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.
Ok to start the Jaguars working out Kalif Raymond is nothing more that attempting to trying to get some info on their week 1 opponent.
2nd as a Giants fan I have no idea what’s going on with the Giants after there cuts and subsequent waiver pickups of 6 players! That’s a 10% overhaul of your roster after final cut down. I have to either look at at it like, our talent level sucks and we need to bring in better guys, OR we just need to upgrade some depth on our roster in case of injuries or for competition. Either way it seems like it’s gonna be another 5-11, or 6-10 season at best. Ugh, gotta have faith there is a plan. SMH.
Agreed. I think both the talent level is not good, as it’s been the same backup guys for years. And they definitely needed to upgrade the depth, and still do. 5-11 or 6-10 with their schedule this year seems about right. Which was all the more reason Darnold should have been drafted.
I have to agree about Darnold. Although I do like he Barkley pick at the time and still do. We haven’t had a legitimate threat at RB since Tiki. I felt that with Webb we had our heir apparent. I liked him in college, big strong, mobile and rifle of an arm for those windy harsh winter days in the NFC east. But now I don’t know. While Lauletta has good mobility, smarts and size, he has a weak arm and I don’t have confidence in him being able to handle the weather in December.