earlier this month.

With the ability to play both linebacker and defensive end, Davis should surely carve out a role on this squad. Plus, as Archer points out, Davis’ 11 career sacks are the most on the entire roster, topping Orlando Scandrick‘s 10.5 sacks. Davis will presumably compete with Charles Tapper and Jack Crawford for snaps on the defensive line, and he’ll go against Keith Smith, Mark Nzeocha, Andrew Gachkar, Justin Durant, and Damien Wilson for action at linebacker.

Broncos Release Garrett Graham

September 13th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Garrett Graham‘s tenure with the Broncos will end without him even taking the field. Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post tweets that the team has released the veteran tight Garrett Grahamend from the injured reserve. Graham signed with Denver back in April, and he was placed on season-ending injured reserve in late August.

Graham, a former fourth-round pick out of Wisconsin, had spent the entirety of his six-year career with the Texans. The 30-year-old started 31 games during his time in Houston, hauling in 100 career receptions. His best season came in 2013, when Graham caught 49 passes for 545 yards and five touchdowns. This performance earned the tight end a three-year extension with the squad. Graham played in eight games last season, finishing with four catches for 30 yards and one score.

The team is presumably content with the trio of tight ends on the active roster. As Roster Resource shows, the Broncos will rely on Virgil Green, Jeff Heuerman and John Phillips for production from the position.

Dolphins Sign Donald Butler

September 13th, 2016 at 5:49pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins have already filled the roster spot previously held by injured defensive tackle Earl Mitchell. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the team has signed linebacker Donald Butler. The 27-year-old worked out for the Dolphins earlier today.

Donald ButlerButler, a former third-round pick, spent his entire six-year career with the Chargers before being released by the team in March. After missing his rookie season with a torn ACL, the linebacker found his own through his first several seasons in the league. The team later gave the defender a contract extension, but Butler quickly found himself in the doghouse in San Diego.

He landed on the injured reserve in 2014, and he found himself on the bench for half of the 2015 season. Butler set career-lows across the board last season, compiling 43 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and no passes defended. Butler briefly caught on with the Cardinals this offseason, but he failed to make the final 53-man roster.

The Dolphins were certainly in the market for a linebacker, as the team reportedly hosted veteran A.J. Hawk yesterday.

Seahawks Swap Cornerbacks, Fullbacks

September 13th, 2016 at 5:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks have made several roster moves this afternoon, replacing a cornerback and fullback with free agents. Dov Kleiman tweets that the team has waived cornerback Tharold Simon and fullback Taniela Tupou. Bob Condotta of The Seattle Neiko Thorpe (vertical)Times tweets that the team will be signing fullback Will Tukuafu to take Tupuo’s place, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the Seahawks have signed Neiko Thorpe to take Simon’s place.

Tupou was a feel-good story coming out of the preseason. The 23-year-old made the Seahawks’ roster after making the switch from defensive tackle to fullback. The undrafted rookie out of Washington played only seven snaps in Sunday’s win over the Dolphins. The Seahawks ultimately decided to side with the veteran Tukuafu over the rookie. The 32-year-old played in a career high 14 games for Seattle in 2015. The veteran, who also previously played defensive tackle, has made 43 appearances over six NFL seasons.

Simon, a fifth-round pick in 2013, only has 10 tackles in 11 NFL games. The 25-year-old didn’t see the field during Sunday’s game. Replacing him will be Thorpe, who spent time this past summer with the Colts. The 26-year-old appeared in 14 games for the Raiders last season, compiling 40 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception.

Saints Release C.J. Spiller

September 13th, 2016 at 4:25pm CST by Ben Levine

C.J. Spiller‘s tenure in New Orleans appears to be over. According to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Saints have released the veteran running back. The reporter notes that the 29-year-old is healthy and should land on a new team relatively quickly.

Spiller joined the Saints last offseason after having spent the first five seasons of his career with the Bills. The former first-rounder inked a four-year contract worth $18MM, with $9MM guaranteed. As the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes on Twitter, the Saints had already paid Spiller a $1.55MM roster bonus and guaranteed his $1.7MM salary for 2016.

C.J. SpillerThe running back appeared in 13 games for the Saints in 2015 before being placed on the injured reserve. Spiller struggled during his only season in New Orleans, compiling only 112 rushing yards on 36 carries. However, he did continue to show flashes in the passing game, hauling in 34 receptions for 239 yards and a pair of scores. Spiller’s best professional season came in 2012, when he finished with 1,244 rushing yards and six touchdowns (along with 43 receptions for 459 yards and two scores).

Spiller’s time with the Saints seemed to be running short after this weekend’s game against the Raiders. The veteran back was inactive for the contest, and replacement Travaris Cadet ended up appearing in 26 offensive snaps (three less than starter Mark Ingram). Coach Sean Payton cited a roster crunch when it came to Spiller being inactive.

“It was just one of these games we knew (Travaris) Cadet was going to have a big role in his position and it really came down to the numbers,” Payton said (via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com). “(Daniel) Lasco is playing on all special teams, it’s really one of the challenges with six running backs on the roster.”

Dolphins To Place DT Earl Mitchell On IR

September 13th, 2016 at 3:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are putting starting defensive tackle Earl Mitchell on IR with a calf injury today, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (on Twitter). The injury won’t necessarily rule Mitchell out for the year and he could be brought back later on this season. "<strong

Mitchell, 29 later this month, left the Texans in free agency to sign with the Dolphins prior to the 2014 season. The defensive tackle received a four-year, $19MM deal with $8MM guaranteed.

With just two sacks to his credit in Miami and no sacks in 2015, Mitchell has underperformed by traditional metrics. Even though he hasn’t played like a superstar, Mitchell was being counted on to start on the interior line alongside Ndamukong Suh. Now, the Dolphins will perhaps turn to 2015 second-round pick Jordan Phillips or defensive end/tackle Julius Warmsley.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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