HEADLINES

Alonzo Harris

Workout Notes: 2/9/16

February 9th, 2016 at 6:02pm CST by Luke Adams

NFL’s 2016 free agent period doesn’t officially open until March 9th, but players who didn’t finish the season on a roster – or who have since been cut – are free to work out with teams and sign contracts right away. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has several updates on those free agents who are visiting and/or auditioning for NFL teams, so let’s round up the latest:

  • Before he agreed to sign a reserve/futures contract with Washington, former Steelers first-round defensive lineman Ziggy Hood tried out for the Raiders. Oakland also brought in former Fresno State edge defender Tristan Okpalaugo for a visit (Twitter links).
  • Veteran defensive back Jeromy Miles and ex-Broncos tight end Dan Light recently auditioned for the Chiefs (Twitter link). Miles, who has appeared in 67 career regular-season games for the Bengals and Ravens, was cut last September by the Giants, while Light lost his practice squad spot in Denver following the team’s AFC Championship win over New England.
  • The Bengals recently worked out – but did not sign – offensive tackle Sean Donnelly, safety Zach Elias, running back Alonzo Harris, running back Storm Johnson and wide receiver Rico Richardson (Twitter link). Those players were part of a larger group of eight, with the remaining three players earning contracts.
  • Former Cowboys defensive tackle Ken Bishop, a seventh-round pick in 2014, worked out for the Buccaneers (Twitter link).
  • Former Pitt offensive guard Jason Pinkston recently visited the Steelers (link). The Steelers also recently worked out linebacker Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo, wide receiver Issac Blakeney, long snapper Matt Dooley, defensive back Montell Garner, offensive guard Cole Manhart, wide receiver Tobais Palmer, cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz, and defensive tackle Josh Watson (Twitter links).

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/23/15

December 23rd, 2015 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the league:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: RB Jahwan Edwards (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald)

St. Louis Rams

  • Signed: WR Deon Long (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Workout Notes: Bears, Broncos, Patriots

December 22nd, 2015 at 5:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Clubs continue to update their emergency lists as the season winds down, so let’s take a look at the latest workouts from around the league…

  • We’ve learned the names of half of the eight players the Broncos worked out today, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that in addition to the previously-reported Still, Denver tried out defensive end DeAngelo Tyson, linebacker Dekoda Watson, and defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
  • The Colts also tried out a couple of additional players, including kick returner Demarius Washington and defensive back Terell Floyd, tweets Wilson.
  • Looking for depth along their front seven, the Texans worked out linebackers Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo and Xzavier Dickson, per Wilson (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

  • The Bears auditioned six players today, including running backs Vick Ballard and Alonzo Harris, receiver Chris Harper, and defensive linemen Davon Coleman, Euclid Cummings, and Keith Browner (Twitter links via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). The 25-year-old Ballard is the most notable name here, as he ran for more than 800 yards during his rookie season with the Colts before suffering a string of injuries.
  • Not to be outdone, the Broncos tried out eight players, including former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, per Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). Still, a former second-round pick, hasn’t played in 2015, but after announcing last month that his daughter’s cancer is in remission, he surely has many around the NFL rooting for him.
  • The Patriots brought in a pair of CFL defensive ends for workouts, auditioning Freddie Bishop and Cleyon Laing earlier today, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Workout Notes: 12/16/15

December 16th, 2015 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy last couple of days around the NFL, with teams still looking to fill up their squads for the rest of the season. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweeted a whole bunch of workout notes this afternoon, which we’ve compiled for you below…

Arizona Cardinals

  • CB Mitchell White (link)

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Read more

Sunday Roundup: Payton, Lacy, Osweiler

December 6th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Rory Parks

As Week 13 gets underway in full force, let’s take a look at some news and notes from around the league:

  • The Saints will not release head coach Sean Payton, but the team is warming to the idea of trading him for draft picks, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. New Orleans though, would not deal Payton to a team he does not wish to coach, and Payton would not sign an extension with any team that does not appeal to him.
  • 2015 has been nothing short of a disappointment for Packers RB Eddie Lacy, and his on-field struggles are just one cause for concern. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Conor Orr of NFL.com), Green Bay is troubled by Lacy’s off-field behavior–Lacy was, of course, disciplined for a curfew violation Wednesday night–and the team in fact cut fellow RB Alonzo Harris and did not resign him to the practice squad because he is a close friend of Lacy’s and the Packers apparently believe Harris is a bad influence on their star back.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com examines the type of deal that Broncos QB Brock Osweiler might command in the offseason. The Broncos may offer him a contract with an AAV of roughly $12MM–which is what Nick Foles is earning with the Rams–but assuming Osweiler finishes the regular season with a 6-1 or 5-2 record as a starter, he would have no reason to accept such an offer, as there would be plenty of teams willing to shell out much more than that in free agency. Instead, Denver may be forced to extend Von Miller and use the franchise tag–which it planned to use on Miller–on Osweiler.
  • In a separate piece, Fitzgerald examines the 2016 class of free agent defensive ends.
  • Although he lost the opportunity to finish the season as the Browns‘ starting QB several weeks ago, Johnny Manziel has been told by the club that he will start again this season, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. When that will be, however, is anyone’s guess.
  • After failing in his attempts to purchase the Bills, Jon Bon Jovi is still attempting to buy an NFL club, and La Canfora writes that Bon Jovi, along with a number of other potential suitors, is paying close attention to the Titans, a team that other owners believe could formally come for sale in the spring or fall as the Adams family continues to sort through tax and estate issues.
  • Texans right guard Brandon Brooks, who has dealt with a number of stomach ailments over the past year, experienced nausea this morning at Ralph Wilson Stadium and went to a Buffalo-area hospital for further evaluation, per Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Needless to say, Brooks was scratched from Houston’s game with the Bills this afternoon.
  • Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets that the 49ers have not yet determined if they will move rookie WR DeAndre Smelter off the NFI list. The deadline to do so is tomorrow, and the team’s decision could be impacted by its injury situation after today’s clash with the Bears.

NFC Notes: Lacy, Forte, 49ers, Kilgore

December 4th, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Luke Adams

After back-to-back 100-yard games, Eddie Lacy didn’t see much action on Thursday night against the Lions, which seemed like an unusual call on the Packers‘ part, even though Lacy didn’t do much with his handful of carries. However, it seems Green Bay’s decision wasn’t solely based on Lacy’s on-field performance.

According to Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com, Lacy and fellow running back Alonzo Harris missed curfew on Wednesday night in Detroit. The violation of team rules resulted in a demotion for Lacy and a lost roster spot for Harris, who was cut just hours before the game in favor of practice squad back John Crockett.

When I passed along word earlier this afternoon that the Packers brought in former Broncos running back Montee Ball for a workout today, I noted that the Green Bay backfield situation was worth monitoring. That’s even more true in the wake of Demovsky’s report.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel adds a few more names to the group of players who worked out for the Packers today, tweeting that wide receivers Jamel Johnson, Deon Long, and Kevin Vereen also got auditions.
  • Matt Forte has been with the Bears his whole career, but is prepared to move on this offseason if they don’t offer him a contract, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. “There’s nothing I can do, really, except play football,” Forte said. “The decision on whether I stay or whether I go is not really up to me. It’s whether I get offered a contract extension, which I haven’t been offered one and doesn’t really look like it. If not, I go into free agency. So I’m pretty much satisfied with either way it goes.”
  • Addressing the reassignment of team president Paraag Marathe, which was reported earlier today, 49ers CEO Jed York has issued a statement via the club’s website. As expected, York presents the decision as one that Marathe was involved in making. “Despite how some have chosen to portray this transition in the media, I want you to know that Paraag has been and will continue to be an instrumental member of this organization,” York said in the statement.
  • 49ers center Daniel Kilgore is expected to make the trip to Chicago this weekend as a part of the active roster, but the 49ers still need to move him from the physically-unable-to-perform list. Head coach Jim Tomsula hinted that the move would occur on Saturday morning, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/15

December 3rd, 2015 at 6:25pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a fairly quiet day in the NFL when it comes to transactions, but we do have a couple minor roster moves to pass along:

  • In advance of tonight’s game against the Lions, the Packers have promoted running back John Crockett from their practice squad, waiving running back Alonzo Harris to make room on the roster, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Harris has been Green Bay’s third running back behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks for most of this season, but hasn’t seen much action, carrying the ball just four times for 19 yards.
  • Buccaneers cornerback Leonard Johnson was cut from injured reserve by Tampa Bay today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Johnson, who appeared in all 48 of the Bucs’ regular season games from 2012 to 2014 (17 starts), was waived/injured by the team in September and has been on IR since then. He’ll be free to sign elsewhere if he clears waivers.

Packers Cut 20, Settle On 53-Man Roster

September 5th, 2015 at 6:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to placing Letroy Guion and Datone Jones on the reserve/suspended list, the Packers cut 18 players and waived two injured performers.

Green Bay parted ways with running backs Rajion Neal and John Crockett, leaving undrafted rookie Alonzo Harris as the third running back behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks.

The reigning NFC North champions’ additional departures are as follows:

  • Jared Abbrederis, WR
  • Carl Bradford, LB
  • John Fanor, S
  • Garth Gerhart, C
  • Tay Glover-Wright, CB
  • Mitchell Henry, TE
  • Justin Perillo, TE
  • Andy Phillips, C/G
  • Larry Pickard, WR (Waived/injured)
  • Jermaria Rasco, LB (Waived/injured)
  • Christian Ringo, DT
  • Matt Rotheram, G
  • Joe Thomas, LB
  • Khyri Thornton, DT
  • James Vaughters, LB
  • Jeremy Vujnovich, T
  • Ryan White, CB
  • Ed Williams, WR

Packers Sign 17 Undrafted Free Agents

May 8th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Dallas Robinson

FRIDAY, 11:36am: Having officially signed and announced their undrafted free agent class, the Packers did indeed sign 17 UDFAs. However, a couple of the names on the official list are different than those initially reported.

A pair of running backs, Agnew and Maples, didn’t formally sign with the team. They were replaced on Green Bay’s list of UDFAs by two linebackers — Louisiana State’s Jermauria Rasco and Stanford’s James Vaughters.

SUNDAY, 5:02pm: The Packers have also added Miami CB Ladarius Gunter, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link).

1:26pm: After adding eight draft picks over the past three days, the Packers have agreed to terms with another 16 undrafted free agents. Here’s the full list, courtesy of Wes Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media:

  • Malcolm Agnew, RB, Southern Illinois
  • Bernard Blake, CB, Colorado State
  • Javess Blue, WR, Kentucky
  • Ricky Collins, WR, Texas A&M-Commerce
  • Adrian Coxson, WR, Stony Brook ($5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun)
  • John Crockett, RB, North Dakota State
  • Tavarus Dantzler, OLB, Bethune-Cookman
  • Fabbians Ebbele, OL, Arizona ($2K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Alonzo Harris, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette ($3,500 bonus, per Wilson)
  • Mitchell Henry, TE, Western Kentucky
  • Lavon Hooks, DT, Mississippi
  • Jimmie Hunt, WR, Missouri
  • Raymond Maples, RB, Army
  • Larry Pinkard, WR, Old Dominion ($3K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Marcus Reed, OL, Fayetteville State
  • Matt Rotheram, OL, Pittsburgh