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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/15

August 10th, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest minor moves and signings from around the NFL..

  • The Dolphins signed running back Demitrius Bronson and safety Phillip Thomas, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. To make room, Miami waived/injured safety Shamiel Gary and waived receiver Tyler McDonald.
  • The Colts re-signed guard Kitt O’Brien and waived guard Dionte Savage, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets. Just days ago, the Colts cut O’Brien and signed Savage.
  • The Broncos claimed Matt Hall off waivers from the Colts, Wilson tweets.
  • The Saints waived UDFA wide receiver Malcome Kennedy from their IR, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Seahawks signed safety Tyrequek Zimmerman, Wilson tweets.
  • The Patriots signed Tony Creecy and Logan Stokes while cutting Chris White and Mason Brodine, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • The Lions signed tight end Jacob Maxwell, who was briefly with the team as a UDFA, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
  • The Titans waived-injured cornerback Curtis Riley and picked up fellow corner Will Brown, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
  • The Jaguars signed defensive end Camaron Beard and waived/injured linebacker Matt Robinson, John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets.
  • The Eagles signed ex-Falcons wide receiver Freddie Martino and released fellow wideout John Harris, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Defensive end Frances Mays has also been waived/injured.

Earlier updates:

  • The Packers announced that they have released punter Cody Mandell, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Mandell was in competition with fellow punter Tim Masthay, but that showdown didn’t even make it until the preseason opener.
  • The Browns worked out and signed linebacker Moise Fokou, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). To make room for Smith, the Browns have cut Rodney Smith, Wilson tweets.
  • The Seahawks cut Robert Smith with a failed physical designation, Wilson tweets. The safety was claimed off waivers from the Colts late last week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/15

August 8th, 2015 at 8:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are Saturday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Colts made several moves along their offensive line today, adding guard Dionte Savage while waiving guard Kitt O’Brien and tackle Matt Hall (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). O’Brien lost his roster spot quickly, as he was just signed yesterday.
  • In Kansas City, the Chiefs have also been busy, signing offensive tackle Anthony Dima and receiver Adam Drake, and waiving linebacker Sage Harold and receiver Armon Binns, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
  • The Rams have signed defensive tackle Marcus Forston, who has spent the past few years with the Patriots, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In order to create a roster spot, the team waived running back Terrence Franks, a 2015 undrafted rookie free agent (Twitter link).
  • The Cowboys have removed linebacker Justin Anderson from their injured reserve list, according to Wilson (Twitter link), who reports Dallas reached an injury settlement with Anderson. The Cowboys also cut fellow linebacker Will Smith, who, like Anderson, had been on the club’s IR.

Earlier updates:

  • The Browns signed former Ravens tryout cornerback Joe Rankin, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). A 2014 undrafted player from Division I-FCS Morgan State, Rankin worked as an overnight forklift operator to save enough money to train for another NFL opportunity.
  • Former Arena League and CFL cog Shawn Lemon signed with the 49ers, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (on Twitter). The Steelers waived the 26-year-old outside linebacker last week.
  • The Steelers have placed safety Isaiah Lewis on the waived/injured list, and they’ve signed safety Jordan Dangerfield to take his spot, the team announced (via Twitter). Lewis, a former undrafted rookie, was signed to a futures contract at the end of last season. The Michigan State product had been battling a hamstring injury for most of camp. Dangerfield has previously been with the Steelers, participating in their 2014 camp and practice squad before being signed to a futures contract. He was waived last month when Pittsburgh added offensive lineman Kelvin Palmer.
  • The Lions have waived cornerback Ethan Davis, tweets ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein. The undrafted rookie had joined Detroit earlier this week.

Lions Sign DeAndre Levy To Extension

August 8th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 9:45am: Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details on Levy’s extension (via Twitter):

The linebacker’s 2015 base salary will be worth $1MM, followed by base salaries of $5.25M (2016), $5.75M (2017), $6.25M (2018) and $6.75 (2019). The 2016 and 2017 salaries are only guaranteed for injury, but the years will become fully-guaranteed on the third day of the league year.

As Birkett notes, Levi’s cap hit for 2015 was lowered to $4.4MM (down from the previous $4.5MM cap hit), and the writer adds that the signing bonus cap will be worth $2.4MM each season.

THURSDAY, 12:35pm: Levy’s deal, which is now official, will be worth $33.72MM over four years, with $20MM in guaranteed money, tweets Rapoport. It’s unlikely that the whole $20MM will be fully guaranteed at signing, but the annual average on the contract is $8.43MM, making Levy the highest-paid 4-3 outside linebacker in the league by a comfortable margin.

WEDNESDAY, 1:40pm: Levy’s extension will be for four years, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter).

1:25pm: The Lions have reached an agreement on a contract extension for linebacker DeAndre Levy, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Locking up Levy to a long-term deal had been a priority this offseason for general manager Martin Mayhew, who said this week that he has also been in discussions about a new contract for Haloti Ngata.

Levy, 28, has developed into one of the Lions’ most important players on either side of the ball since joining the franchise in 2009 as a third-round draft pick. In 2014, he established a new career high in tackles, racking up 155 stops to go along with 2.5 sacks, five passes defended, and an interception.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), only one 4-3 outside linebacker played more snaps last season than Levy’s 1,072, and only two players at the position received better grades from PFF than the standout Lion. Levy performance was particularly strong against the run, earning him a +21.1 grade in that category.

While Bobby Wagner‘s new contract with the Seahawks, worth $43MM over four years, may have paved the way for the Lions to get something done with Levy, it would be a little surprising if he matched or exceeded Wagner’s per-year salary of $10.75MM. Middle linebackers like Wagner are typically paid better than 4-3 outside linebackers like Levy.

According to Over The Cap’s data, the top contract for an outside linebacker on a 4-3 team belongs to another Seahawk, K.J. Wright, who is earning $27MM over four years, for an average of $6.75MM per season. Levy should easily exceed that figure, though it remains to be seen if he’ll be paid like a top inside linebacker — I expect he will.

With Levy’s contract agreed to, the Lions can focus on locking up Ngata, which will be a priority for a defense that lost Ndamukong Suh earlier in the offseason. Like Levy, Ngata is entering the final year of his contract, and is on track to earn a salary of $8.5MM in 2015. Levy had been set to earn just $3.5MM, though he’ll likely make much more than that now, assuming his new deal includes even a modest signing bonus.

The Buccaneers also figure to be keeping a close eye on the details for Levy’s extension, since they have a similar player – Lavonte David – eligible for a new deal of his own. Since David is nearly three years younger than Levy, he may land an even bigger contract when the Bucs are ready to finalize something with him.

Extra Points: Sam, CJ2K, D-Jax, Ravens

August 6th, 2015 at 9:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Montreal Alouettes are feeling very good about Michael Sam‘s progress and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) would be very surprised if he doesn’t make his CFL debut Friday night. Sam left the CFL team for personal reasons over the summer but recently returned to practice. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Despite talk and speculation to the contrary, there’s nothing going on between the Texans and running back Chris Johnson, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (on Twitter) hears from a source. Johnson, who survived a drive-by shooting earlier this year, has gone unsigned so far this offseason.
  • Following a collision with a blocking sled, DeSean Jackson has been diagnosed with a separated shoulder, and the Washington wideout is expected to miss “a few weeks,” per Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jackson should be ready to go for the regular season, so he figures to remain on the active roster.
  • The Ravens didn’t immediately sign ex-Niner Chris Cook following his workout with the team today, but it’s clear Baltimore is still considering adding a veteran cornerback, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Bears rookie wide receiver Kevin White could start the year on the PUP list, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). White, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 draft, reportedly expects to begin running on his injured shin early next week.
  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com passes along a couple more details on DeAndre Levy‘s extension with the Lions, tweeting that the deal drops the linebacker’s base salary to $3.5MM in 2015, but he’ll receive a $12MM signing bonus.

Extra Points: Rivers, Ravens, Levy, Mingo

August 6th, 2015 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports, including one earlier this week from the San Diego Union-Tribune, have suggested that Philip Rivers and the Chargers have established a deadline for their contract extension negotiations, with the quarterback set to play out the final year of his contract if no deal is reached by next Thursday. However, Rivers downplayed the notion that there’s a hard deadline to get something done, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes.

“My mentality has been the same since March, which is I’m playing this season right here,” Rivers said. “Like I said a few weeks ago, if something happens, it does. But I don’t think you should hold your breath for an update any time soon.”

As we wait to see whether Rivers and the Chargers can work something out this month, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the league…

  • Having been released yesterday by the 49ers, cornerback Chris Cook already has his first meeting lined up. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter), Cook will visit John Harbaugh and the Ravens after playing for Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco last year.
  • Financial details of DeAndre Levy‘s extension with the Lions still aren’t available, but Levy acknowledged that the deal will make him the highest-paid 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. That means Levy’s deal will be worth more than the $6.75MM per year K.J. Wright is earning.
  • Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo is undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee today, and is expected to be sidelined for about a month, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. If all goes well, Mingo figures to remain on the active roster and should be able to return for the team’s Week 1 game.
  • It’s time for Ray Rice to be given a chance to return to the NFL, Christine Brennan of USA Today opines. Brennan feels that the former Ravens tailback has been more contrite in his apology and more aware of the ramifications what he did than the likes of Greg Hardy or Adrian Peterson. Several teams have question marks in their backfield at this time, so it’s not hard to imagine someone at least considering Rice, though the general consensus is that the veteran has lost a step.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Notes: Wagner, Floyd, Chancellor

August 5th, 2015 at 7:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders, Chargers, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Los Angeles Sports Council are hosting a luncheon in downtown L.A. on August 17th, Vincent Bonsignore of the L.A. Daily News tweets. At the luncheon, Carmen Policy will give an update on the Chargers’ and Raiders’ combined effort to build an NFL stadium in L.A. (link). Here’s more from the West divisions..

  • Good news for the Cardinals. There was word earlier tonight that wide receiver Michael Floyd broke multiple fingers during practice today, an injury that would have left him sidelined for several weeks, including regular season games. As it turns out, those fingers are only dislocated, and Floyd will only miss 3-4 weeks, a team official tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • DeAndre Levy‘s contract extension with the Lions will likely be more relevant to Lavonte David‘s negotiations with the Buccaneers than Bobby Wagner‘s talks with the Seahawks, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. Earlier today, the Lions and Levy reached agreement on a brand new four-year deal.
  • Seahawks GM John Schneider told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that there’s no animosity between safety Kam Chancellor and the club. The GM has been in touch with Chancellor’s reps, but he can’t say if or when he’ll report to camp.

    • NFC Notes: Ginn, Kerrigan, Chancellor

    August 5th, 2015 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

    Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. admitted that he was “chasing a check” when he signed with the Cardinals last year, suggesting he took the highest offer he got in free agency for the benefit of his family (link via Tim Durr of the Black and Blue Review). Although Ginn signed a three-year deal with the Cards, his stint in Arizona didn’t last long — he was cut by the team in February.

    Here’s more from across the NFC:

    • ESPN.com’s John Keim and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examine the specific details on Ryan Kerrigan‘s new contract with Washington, and Fitzgerald also provides a breakdown of the extension in chart form. The deal, which includes a $16MM signing bonus, features cap hits of $6.238MM in 2015 and $8.45MM in 2016 before jumping to $11.7MM+ for the final four years.
    • Since Kam Chancellor‘s holdout from Seahawks camp is now at six days, Seattle is allowed to recoup 15% of the safety’s signing bonus proration for 2015, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Since Chancellor’s bonus counts for $1MM against the team’s cap this year, Seattle could recoup $150K.
    • Lions GM Martin Mayhew explained that the team’s depth at cornerback led to the trade that sent Mohammed Seisay to the Seahawks, a deal he called “win-win for everybody.” Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the quotes from Mayhew.
    • Packers defensive end Datone Jones told reporters, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that he did not appeal his one-game suspension. Jones was suspended last month after receiving a citation for marijuana possession.
    • Free agent cornerback Josh Victorian, who recently auditioned for the Texans, worked out for the Panthers following Chris Houston‘s retirement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

    Zach Links contributed to this post.

    Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/15

    August 4th, 2015 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

    Tonight’s minor moves..

    • The Eagles waived/injured linebacker Travis Long, who tore his ACL yesterday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. If unclaimed, he’ll revert to the team’s IR list.
    • The Patriots waived A.J. Derby, a sixth-round pick out of Arkansas, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
    • The Jets signed receiver Arthur Williams and waived receiver Jarrod West, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.
    • The Dolphins were awarded wide receiver Kevin Cone off waivers from the Browns, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets. They also cut guard Dionte Savage.
    • The Patriots announced that they have signed linebacker L.J. Fort, linebacker Cameron Gordon, fullback Eric Kettani, and defensive lineman A.J. Pataiali’I.
    • Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill officially cleared waivers and has been placed on the team’s IR, Jonathan Jones of The Observer tweets.
    • The Lions have filled their last roster spot with the signing of cornerback Ethan Davis out of Troy, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
    • The Cardinals cut cornerback Damond Smith while signing cornerback Jonte Green, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
    • The Chargers announced that they signed corner Jordan Mabin and released receiver Demetrius Wilson.
    • The Eagles announced that they released wide receiver Devante Davis while signing fellow wideout Josh Reese.
    • The Lions cut Jerell Harris, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.

    Lions Notes: Ihedigbo, Levy, Ngata, DTs

    August 4th, 2015 at 7:08pm CST by Luke Adams

    After not reporting to the Lions at the start of the team’s offseason workouts, safety James Ihedigbo rejoined his team in the spring, and shut down any talks about his contract situation at training camp this past weekend. However, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, while Ihedigbo may be focused on football, he’s clearly still a little unhappy about his contract.

    “I know how I feel and how I stand, and you see it across the NFL, teams, they take care of their guys and some teams have their other way of doing it,” Ihedigbo said. “I just leave it as it is. We said we’re not going to talk about it.”

    Ihedigbo, who recorded 80 tackles and four interceptions in 13 regular season contests for the Lions in 2014, will make a base salary of $1.1MM this season after getting a $500K roster bonus earlier in the year.

    Here’s more on the Lions:

    • General manager Martin Mayhew said today that he has been in contact with a number of GMs around the league recently about possible trades, but there’s nothing currently in the works, tweets Birkett.
    • Speaking to reporters, including Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Mayhew also confirmed that the team has engaged in negotiations on potential contract extensions for linebacker DeAndre Levy and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata.
    • The Lions are expected to add veteran depth at the defensive tackle position at some point during camp, so Birkett identifies some potential targets in a piece for the Free Press. Tony McDaniel, Barry Cofield, and Mike Patterson are among some free agent options cited by Birkett.

    Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/15

    August 3rd, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Zachary Links

    Today’s minor moves and signings in the NFL..

    • Cowboys linebackers Justin Anderson and guard Reshod Fortenberry were waived/injured, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram tweets. Linebackers Jonathan Brown and Ka’Lial Glaud were signed.
    • The Patriots have agreed to bring back second-year linebacker Cameron Gordon to address some depth concerns, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots also announced that they have claimed guard Harland Gunn off waivers from the Falcons.
    • The Chiefs announced that they have signed former Missouri wide receiver L’Damian Washington.
    • The Patriots waived-injured Kevin Hughes and cut Vince Taylor with a failed physical designation, Wilson tweets.
    • The Packers announced that they have signed wide receiver Ed Williams.
    • The Cowboys waived-injured Justin Jackson, who tore his ACL over the weekend, Wilson tweets.
    • The Broncos signed wideout Corbin Louks, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Louks, who was cut by the Chiefs in May, will fill the roster spot previously filled by Kyle Williams, who has hit the IR.
    • The Chargers signed former Packers defensive tackle Luther Robinson, Wilson tweets.
    • The Browns announced that they have signed running backs Timothy Flanders and Jalen Parmele and waived wide receiver Kevin Cone and defensive back Brandon Stephens, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal tweets.
    • The Bills have signed free agent cornerback Merrill Noel, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter). Noel was released by Buffalo back in June.

    Earlier Updates:

    • The Chiefs waived backup defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, as Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star tweets. Worthy signed a futures deal with KC back in December. Worthy, a 2012 second-round pick out of Michigan State, tore his ACL in the final game of the 2012 season and played only 12 snaps in 2013. Worthy was traded from the Packers to the Pats in August of 2014 but he did not get on the field last season.
    • The Eagles signed rookie free agent wide receiver Mike Johnson, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Delaware product participated in the Eagles rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis and, apparently, he impressed the right people.
    • Linebacker/defensive end Austen Lane, who had stints with the Jaguars, Lions, and Bears, took to Twitter to announce his retirement.
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