HEADLINES

Aldrick Rosas

East Rumors: Brady, Patriots, Bills, Taylor

May 15th, 2017 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Recently, Tom Brady was asked if he is annoyed that Bill Belichick hasn’t traded Jimmy Garoppolo and his non-answer might raise some eyebrows.

“When you’re a member of a team sport, the best guy plays,” the Patriots quarterback told Ian O’Connor of ESPN.com. “So I always want to make sure I’m the best guy, and I give our team a great chance to win. But if you’re ever not [the best guy], part of being a great teammate is letting the other guy do that, as well. Competition is what has always driven me. I’ve never been one that was hand selected, to be this particular player. … In high school, college, professionally, I think the greater the competition, the more that it really allows me to dig deep and bring the best out of me.”

Of course, this is a far cry from Brady saying that he’s peeved at the team for not trading the backup QB, but he didn’t shoot the notion down when given the opportunity either. The Patriots were at least mulling a Garoppolo trade at some point this offseason, but it seems that they set an extremely high asking price because they ultimately did not want to part with him.

Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East:

  • In an interview on Monday, Bills GM Brandon Beane said Tyrod Taylor will probably be the team’s starting QB, but he cautioned that he’s “not in business of handing out jobs on May the 15th,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak).
  • Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas cleared a giant hurdle this weekend when the team declined to sign veteran Travis Coons after a weekend tryout. “I try not to focus on the competition,” Rosas told James Kratch of NJ.com. “I just try to focus on how I can improve myself and be the best specialist I can be.” For now, Rosas stands as the only kicker on the team’s roster.
  • The Jets auditioned running back Stevan Ridley last week.

NFC East: Giants, Rosas, Cowboys, Eagles

May 13th, 2017 at 10:26am CST by Ben Levine

The fact that Aldrick Rosas is the only kicker on the Giants roster is an indication that the organization is willing to roll with the 22-year-old next season. Despite the former undrafted free agent having no NFL experience, special teams coordinator Tom Quinn is confident that his kicker will be prepared.

“We will try and simulate (games for) him and then you have the preseason to go with that,” Quinn told Ralph Vacchiano SNY.tv. “We’ve had a couple of nice young kickers in here with (Chris) Boswell (in 2015) and Brandon McManus (in 2014). They’ve gone on to do well. It’s not always perfect with the young guys. Sometimes there’s going to be a little bit of hiccups. We’ll see where we go with that.”

As Vacchiano points out, the Giants could easily sign a veteran free agent kicker to compete with Rosas. The team also has Travis Coons participating at the rookie minicamp this weekend. Quinn noted that with “no more two-a-days and limited practice,” the team would struggle to find “kicks” for multiple players.

Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NFC East…

  • The Giants gave undrafted offensive lineman Chad Wheeler a $20,000 signing bonus, the highest among the team’s undrafted rookies. The Giants also have a need for an offensive tackle, which is why Dan Duggan of NJ.com believes Wheeler has a shot of making the team. The writer also lists defensive tackle Jarron Jones, offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker, wideout Travis Rudolph, linebacker Calvin Munson, cornerback Nigel Tribune, fullback Shane Smith, and safety Jadar Johnson among undrafted rooks who might have a shot at making the final roster.
  • Cowboys tight end Rico Gathers earned an incredible $499,990 to play on the team’s practice squad last season. With Jason Witten‘s career winding down, the former sixth-round pick will have an opportunity to play a significant role in the team’s offense this season. “It’s night and day for [Gathers] in a good way from last year,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan told Matthew Martinez of the Star-Telegram. “When you know what you’re doing and you’ve got your body in football shape, it’s amazing what you can do, and that’s the biggest difference from where he was a year ago until now.”
  • We learned yesterday that the Eagles agreed to pay second-round cornerback Sidney Jones his full 2017 base salary even if he spends the season on the NFI list.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/19/17

January 19th, 2017 at 7:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • K Aldrick Rosas

San Diego Chargers

  • WR Da’Ron Brown
  • WR Jamaal Jones

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Workout Notes: Pack, Vikes, Chiefs, Giants

November 8th, 2016 at 7:50pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In addition to the previously reported Joique Bell, the running back-needy Packers worked out fellow rushers James Wilder Jr. and Brandon Wegher on Tuesday, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Defensive end Arthur Miley and defensive back Brandon Dixon also tried out.

More of the latest workouts (courtesy of Howard Balzer, unless otherwise noted):

Extra Points: 49ers, Bengals, Jets, Cowboys

October 6th, 2016 at 9:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is done for the season with a torn Achilles, but the 28-year-old doesn’t expect the injury to have long-term effects. “It’s just a minor setback for a major comeback,” he said Thursday (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). It’s the second catastrophic injury over the past three years for Bowman, who previously tore both his ACL and MCL in the 49ers’ NFC title game loss to Seattle in January 2014. Bowman returned last year to improbably earn first-team All-Pro honors for the fourth time on the strength of an NFL-best 154-tackle campaign.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Tight end Tyler Eifert‘s health (or lack thereof) for the rest of the year will determine how extension talks between him and the Bengals go during the offseason, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Eifert missed the Bengals’ first four games of the season because of an ankle injury, and just as he was set to return this Sunday, a back problem came to the fore Wednesday to put his status in question. Various injuries have limited Eifert to just 28 of the Bengals’ 52 regular-season games since they drafted him 21st overall in 2013. The ex-Notre Dame star broke out last season with 52 catches and 13 touchdowns, making a case for big money in the process, but Eifert’s injury history could give Cincinnati pause. Luckily for the Bengals, Eifert’s still under their control next season by way of his fifth-year option, so they still have time to decide whether to make a long-term commitment.
  • Contrary to a Wednesday report, the Jets are not considering placing wide receiver Eric Decker on injured reserve, head coach Todd Bowles said Thursday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). However, Bowles and Decker disagree on whether the wideout is progressing from the partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Bowles told Costello that he hasn’t seen any progress, while Decker said he’s improving each day. Either way, Decker is likely to miss time – albeit an undetermined amount – and may eventually need surgery. “It has been a discussion,” Decker said. “Again, that’s something that, down the road, we’ll have the conversation again and look at it again. They’ll let me know the right thing to do.”
  • Aldrick Rosas will be among the kickers auditioning for the Cowboys on Friday, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram tweets. Rosas, formerly of Southern Oregon, signed with the Titans after this year’s draft. They cut him Sept. 2.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFL Workout Updates: 9/6/16

September 6th, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Zachary Links

A couple NFC South teams held large tryout sessions today, and the Saints ended up signing a player — veteran corner Sterling Moore — after he auditioned for them earlier today. Let’s take a look at some more news from the workout front:

  • Facing a kicker crisis, the Giants worked out placekickers Cody Parkey, Shayne Graham, and Aldrick Rosas today, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, though New York is unlikely to sign anyone from the group, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link). Per Raanan, the Giants also worked out a large group of offensive lineman that included Vlad Ducasse, Mackenzy Bernadeau.
  • The Patriots worked out the following defensive backs today (via Doug Kyed of NESN on Twitter): Mike Hilton, Trae Elston, Stefan McClure, JaCorey Shepherd, Kevin Short. New England was trying out players for the final spot on its practice squad, and Hilton ultimately earned the job.
  • The Jaguars worked out former Houston inside linebacker Reshard Cliett today, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The fast former South Florida standout was let go by Houston prior to the 53-man cut. Jacksonville also worked out linebacker Luke Rhodes today, but they didn’t offer him a deal right away, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
  • Former Cincinnati receiver Mekale McKay was part of a Buccaneers’ workout earlier today, and he’ll next try out for the Patriots on Wednesday, according to Auman (Twitter link).
  • The Packers auditioned defensive tackle Rodney Coe today, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Coe participated in training camp with the Cowboys.

Titans Cut Justin Hunter, Bishop Sankey

September 2nd, 2016 at 4:00pm CST by Zachary Links

4:00pm: The Titans have made more cuts this afternoon, including another big name. Running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster has been let go. McCluster averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season in Tennessee and averaged 8.4 yards per reception, but the Titans saw a better use for his roster spot. McCluster already pocketed a $350k roster bonus earlier this year, but the Titans will save $2.275MM in cash by cutting him.

Here is the full, updated list of Titans cuts so far:

11:07am: The Titans have jettisoned a pair of notable players from the old front office regime. Wide receiver Justin Hunter and running back Bishop Sankey have both been cut, as Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports (Twitter links). "<strong

Hunter, an exceptionally talented receiver, was drafted 34th overall in 2013. Since then, the Titans have been frustrated with Hunter and there have been rumblings that his work ethic was not up to par. Days ago, the Titans shipped out another talented wide receiver with perceived motivation problems when they traded Dorial Green-Beckham to the Eagles.

“It is still going to be hard (to make the team) because we have a lot of talented receivers in the group. We are fighting for spots, and you have to keep up and progress at the same time,” said the 25-year-old Hunter last month, acknowledging that his spot on the roster was not guaranteed.

Hunter has an uninspiring 68 receptions and eight touchdowns in 35 career games (13 starts). While Hunter has averaged an impressive 16.8 yards per catch, that number dropped to a career-worst 12.0 on 22 grabs last season. The 2015 campaign was a short one for Hunter, who only appeared in nine games as a result of a mid-November fractured ankle.

Sankey was once viewed as the Titans’ best running back and was expected to break out as a rookie in 2014. Sankey, 24 later this month, appeared in all 16 games for the Titans as a rookie but amassed only 569 yards off of 152 carries. Last season, Sankey’s role was reduced even further has he had only 47 rushing attempts for 193 yards in 13 games.

The surprising cuts didn’t stop there. The Titans are going to waive guard Jeremiah Poutasi, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Poutasi was an early third-round pick of the Titans last year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Colts, Titans, Brady

July 16th, 2016 at 12:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Following news of Von Miller‘s record-breaking extension with the Broncos, we’ve started hearing reactions from several of the player’s teammates.

Cornerback Chris Harris appeared on NFL Network earlier this week, and the veteran said he believed Miller’s threats of holding out.

“I believe him,” he said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). “You’ve got to take his word for it. It would be hard for me to sit out, missing out on $14 million, but I think Von is serious in what he’s saying. I think he truly, this whole time just talking to him, he hates the franchise tag. I definitely think he won’t sign it.”

Meanwhile, offseason addition Mark Sanchez stated his excitement for Miller’s return

“Happy the deal was done in time for camp,” the quarterback said. “I knew both sides had the same goal and now we can start camp with the whole squad.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com says safety Mike Adams‘ two-year, $4.3MM contract (with $1.2MM guaranteed) is the best on the Colts. Meanwhile, tight end Dwayne Allen was said to have the team’s worst contract at four years and $29.4MM (with $11.5MM guaranteed).
  • After Delanie Walker, Craig Stevens, and Anthony Fasano, the Titans could keep up to two additional tight ends, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. Phillip Supernaw is currently slotted as the team’s fourth tight end, but Wyatt notes that the team will be eyeing the waiver wire for reinforcement.
  • Meanwhile, Wyatt doesn’t envision undrafted kicker Aldrick Rosas unseating starter Ryan Succop.
  • When it comes to the ‘Deflategate’ fiasco, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe writes that “the Patriots dug their own grave by behaving like a guilty party from the jump.” The writer notes the hypocrisy of owner Robert Kraft, who initially touted Roger Goodell as commissioner. Quarterback Tom Brady announced yesterday that he wouldn’t be appealing his four-game suspension.

Titans Cut Damaris Johnson, Add 11 UDFAs

May 9th, 2016 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Titans, one of the last teams in the NFL to formally announce their undrafted free agent class, have done so today, confirming in a press release that they’ve agreed to terms with 11 rookies who weren’t selected in the 2016 draft. The team announced that it has reached deals with six members of its ’16 draft class as well.

In addition to bringing in 11 undrafted free agents and locking up six draftees, the team also announced that it has waived two veteran players — wide receiver Damaris Johnson and cornerback Steven Clarke. A former Vanderbilt CB, Clarke spent last summer with the Dolphins but has never appeared in an NFL regular season game. Johnson, on the other hand, has played in 44 career contests, most notably catching 31 balls for 331 yards and a touchdown during the 2014 season for the Texans.

Here’s the complete list of the Titans’ 11 incoming UDFAs:

And here’s the list of Titans draft picks who have agreed to terms with the team so far:

First-round tackle Jack Conklin and second-round edge defender Kevin Dodd are among the draftees who have yet to finalize contracts with the club.