HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Saints, Max Unger Agree To Extension

September 5th, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

MONDAY, 3:50pm: Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate passes along details of Unger’s contract. In total, the contract holds an average annual value of $7.4MM while also including a $7MM signing bonus and $14.3MM in guaranteed money.

Unger’s base salary will be at $850K in 2016, and it increases to $1.7MM (2017, fully guaranteed), $4.5MM (2018, $1MM guaranteed), and $5.1MM (2019, no guarantee). The cap hits, meanwhile, increase from $4.35MM in 2016 to $7.4MM (2017), $8MM (2018), and $8.7MM (2019)

FRIDAY, 9:15am: The Saints and center Max Unger have agreed to a three-year extension, as Herbie Teope of The Times-Picayune writes. The new three-year deal will give Unger an annual salary of $7MM+. Max Unger (vertical)

Unger, 30, started all 16 games for New Orleans last season after the Jimmy Graham trade brought him in from Seattle. Prior to his new deal, Unger was slated to play out the 2016 season for a $4.45MM base before entering the free agent market.

Unger was obviously not the focal point of the Seahawks-Saints trade last year, but he did offer an impressive pedigree of his own. Over the course of his career, the Oregon product has earned two Pro Bowl nods (2012, 2013) and one First-Team All-Pro selection (2012) with 83 games (all starts) on his resume. Meanwhile, Graham went from one of the league’s best tight ends to something of an afterthought in Seattle. He is now trying to get back on track after undergoing serious knee surgery.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bears Place Ego Ferguson On IR

September 5th, 2016 at 2:53pm CST by Ben Levine

After being waived/injured yesterday, Ego Ferguson will remain on the Bears. Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that the defensive tackle will be placed on the injured reserve. General manager Ryan Pace indicated that Ferguson will need shoulder surgery.

Ego FergusonFerguson, a former second-round pick, was reportedly being shopped by the team earlier this week. Pace has shown a real willingness to install his own defense in Chicago, and he’s been looking to move members of the previous administration. Will Sutton and Christian Jones were among the other Bears defenders being shopped around.

After appearing in all 16 games as a rookie, Ferguson only made four appearances in 2015. The lineman was placed on the IR early in the year, and he was slapped with a four-game suspension in November. In 20 career games, the 24-year-old has compiled 26 tackles, two sacks, and three passes defended.

Braves Considering Signing Tim Tebow

September 5th, 2016 at 2:38pm CST by Ben Levine

By Charlie Wilmoth

The Braves have “definite interest” in quarterback-turned-outfielder Tim Tebow and are considering signing him to a minor league deal, ESPN’s Pedro Gomez reports. The Braves spoke to Tebow on a one-on-one basis after his workout Tuesday, along with four other teams.

Tim Tebow (vertical)The former Denver Bronco, New York Jet and Florida Gator stole headlines last month with the news that he was trying his hand at baseball and had been quietly working out with former MLB catcher Chad Moeller. Representatives from every big-league team except the Cubs and Athletics saw Tebow’s workout in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The 29-year-old’s baseball skills received mixed reviews — he won praise for his raw power, but one scout told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that Tebow looked like “an actor trying to portray a baseball player.”

Whether or not the Braves sign Tebow, he would appear to be a project. He has, obviously, dedicated most of the past decade to playing football, and however impressive his power might be, there would likely be a significant learning period before he could hit for power against high-level pitching.

This post originally appeared on MLB Trade Rumors.

49ers Release Bruce Miller

September 5th, 2016 at 2:10pm CST by Ben Levine

2:10pm: The 49ers have released Miller, according Maiocco (via Twitter).

Miller was set to earn $1.25MM this upcoming season. The fullback had a cap hit of $1.9MM, and his release will likely leave $893K of dead cap.

Peter Hockaday and Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle note that Miller was arrested “on aggravated assault and elder abuse charges.” Barrows adds (via Twitter) that other charges include “threats and battery.”

12:50am: 49ers tight end/fullback Bruce Miller was arrested for assault on Monday morning, according to KTVU.com. The 29-year-old was arrested in San Francisco following an incident at the Fisherman’s Wharf Marriott Hotel.

“The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the media report regarding Bruce Miller,” the team said in statement (via Matt Maiocco on Twitter). “We are gathering the relevant facts of this matter and will continue to monitor the situation.

Bruce MillerReports indicate that Miller was told the hotel was full on Sunday evening, but the five-year veteran returned early on Monday morning and knocked on a guest’s door. When Miller was informed that he had the wrong room, he attacked both the guest and the guest’s father. A 70-year-old man was reportedly punched in the face and suffered broken bones during the incident. Miller fled, but he was apprehended and arrested early this morning.

Miller was arrested in 2015 for spousal battery, as Matt Barrows of SacBee.com notes. The fullback was ultimately charged with misdemeanor vandalism.

A former seventh-round pick, Miller has only missed three games during his five-year career. The versatile offensive weapon has 76 career receptions, including 10 last season for 135 yards. Miller also has 28 career rushes. Roster Resource has Miller slotted in as the team’s third tight end.

Ravens Place Carl Davis, Matt Elam on IR

September 5th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens placed a pair of defenders on the injured reserve this afternoon. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has placed defensive tackle Carl Davis and safety Matt Elam on the injured reserve list. Zrebiec notes that the team will use the open roster spots on return man Devin Hester and running back Justin Forsett.

Matt ElamDavis, 24, suffered an ankle injury during his team’s final preseason game. The former third-rounder played in 13 games (three starts) as a rookie, compiling 11 tackles and two passes defended. Roster Resource projected Davis to serve as the team’s top reserve nose tackle.

Elam, 24, was the Ravens’ first-round pick back in 2013. The safety showed plenty of promise through his first two years in the league, compiling 127 tackles, seven passes defended, and an interception in 32 games. Elam missed all of 2015 with a biceps injury, and he was battling a knee injury throughout this preseason.

49ers Sign DuJuan Harris, Place Will Redmond On IR

September 5th, 2016 at 1:41pm CST by Ben Levine

After being released by the team last week, DuJuan Harris is back with the 49ers. ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that the running back has re-signed with San Francisco. To make room on the roster, the team has placed cornerback Will Redmond on the injured reserve. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets that Redmond will be eligible to return later this season.

Harris has bounced around the league since going undrafted out of Troy in 2011. The running back split the 2015 season between the 49ers and the Seahawks, compiling 189 yards on 48 carries. The 28-year-old has averaged 4.2-yards-per-carry throughout his career, and he’s also hauled in 13 career receptions (including nine in 2015).

Redmond, a third-round pick out of Mississippi State, tore his ACL last October. The defensive back showed plenty of talent while in college, but the 49ers still weren’t convinced that he was fully healthy.

49ers Acquire Rod Streater, Trim Roster To 53

September 5th, 2016 at 12:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

12:25pm: Maiocco tweets that McCray is likely to be placed on waivers following the failed trade.

MONDAY, 9:40am: McCray reportedly failed his physical, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicates (via Twitter) that the deal is off. The safety was originally traded to the Seahawks for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2018.

The safety is set to go back to the 49ers for the time being. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that McCray is recovering from a torn ACL and is likely to be released.

SUNDAY, 5:30pm: The wideout announced that he’s officially been dealt to the 49ers, while CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco tweets that Streater presumably passed his physical.

SATURDAY, 4:14pm: The 49ers announced they they’ve acquired wide receiver Rod Streater from the Chiefs. Streater had spent his career in Oakland before signing with Kansas City, and now he’ll head back to the Bay Area with a chance to make an impact in a depleted WR corps.

San Francisco also announced that they’ve traded safety L.J. McCray to the Seahawks. The compensation involved in both deals has not been announced.

Cut:

Lemonier was the 49ers’ third-round pick in 2013, but he never made much of an impact in San Francisco. In 42 games (two starts), Lemonier picked up 37 tackles and a sack.

Carson Wentz To Start Eagles’ Opener

September 5th, 2016 at 10:35am CST by Connor J. Byrne

MONDAY, 10:35am: Doug Pederson announced that Wentz would indeed be starting the Eagles’ season opener (via The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman on Twitter).

SATURDAY, 12:07pm: It appears the Carson Wentz era will begin much earlier than expected in Philadelphia. As long as Wentz has recovered from his rib injury by Week 1, he’ll start the Eagles’ opener against the Browns, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Wentz missed nearly all of the preseason after suffering a hairline fracture in his ribs during the Eagles’ exhibition opener Aug. 11. Carson Wentz

Wentz, for whom the Eagles moved up in the draft to pick second overall, was not supposed to play much of a role this year with both Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel ahead of him on the club’s depth chart. However, that changed when the Eagles traded Bradford to the Vikings on Saturday for multiple draft choices, including a first-round pick next year.

Daniel, meanwhile, isn’t happy with the Eagles’ decision to turn to Wentz, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The longtime backup with the Saints and Chiefs joined the Eagles on a three-year deal in free agency during the winter, but he failed to impress in the preseason and will now serve as a reserve to Wentz, an ex-North Dakota State star.

Photo via PFR on Instagram.

Giants Sign Josh Johnson, Release Jasper Brinkley

September 5th, 2016 at 10:13am CST by Ben Levine

The Giants have added a third quarterback. Agent Doug Hendrickson announced (via Twitter) that client Josh Johnson has signed with the G-Men. According to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter), the team has released veteran linebacker Jasper Brinkley to make room on the roster.

Josh Johnson (vertical)Johnson, 30, was cut by the Ravens this weekend after having signed with Baltimore in May. The journeyman has bounced around since leaving the Buccaneers in 2011. Since 2012, Johnson has spent time with the Ravens, Browns, Bengals, 49ers, Colts, Bills and Jets. The last time the quarterback took the field was in 2013, when he compiled 20 rushing yards on seven carries for Cincinnati. His last NFL start came in 2011. Johnson will presumably slide in behind Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib on the Giants depth chart.

Brinkley, 31, re-signed with the Giants this offseason after having spent the 2015 season in New York. The veteran had another solid campaign last year, compiling 67 tackles and one sack. The linebacker has only missed a pair of games since the start of 2012. Raanan notes (on Twitter) that the Giants guaranteed $1.7MM of Brinkley’s 2016 contract. With the veteran out of the picture, Keenan Robinson or Kelvin Sheppard could slide into the starting middle linebacker spot for New York.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South

September 5th, 2016 at 9:20am CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Load More Posts