HEADLINES

A.J. Jefferson

Falcons Cut 14 Players

September 1st, 2017 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are letting some players walk early as they get ready for the 53-man deadline on Saturday. The team announced the following cuts:

Taylor, a former sixth-round pick, is the son of Fred Taylor, the greatest running back in Jaguars franchise history. The Falcons picked him up in August after he was discarded by the Chiefs.

The Falcons will only carry two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets, so it appears that Matt Simms will follow Torgersen out the door at some point.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/17

August 29th, 2017 at 6:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

New England Patriots

  • Waived: LB Christian Kuntz

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Rams Re-Sign Tyrunn Walker

August 23rd, 2017 at 4:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Rams announced that they have re-signed defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, whom they released July 22 at the time a rape accusation in Louisiana surfaced, and waived fellow DT A.J. Jefferson in a corresponding move. A grand jury cleared Walker of wrongdoing on Aug. 3, freeing him up for a return to the NFL.

Tyrunn Walker (Vertical)

The 27-year-old Walker, who first signed with the Rams back in March, spent the first three seasons of his career in New Orleans and the previous two in Detroit. Walker has totaled 42 appearances, and the majority of his 13 career starts (eight) came last season. Walker tallied 26 tackles and played 34.1 percent of the Lions’ defensive snaps in 2016, and ranked a below-average 77th among Pro Football Focus’ 127 qualified interior D-linemen.

In his return to Los Angeles, Walker figures to once again provide depth in the middle of a D-line whose best player, all-world tackle Aaron Donald, could miss regular-season time on account of a holdout. Without Donald in the fold, the Rams are currently set to start sixth-round rookie Tanzel Smart alongside established tackle Michael Brockers. Other than Walker, the Rams’ primary depth options include Mike Purcell and Louis Trinca-Pasat.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/17

May 22nd, 2017 at 8:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves.

  • Former Chargers sixth-round pick Tourek Williams signed with the Chiefs, who cut Victor Ochi in a Monday exchange of linebackers. Williams is entering his fifth season after playing four with the Chargers. Williams started in six games as a rookie and played in 16 during the 2014 and ’16 campaigns. He saw a broken foot end his 2015 slate after three games.
  • The Saints signed tackle Bryce Harris and waived defensive back Forrest Hightower. Harris played three seasons, 2012-14, with the Saints before bouncing around the league. He failed to make New Orleans’ 53-man roster out of training camp in 2015 but returns nearly two years later. The former UDFA out of Fresno State has four career starts on his resume, each with New Orleans.
  • The Rams signed defensive tackles Omarius Bryant and A.J. Jefferson while waiving offensive lineman Kwayde Miller. Meanwhile, defensive back Dravious Wright left the team. Wright caught on with the Rams as a UDFA last month. Jefferson is a UDFA out of Mississippi State. The Ravens cut Bryant, who played at Western Kentucky.
  • The Patriots re-signed wide receiver DeAndrew White, who spent the 2016 season on the team’s practice squad. White was originally a 49ers UDFA addition in 2015. He saw action in four games with San Francisco that season as a return man.

NFC Notes: Hester, Urlacher, Sproles

September 16th, 2014 at 9:11pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WFAN’s Boomer & Carton show, Lions tailback Reggie Bush said that embattled Vikings running back Adrian Peterson should be allowed to play football, writes NFL.com’s Marc Sessler. “Adrian Peterson, I’ve known for a while, and he’s a good guy,” Bush said. “... I don’t know all the details of the situation what happened, but I know me and like a lot of other guys who were born in the ’80s, and even before then, were raised differently and disciplined differently. And I was one of those kids. I got what we called ‘whoopings,’ whooped with belts and stuff like that. For me, growing up, it was normal. And not to say, not to try to downplay the situation at all, I think that this is genuine, and obviously, I’m sure there’s no ill intent against his own son.” More from the NFC..

  • Coach Lovie Smith definitely wanted Devin Hester in Tampa but the money situation simply didn’t work out in the Bucs‘ favor, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former Bears standout wound up signing with the Falcons this offseason.
  • Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher resigned his job as a broadcaster job at FOX Sports 1 Tuesday and the Bucs have an injury to starting middle linebacker Mason Foster. Some may be wondering if Urlacher would be a fit for Tampa Bay but if it does happen, it won’t be this week, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Bucs plan to go with backup middle linebacker Dane Fletcher in Thursday night’s game at Atlanta.
  • Former Eagles president Joe Banner tweeted that he tried to sign Darren Sproles when he a free agent after his time with the Chargers. However, the speedy tailback badly wanted to reunite with Drew Brees in New Orleans and wound up with the Saints. Sproles’ presence in Philadelphia years earlier might have made a big difference for the team, Banner writes.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap gives his thoughts on Robert Quinn‘s extension with the Rams. The contract is similar to what Fitzgerald envisioned for J.J. Watt initially – it underpays him for his production, but it gives him a window for another mega-contract in just a few years. Quinn also gets a decent guarantee package from St. Louis.
  • The Peterson case shows a lack of leadership on the NFL’s part, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press. The Vikings said they’ll let things play out in court for the running back but Powers notes that defensive back Chris Cook, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, and running back Caleb King were never given the same benefit of the doubt when they were in hot water.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

September 2nd, 2014 at 5:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL:

5:17pm:

  • The Browns have cut offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann with a failed physical designation, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). That clears a roster spot for Vinston Painter, whose signing was noted below.
  • The following players have been removed from their teams’ respective IR lists with injury settlements, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (all Twitter links): Ryan McKee (Chiefs), Larry Asante (Raiders), Greg Jenkins (Raiders), and Eric Ward (Titans). C.J. Davis (Seahawks) has also been removed from IR with a settlement, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

4:44pm:

  • The Jets have signed linebacker Jeremiah George and wideout Quincy Enunwa to their practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). New York selected the duo in the fifth and sixth rounds of this year’s draft, respectively.

4:13pm:

  • The Panthers have signed former Jets wideout Stephen Hill to their practice squad, cutting linebacker D.J. Smith, the team announced today (Twitter link). According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Redskins will also interested in bringing Hill in for a workout, but Carolina offered him a deal.
  • The Cardinals have added wideout Kevin Cone, defensive tackle Christian Tupou, and running back Dominique Williams to their practice squad, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).
  • Tight end Jerome Cunningham has signed with the Giants‘ practice squad, according to agent Howard Shatsky (via Twitter).
  • The Chargers filled their practice squad by adding running back Marion Grice, who cleared waivers after being cut yesterday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Cowboys have also filled their 10-man squad, adding offensive lineman John Wetzel and defensive back Jemea Thomas, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Presumably, one of the 10 players on the unit will be cut tomorrow if the team intends to bring Michael Sam aboard.
  • A.J. Jefferson of the Seahawks and Justice Cunningham of the Rams have both been removed from injured reserve lists with settlements, according to Caplan and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter links).

3:28pm:

  • According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter), the Browns are signing offensive lineman Vinston Painter off the Broncos‘ practice squad, which will open up a spot on the 10-man unit for long snapper Kevin McDermott, whose signing was noted below. Cleveland will need to make a corresponding roster move to clear room for Painter.
  • The Redskins made a series of changes to their practice squad today, signing offensive lineman Braxston Cave and linebacker Jackson Jeffcoat. Linebacker Chaz Sutton and offensive lineman Tevita Stevens were cut.
  • Offensive lineman Matt Patchan has been removed from the Buccaneers‘ injured reserve list with a settlement, says Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).

1:23pm:

  • A number of teams have filled their 10-man practice squads by adding a player. The Jaguars signed tight end Marcel Jensen, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter); the Bills signed tight end D.J. Tialavea, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com; the Bengals signed wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, according to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com (via Twitter); and the Browns officially announced the signing of fullback Kiero Small, which had been previously reported by Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • A pair of clubs also swapped in one player for another on their practice squads. The Dolphins signed defensive end Gerald Rivers and dropped defensive end D’Aundre Reed, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). And the Vikings signed offensive lineman Austin Wentworth to their squad to replace cornerback Kendall James, the team announced (via Twitter).
  • The Broncos are also making an addition to their practice squad, in long snapper Kevin McDermott, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter). But Denver already had a full 10-man unit, so we’ll have to wait to hear about the corresponding move.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) provide the respective details for Ray McDonald‘s contract restructure with the 49ers and Glover Quin‘s reworked deal with the Lions.
  • The Buccaneers intend to open up a roster spot by placing running back Charles Sims on their injured reserve list with the designation to return, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Teams can begin to use that IR spot as of 3:00pm central time today.
  • Cornerback Bobby Felder has been removed from the Bills‘ injured reserve list after reaching a settlement with the team, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550.

Raiders, Seahawks Trim Rosters To 75 Players

August 26th, 2014 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raiders have officially announced that D.J. Hayden has been placed on the PUP list, which we heard earlier this morning would happen. In addition to that move, the team also announced a series of transactions in a press release, with seven more players removed from the active roster, which now stands at 75 players. Here’s a rundown of the players no longer on Oakland’s active roster:

The Seahawks have also made seven transactions to reduce their roster to 75 players. Here’s a breakdown of Seattle’s moves, via Brian McIntyre (Twitter link):

Seahawks Sign A.J. Jefferson

May 2nd, 2014 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After locking up a piece of their 2013 defense earlier today by agreeing to terms with O’Brien Schofield, the Seahawks have added another defensive player in free agency. Agent Ken Sarnoff tweets that Seattle has signed free agent defensive back A.J. Jefferson, who spent the last two seasons with the Vikings.

Jefferson, 26, was a part-time starter in 2011 at cornerback for the Cardinals, and started a few more games in 2012 for the Vikings. However, he played a reduced role in Minnesota last season, appearing in just 51 defensive snaps before he was arrested on domestic assault charges in November and was subsequently cut by the club. For Seattle, Jefferson will attempt to earn a reserve role behind a ground of standout defensive backs that include Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it figures to be a minimum salary pact for Jefferson. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com first reported last week that the free agent DB was working out for Seattle.

Extra Points: Dansby, Seahawks, Texans

April 24th, 2014 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL believes the Eagles released DeSean Jackson based on football reasons and not due to alleged gang connections, according to NFL senior vice president of law and labor policy Adolpho Birch. “I think we are comfortable that the decisions that were made on both ends were football decisions,” Birch told reporters, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Both sides, the objective that they sought from a football perspective, they got, whether that be the Eagles or the Redskins. I think the player’s going to be in a good position. I think at the end of the day, everyone was comfortable with that.”

  • Cardinals veteran Darnell Dockett was sad to see Karlos Dansby go to the Browns this offseason, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “I’ve got a lot of respect for our guy that left, I love him like a brother but we were one or two pieces away from making a lot of noise,” Dockett said. “But we are going to regroup. Our GM, coaches, owner will get someone to fill that role and we’ve got guys with enthusiasm of getting that opportunity for that role. They know they have big shoes to fill.“
  • Former Vikings and Cardinals cornerback A.J. Jefferson worked out for the Seahawks today, a source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 26-year-old saw action in ten games last season for Minnesota.
  • Wide receiver Armanti Edwards is also working out for the Seahawks, a source tells Caplan (on Twitter). The wide receiver/special teamer split time between the Panthers and Browns last season. His campaign ended in November when he suffered an ankle injury in Cleveland.
  • Former Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson had a very positive visit with the Texans today, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Getlin adds (link) that Robinson’s agent, Eric Metz, has been good friends with Houston offensive line coach Paul Dunn since college. If the Texans are really high on Robinson, they can likely move down a few spots and walk away with additional picks.
  • Sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that if the Texans take a defensive player first overall and draft a quarterback atop the second round, Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr, if available, would be Houston’s top two targets.
  • Baylor’s Demetri Goodson is scheduled to meet with the Texans on Saturday, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. The Cowboys, Dolphins, Saints and Eagles have also shown interest in the former Gonzaga point guard turned cornerback.