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Brett Smith

Workout Updates: Wednesday

December 24th, 2014 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

Although NFL teams have been working out players all season, most of this week’s auditions will be conducted with an eye on the future, since clubs will soon be able to start signing players to reserve/futures deals for the 2015 season. Listed below are the most recently reported workouts from around the league, with all links pointed to Aaron Wilson’s Twitter account, unless otherwise indicated…

  • Prior to signing long snapper Charley Hughlett, the Browns auditioned several other long snappers, taking a look at Dax Dellenbach, Brandon Hartson, and Luke Ingram. The club also worked out defensive tackle Torell Troup.
  • While the Raiders elected to sign linebacker Justin Jackson to their practice squad yesterday, the team also tried out fellow linebacker Terrance Bullitt. Bullitt reached an agreement as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens in May, but it fell through due to a shoulder issue.
  • The Vikings brought in defensive end Leon Mackey and linebacker Justin Anderson for tryouts this week — the latter ended up signing to Minnesota’s practice squad.
  • A pair of running backs and a pair of defensive backs worked out for the Falcons this week. Atlanta opted to sign RB Ronnie Wingo and DB Brandan Bishop to its taxi squad, passing on RB Michael Ford and DB Malcolm Branson.
  • In addition to working out for the Jaguars this week, defensive end Shawn Lemon auditioned for the Colts.
  • Undrafted free agent center Jared Wheeler tried out for the Buccaneers, along with kicker Travis Coons, wide receiver Derrick Johnson, defensive back Shelton Johnson, and offensive linemen Adrian Battles, Stetson Burnett, Brett Van Sloten, and Brett Jones.
  • The Seahawks auditioned wide receivers Lamont Bryant, Mike Davis, Jeremy Gallon, and Douglas McNeil, along with ex-Ravens outside linebacker Michael McAdoo, per Wilson. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Seattle also looked at quarterback Brett Smith, who was waived by the Buccaneers in May.
  • Caplan also passes along word of one more workout, tweeting that former seventh-round kicker Zach Hocker tried out for the 49ers.

Bucs Sign Four Players, Cut Three

May 21st, 2014 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have announced a series of roster moves, officially adding four players and cutting three to make room on the 90-man roster. As Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com details, the team has signed quarterback Alex Tanney, wide receiver Quintin Payton, and tight end Ian Thompson. The club also confirmed the signing of tight end Cameron Brate, whose deal was reported yesterday. To clear space on the roster, defensive lineman David Hunter, punter Jacob Schum, and quarterback Brett Smith have been waived.

Of the Bucs’ new additions, Tanney represents perhaps the most interesting name. The former Monmouth signal-caller has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game, but he has spent time with the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Browns, and was cut by Cleveland last week. While Tanney is a long shot to make the 53-man roster, given the presence of Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, and Mike Kafka, Tampa Bay liked him enough to cut loose Smith, who was just signed last week as an undrafted free agent.

Bucs Sign 12 UDFAs, Cut Three Players

May 13th, 2014 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 4:56pm: Undrafted Texas A&M linebacker Steven Jenkins has also signed with the Buccaneers, the team announced today in a press release.

MONDAY, 2:52pm: The Buccaneers have announced 11 undrafted free agent signings, and Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune passes along the names in a series of tweets. To clear room on the 90-man roster, the club has also cut three players, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link): Tight end Steve Maneri, tight end and fullback Josh Baker, and cornerback Bobby Felder. None of the three players played for the Bucs last season.

Here’s the full list of the Bucs’ UDFA additions:

  • Josh Allen, C Louisiana-Monroe ($5K bonus, per Pat Yasinskas)
  • Nate Askew, LB, Texas A&M ($7.5K bonus)
  • Aaron Burks, WR, Boise State ($5K bonus)
  • Euclid Cummings, DT, Georgia Tech ($10K bonus)
  • Keith Lewis, CB, Virginia-Lynchburg ($3K bonus)
  • Andrew Miller, G, Virginia Tech ($5K bonus)
  • Matt Patchan, OT, Boston College ($14.85K bonus)
  • Solomon Patton, WR, Florida ($9K bonus)
  • Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming ($3K bonus)
  • Chaz Sutton, DE, South Carolina ($15K bonus)
  • Mycal Swaim, S, Eastern Michigan ($3K bonus)

Poll: Best Late Round Quarterback?

May 10th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Rob DiRe

Just because they don’t have the fanfare of a Johnny Manziel or Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t mean the day three quarterbacks are destined to be career backups. A handful of high-caliber NFL quarterbacks do get selected in the later rounds.

Not every quarterback drafted in the sixth round is going to turn into Tom Brady–most first-round quarterbacks won’t accomplish half of what Brady has–but many if not all of these fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh-round quarterbacks will have a chance to push for a starting job at some point in their career, either by performance or by injury.

The question is, which of these quarterbacks is going to have the best chance to find success as a starter in the NFL? That takes a combination of talent and opportunity, where some of these draftees have definite roadblocks in front of them in the form of quarterbacks entrenched as starters.

Of course, a few more quarterbacks will still come off the board in the next 50+ picks, and a couple more will be snagged as undrafted free agents. Maybe Stephen Morris of Miami, Tahj Boyd of Clemson, Garrett Gilbert of SMU, Keith Price of Washington, Brett Smith of Wyoming, or Connor Shaw of South Carolina ends up being the best of the group, although they are still waiting to hear their names called.

Extra Points: Clausen, Quinn, Ponder

April 18th, 2014 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Former second-round pick Jimmy Clausen hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since his rookie year in 2010, but having undergone shoulder surgery last September, the 26-year-old feels like he’s healthy and ready to contribute somewhere. Clausen tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today that he’s looking for an opportunity to compete for a No. 2 job, then hopes to work his way up from there.

“I’m still really young,” Clausen said. “I’m going into my fifth year in the league. I feel great. This is probably right now the healthiest I’ve been since my junior year in college, to be honest with you.”

As the former Notre Dame signal-caller continues to look for NFL work, let’s check out a few other Good Friday updates from around the league….

  • Although the team has yet to do so, the Rams will exercise Robert Quinn‘s fifth-year option by next month’s deadline, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Quinn, like fellow defense end Muhammad Wilkerson, should be in line for a 2015 salary of $6.969MM.
  • Meanwhile, Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune takes a look at Christian Ponder‘s potential fifth-year option, which seems unlikely to be picked up by the Vikings.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp said newly-signed receiver Chad Johnson simply “wanted to be part of a team again,” and isn’t angling to make an NFL comeback (Twitter link).
  • North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen worked out for the Packers and could be a fit for the club, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
  • Five NFL teams have visited Wyoming to work out quarterback Brett Smith, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com, who says (via Twitter) that Smith is a likely late-round pick if he’s drafted at all.

Draft Updates: Clowney, Bortles, Robinson

April 2nd, 2014 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

With no throws to make or brooms to evade, Jadeveon Clowney‘s Pro Day may not have had the fanfare of Johnny Manziel‘s event at Texas A&M, but plenty of coaches and executives showed up to watch Clowney at South Carolina today. Following his Pro Day, Clowney will make visits to work out for the Rams and Falcons, he confirmed today, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

Here’s more on May’s draft and the 2014 class of prospects:

  • The Browns are conducting their private workout with Blake Bortles today, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
  • Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is visiting the Rams in St. Louis today, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
  • Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from several sources that Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had dinner with GM Trent Baalke following his Pro Day, is drawing “heavy interest” from the 49ers.
  • The Panthers worked out Wyoming defensive back Marqueston Huff today and will do the same for Wyoming wideout Robert Herron and quarterback Brett Smith on Thursday, says Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter links).
  • According to Brandt (via Twitter), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning has nine workouts lined up with nine NFL teams, including the Jaguars, Browns, and Patriots.
  • Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links) passes along details on three prospects visiting the Titans: Auburn running back Tre Mason, who left Nashville today; West Virginia running back Charles Sims, who will visit later this week; and UCLA edge defender Anthony Barr, who will be in town next Tuesday.
  • The Bills hosted Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier today, according to the team.