HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Jaguars Trim Roster To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to the cuts of quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Joshua Dobbs, here are the players the Jaguars parted ways with in order to reduce their roster to the 53-player limit.

Waived:

Waived/injured: 

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

Armstead is one of six players currently on a COVID-19 list around the league. He was expected to lead a Jaguars running back committee, following Leonard Fournette‘s departure. Players can be removed from the COVID list at any point. Armstead’s status will leave Devine Ozigbo and rookie UDFA James Robinson as the Jags’ running backs. This will be a team to monitor for waiver-claim adds at running back.

Nickerson, Giles-Harris and Orzich spent time on the Jaguars’ 53-man roster last season. The players jettisoned Saturday will become practice squad candidates, at least the bulk of them, on Sunday. Teams can begin signing players to their taxi squads Sunday, and after years of P-squads residing at 10 players, they will be 16-man units in this unique season.

Raiders Cut RB Theo Riddick

September 5th, 2020 at 2:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Theo Riddick could be on the move again. The veteran running back is being cut by the Raiders, a source told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN (Twitter link).

That being said that doesn’t mean he won’t be in Vegas, as Gutierrez notes the Raiders want him as a veteran exception on the practice squad. He also writes that Riddick impressed during his brief time in camp. The pass-catching specialist just signed with the team on August 23rd.

Riddick broke into the league as a sixth-round pick of the Lions in 2013, and spent the next six years in Detroit. He carved out a nice role on passing downs, and for a while was one of the top receiving backs in the league. His best season as a receiver came in 2015 when he caught 80 passed for 697 yards and three touchdowns.

His production declined shortly thereafter, and the Lions finally released him in July of last year. He quickly latched on with the Broncos, but didn’t appear in a game for Denver after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Saints Cut DE Mario Edwards, LB Anthony Chickillo

September 5th, 2020 at 2:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Saints are cutting a pair of notable veteran defensive players as they trim the roster down to 53. They’ll be letting go of defensive end Mario Edwards (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network), and linebacker Anthony Chickillo (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).

Rapoport notes that Edwards could come back on the practice squad, and also that the Saints had tried moving him in trade talks this week. A second round pick of the Raiders back in 2015, he never lived up to his draft status. He was waived after three seasons in Oakland and signed a two-year, $5MM deal with the Saints last offseason after spending 2018 with the Giants. He had three sacks with New Orleans last year.

Chickillo was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth-round in 2015, and spent the first five years of his career with Pittsburgh. He signed a two-year, $8MM extension in March of 2019, but was released earlier this offseason. He signed with the Saints in May, but couldn’t make it out of camp. The Miami product was mostly a reserve and special teams guy with the Steelers.

 

Seahawks Release WR Paul Richardson

September 5th, 2020 at 1:40pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Paul Richardson‘s reunion with the Seahawks turned out to be brief. Just about a week after inking a deal with Seattle Richardson has been released, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The Seahawks’ re-signing of Josh Gordon a couple of days ago must’ve made Richardson expendable. Seattle originally drafted the Colorado product in the second round back in 2014. Injuries and vets ahead of him on the depth chart limited his effectiveness his first few years, but he broke out in 2017.

That season he showed great promise as a deep threat, catching 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns. The career year came right as he was hitting free agency, and inspired Washington to give him a five-year, $40MM contract.

That was a disaster nearly immediately, as injuries limited him to just 17 games over two years with the team and he failed to top 262 yards in either campaign. Washington released him earlier this year and he was hoping to jumpstart his career back where it started. Now it appears his comeback will have to begin elsewhere.

Bears Release K Cairo Santos

September 5th, 2020 at 1:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Cairo Santos‘ time in Chicago didn’t last long. Just a couple weeks after signing with the Bears, the veteran kicker has been informed of his release, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

That being said, that doesn’t mean Santos won’t end up kicking for the team. Kicker Eddy Pineiro has been sidelined by a groin injury, and Biggs writes the team just wanted to have him make the initial 53 so he wouldn’t have to be lost for the season by going on injured reserve. Biggs doesn’t think Pineiro will be ready to kick Week 1, and he thinks the plan may be to re-sign Santos after the weekend and have him kick against Detroit.

Kicking has been a sore spot for the Bears the last few years, and it looks like things are up in the air yet again. Santos was the Chiefs’ kicker from 2014-17, but was replaced following an injury and has bounced around the league since. He spent a couple weeks with Chicago toward the end of the 2017 season, so there’s plenty of familiarity here.

Chargers, Keenan Allen Agree On Extension

September 5th, 2020 at 1:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Keenan Allen‘s consistency over the past few years will result in a massive payday. The Chargers are giving their No. 1 wide receiver a four-year deal worth more than $80MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Officially, it’s a four-year, $80.1MM pact, Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com tweets.

This will make Allen the NFL’s second-highest-paid wideout — behind only Julio Jones. It represents the second extension of Allen’s career; he signed his first in 2016. Allen was set to enter the 2020 season as the league’s 18th-highest-paid receiver.

Illustrating how much the wideout market has changed over the past four years, Allen’s deal will come with $50MM guaranteed, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That will place the veteran weapon seventh among wideouts. Allen’s 2016 pact was worth $24MM guaranteed.

One of the league’s premier route runners, Allen has been the Bolts’ No. 1 wideout practically since the team drafted him in the 2013 third round. He missed extensive time in 2015 and ’16 due to injuries but has shown tremendous consistency since. The 28-year-old target has made the past three Pro Bowls, playing in every game over that span, and has scored six touchdowns in each of those seasons. After a career-high 1,393 yards in 2017, Allen eclipsed 1,190 yards in 2018 and ’19.

With Mike Williams uncertain for Week 1, and the Bolts not possessing much in the way of proven targets behind their starting duo, Allen’s status on the team has never been more important. He will be essential when the Chargers hand the reins to first-round quarterback Justin Herbert.

49ers Plan To Activate Deebo Samuel From NFI List

September 5th, 2020 at 1:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers may have their top wide receiver ready to go in Week 1. They are planning to activate Deebo Samuel from the non-football injury list ahead of the regular season, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets.

This will make Samuel eligible to suit up against the Cardinals in Week 1. Samuel has been recovering from a fractured foot for multiple months.

The Jones fracture Samuel suffered in June put the early part of the season in question for the second-year wideout. Should San Francisco have Samuel back in action against Arizona, it will represent a significant win for the defending NFC champions — who have been beset with injuries at wide receiver this summer.

Samuel has not practiced fully yet but has made progress in recent weeks. He became one of the more successful rookie wideouts in recent memory, being a yards-after-catch maven during a 57-catch, 802-yard season.

Browns Get Down To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 1:22pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Browns became the second team after the Panthers to officially announce their initial 53-man roster, waiving 24 players to get down. Here’s everybody they cut, with a recap on some notables at the bottom:

One of the biggest names on this list is Thomas, who the Browns drafted 67th overall in 2018. He barely played as a rookie, but he started eight games and had four sacks last year. The Browns are loaded along the defensive line, so it would’ve been tough for him to find snaps. He’s a definite practice squad candidate assuming he doesn’t get claimed.

Taylor flashed some potential with the Titans and had 466 yards with Tennessee in 2018, but failed to make a dent after getting traded to Cleveland last year. Ratley is another receiver who got cut, and he started three games each of the past two years. The 2018 sixth-rounder from Texas A&M had 200 yards and a touchdown last season.

Gilbert spent last season as Baker Mayfield‘s backup after he lit it up in the ill-fated AAF, but he was made expendable by the offseason addition of Case Keenum. He should get another shot elsewhere or on the practice squad.

Eagles Shopping Alshon Jeffery?

September 5th, 2020 at 1:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the deadline to slash rosters to 53 players less than two hours away, the Eagles are still trying to move Alshon Jeffery‘s now-onerous contract.

The team is shopping the ninth-year receiver — as it has been doing since last year — according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). But the Jeffery situation has not changed much, making such a move difficult.

Jeffery is not on track to be ready for Week 1. Though he will not start the season on the PUP list, which would shelve him for the first six weeks, it does seem as if he will miss at least a couple of games, and he is owed $9.91MM in guaranteed salary.

While Jeffery fought through injuries to post productive seasons in 2017 and ’18, en route to his Eagles extension, he finished last season with just 43 catches for 490 yards. Injuries limited him to 10 games in 2019.

Despite making some moves at receiver this offseason, the Eagles have key issues going into the season. In addition to Jeffery’s continued injury concerns, Jalen Reagor is expected to miss at least part of Philadelphia’s September slate. Trade acquisition Marquise Goodwin opted out. This will leave 33-year-old DeSean Jackson — who missed most of last year with an injury — and JJ Arcega-Whiteside — who submitted a disappointing rookie season — as the team’s top wideouts entering Week 1.

For what it’s worth, GM Howie Roseman said he is not trying to move Jeffery and looks forward to having him contribute sooner rather than later (via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk). “Alshon has come back with incredible energy,” Roseman said. “He’s in great shape. He’s motivated to win and be part of it. We are not actively shopping him, as reported. But I think for us, you know, let’s get the good player back as soon as possible. I’m not telling you that he’s ready for Week One, but we definitely anticipate him being ready before that PUP period.”

Texans Release OL Greg Mancz

September 5th, 2020 at 1:05pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Texans are saying farewell to a former full-time starter on their offensive line. In a bit of a surprise Houston has released center Greg Mancz, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Mancz signed with the Texans as an undrafted free agent, and carved out a very nice run. He ended up starting all 16 games for them in 2016, and seven the following year. He signed a two-year extension worth $6MM right before the start of the 2018 campaign, but ended up making it through only one year of that deal.

The Texans gradually sought to improve their offensive line to give Deshaun Watson better protection, and Mancz was ultimately squeezed out. He started four games in 2018 which was reduced to just one last year. Houston decided the Toledo product was a bit expensive as a pure backup, although it’s possible he’s brought back at some point down the line.

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