HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Workout Notes: Giants, Jets, Raiders, Colts

September 3rd, 2018 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Week 1 practices are underway, here’s the latest from the workout circuit:

  • The Giants appear to envy the Raiders’ roster depth. After adding Mario Edwards and cornerback Antonio Hamilton, Big Blue will work out Raiders 2017 fourth-round tackle David Sharpe, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets. Sharpe’s shed 30 pounds this offseason, per Gehlken. He played in five games and started two as a rookie. The Giants will also audition former Broncos cornerback Michael Hunter, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). These workouts will take place Tuesday.
  • Hunter was part of a four-cornerback contingent that auditioned for the Texans on Labor Day, with veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweeting Hunter, Breon Borders, Chris Campbell and Jalen Myrick took part in the Monday showcase. Of this quartet, only Myrick has NFL experience. He played five games as a Texan last season.
  • Dan Bailey appears to have a good chance to be the Jets‘ next kicker, but in the event the team doesn’t sign him, an insurance option is coming to the Big Apple for a workout. Matt McCrane will kick for Jets brass on Wednesday, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. The Cardinals cut McCrane last week. Jason Myers currently sits as Gang Green’s kicker, but he may not have a good grip on the job.
  • Prior to the Raiders signing Brandon LaFell, they worked out one of their former wideouts. Brice Butler trekked back to Oakland for a Monday workout, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets. Although most of Reggie McKenzie‘s draft picks aren’t too popular with Jon Gruden right now, Butler joined the Raiders as a 2013 seventh-round and played sparingly in 2013 and ’14. The Raiders traded him to the Cowboys prior to the 2015 season. Butler did not impress the Cardinals in camp, despite signing a two-year deal this spring.
  • The Patriots worked out tight end Stephen Anderson, tackle Eric Smith and wide receiver Jace Billingsley on Monday, Balzer tweets. New England will sign Smith to its practice squad.
  • Thinner at wide receiver after losing Marqise Lee, the Jaguars will work out former Giants wideout Kalif Raymond on Tuesday, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets. The former UDFA mostly served as a Giants return man last season.
  • Multiyear Steelers backup Fitzgerald Toussaint visited the Colts on Monday, per Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). The Steelers cut the 28-year-old running back last week after what ended up being a three-year stay.
  • Linebacker Jonathan Celestin will work out for the Browns on Tuesday, per NFL Draft Diamonds (Twitter link). The Falcons axed Celestin after the preseason.
  • Lastly, the Chiefs auditioned tackle Pace Murphy on Monday, per Balzer.

Buccaneers Work Out LB Corey Nelson

September 3rd, 2018 at 9:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Released by the Eagles after what amounted to an offseason stay with the defending Super Bowl champions, Corey Nelson auditioned for the Buccaneers on Monday, veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweets.

Nelson did not fare well in Philadelphia’s competition to replace Mychal Kendricks, but he has four years’ experience as a Broncos backup. He started six games for the 2016 Broncos as well.

Tampa Bay already added two Philadelphia free agent defenders this offseason in Beau Allen and Vinny Curry, and while Nelson did not play for the Eagles beyond preseason work, it would be interesting if he made a trip south as well.

The Bucs are thin at linebacker presently. Beyond three-down ‘backers Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander, the Bucs have just Cameron Lynch, Adarius Taylor and sixth-round rookie Jack Cichy healthy going into Week 1. Tampa Bay placed both Riley Bullough and 2016 sixth-rounder Davante Bond on IR on Saturday, and Kendell Beckwith resides on the NFI list.

Minor AFC Transactions: 9/3/18

September 3rd, 2018 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves from the AFC:

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/3/18

September 3rd, 2018 at 7:15pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: DE Christian LaCouture

Chicago Bears

Signed:

Cleveland Browns

Signed:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Signed:

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Signed:

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: OL Zack Golditch

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed:

Tennessee Titans

Broncos’ Su’a Cravens To Undergo Surgery

September 3rd, 2018 at 6:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Su’a Cravens missed most of the Broncos’ training camp before returning for their final preseason game. A setback in that game led to the safety being placed on IR.

Vance Joseph said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold) Cravens will need arthroscopic surgery on his knee, making the IR designation logical. Joseph hopes Cravens, who was still experiencing knee pain the day after his Denver debut, will be back after the required two-month absence.

This is the same knee he Cravens underwent surgery on last year, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic notes (subscription required), adding Cravens is expected to be one of Denver’s IR-return players. However, Cravens barely suited up for the Broncos during the preseason. Joseph was nonetheless pleased with Cravens’ lone game work last week.

Four safeties — Darian Stewart, Justin Simmons, Will Parks and Dymonte Thomas — remain on the Broncos’ active roster. While the team is is obviously hoping Cravens can help its defense later this season, he has not played in a game since December 2016.

The Broncos have lost two members of their projected Week 1 safety contingent, with second-year cog Jamal Carter out for the season. Acquired for a fifth-round pick, Cravens will not be able to return until Week 9. This latest setback continues the former second-round pick’s availability struggles as an NFLer.

Bills To Work Out Paxton Lynch

September 3rd, 2018 at 5:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the interested Paxton Lynch parties appears to be the Bills, whom Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) will bring in the embattled former Broncos quarterback for a Tuesday audition.

Four teams are reportedly interested in bringing in Lynch for an audition, and the Bills make sense due to their quarterback depth chart. Nathan Peterman, who infamously threw five interceptions in a start against the Chargers last season, is set to be Buffalo’s Week 1 starter. Josh Allen is the backup after the Bills traded A.J. McCarron.

Lynch, though, still profiles as a developmental player. That makes the Buffalo fit interesting given their employment of a younger project passer in Allen. Lynch has made just four career starts and did not fare well this offseason, either, after 2017 Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly beat him out quickly for Denver’s backup job.

The Broncos went through three offensive coordinators during Lynch’s three years. One of those, Rick Dennison, was the Bills’ OC last year. But Brian Daboll is Buffalo’s top offensive voice now, meaning Lynch would have to process a fourth system if he joined the Bills.

Paxton Lynch Generating Interest

September 3rd, 2018 at 5:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos found no takers for Paxton Lynch‘s first-round rookie contract, but now that the former high-profile investment cleared waivers, teams are exploring the idea of taking over in developing the struggling quarterback.

Four teams have thus far expressed interest in working out Lynch, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). The third-year player will begin scheduling visits Tuesday, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.

As the 2016 first round wound down, Lynch was a hot commodity. The Broncos traded up to No. 26 to select him, outflanking the Cowboys. Jerry Jones lamented that turn of events at the time. The Chiefs were interested as well then, but they landed their long-term passer a year later. The Cowboys could make sense now, with Dak Prescott‘s backup situation not flush with proven talent, but it’s not certain at this point who’s contacting the 24-year-old quarterback.

Denver cut Lynch to make room for fellow 2016 draftee Kevin Hogan, a fifth-round pick that year. Hogan sits behind Case Keenum and Chad Kelly, who missed all of his rookie season due to injury. Kelly usurped Lynch for the Broncos’ backup-QB job early in the preseason.

The once-coveted Memphis product made just four starts in two seasons but may have options to continue his development soon and attempt to remove the “bust” label from his NFL career.

Seahawks To Place RB J.D. McKissic On IR

September 3rd, 2018 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks carried J.D. McKissic through to their 53-man roster, but he will not be available for at least eight weeks now.

McKissic will head to IR, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Former Browns linebacker Jermaine Grace, whom the Seahawks claimed off waivers, will take McKissic’s roster spot, per Yates.

A third-year running back, McKissic is dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot. He was not slated to be ready for Week 1 and will now have plenty of time to heal up. It’s not certain Seattle will bring him off IR when he’s healthy, however. The Seahawks only have two IR-return slots, and whether McKissic is brought back for second-half action this season will depend on how the team fares with injuries during the first half.

Seattle may also be without Rashaad Penny in Week 1. Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise and Mike Davis represent the Seahawks’ current healthy running backs. They carried five through to their 53-man unit, presumably knowing McKissic was IR-bound. Had the Seahawks placed their agile backup on IR before Saturday’s cutdown day, he would have had to miss the entire season.

A former UDFA, McKissic saw action in 13 games last season in a complex campaign for Seahawks running backs.

The Browns waived Grace on Sunday to make room for one of the five new players they added via post-cutdown waivers. A 2017 UDFA who saw scant action as a rookie with the Falcons and Colts last year, Grace will join a Seahawks linebacking corps that will likely be without K.J. Wright in Week 1.

NFC Minor Moves: 9/3/18

September 3rd, 2018 at 4:10pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There have been plenty of transactions across the league today. While the big names all garnered headlines of their own, there were tons of more under-the-radar signings and cuts as well. Here are all the additional moves from the NFC so far today:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

Buccaneers Claim DL Carl Nassib

September 3rd, 2018 at 3:45pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the stars of this year’s Hard Knocks has found a home. Carl Nassib was claimed by the Buccaneers off waivers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). 

Nassib made the Browns’ initial 53-man roster, but was waived the next day to make room for the Browns’ waiver claims. Nassib was a third round pick in 2016, and never was terrible with the Browns, but the team decided to move on because of their increased depth at the position.

Last year Nassib, appeared in all 16 games for Cleveland, making 12 starts. He had 19 tackles with three sacks and five passes defended. He finished his career in Cleveland with 34 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and nine passes defended total.

He’ll now join a unit in Tampa Bay where he should have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. The Bucs’ pass-rushing group isn’t nearly as deep as Cleveland’s is, so it’s a great landing spot for Nassib. The former Penn State Nittany Lion, who set a school record with 15.5 sacks his senior season, should get a chance to re-invent himself.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link), the Bucs are releasing veteran defensive end Will Clarke to make room for Nassib on the roster.

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