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Caylin Hauptmann

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/16

August 6th, 2016 at 7:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Chiefs exchanged UDFA corners, signing rookie Malcolm Jackson and cutting Vernon Harris, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports. A Dartmouth product, Harris caught on with the Chiefs just after the draft. Jackson played at Division I-FCS Charleston Southern.
  • Wide receiver Titus Davis left the Jets on Saturday, the team announced (on Twitter). To take his place on the roster, Gang Green claimed wideout Chris King from the Falcons. The Jets did not cut Davis; he left by his own choosing, per NJ.com’s Darryl Slater (on Twitter). The team signed Davis to a reserve/futures contract in January after keeping the 2015 UDFA on the practice squad for much of last season. A Duquesne product, King hit waivers on Friday.
  • The Buccaneers waived offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann, the team announced on its Twitter account. The Bucs, after signing Hauptmann earlier this week, waived him with a “left squad” designation, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
  • The Colts signed punter Michael Palardy, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. The special teamer had previously spent time with the Panthers and Ravens. Palardy will presumably provide some competition for incumbent Pat McAfee, who has spent the past seven seasons in Indianapolis.
  • To make room for fullback John Kuhn, the Saints have waived-injured defensive lineman D.J. Pettway, according to The Advocate’s Nick Underhill on Twitter. Following a tumultuous tenure at Alabama, Pettway joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent.
  • The Seahawks have signed fullback/tight end Joe Sommers, reports NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). The former UW-Oshkosh standout joined Chicago as an undrafted free agent, but he was waived by the Bears earlier this week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/16

August 2nd, 2016 at 6:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann, agent Sean Stellato tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that Hauptmann is the only player in NFL history with two Super Bowl rings despite never having played in a game. To create a roster spot for Hauptmann, Tampa waived quarterback Dan LeFevour, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
  • The Rams have signed a pair of former University of Arizona receivers, agreeing to deals with Austin Hill and David Richards, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News speculates (via Twitter) that the two additions could be in response to an injury suffered last week by rookie receiver Pharoh Cooper.
  • The Colts signed former Houston safety Lee Hightower, an undrafted free agent, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Hightower participated in the Texans’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis earlier this year.
  • The Titans announced that they have waived/injured cornerback Bennett Okotcha, who will revert to Tennessee’s injured reserve list if he clears waivers.
  • The Packers have reached their 90-man roster limit by signing linebacker Derrick Mathews, who spent time on the Redskins’ practice squad last season, reports Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • The Broncos have signed defensive lineman Lars Koht, a 2016 undrafted free agent who was cut by the Seahawks earlier this year, and waived linebacker Shaneil Jenkins, tweets Troy Renck of Denver7.
  • The Lions re-signed receiver Damian Copeland and waived fellow pass-catcher Ryan Spadola, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Brees, Falcons, Bucs

July 28th, 2016 at 6:23pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While extension talks between the Saints and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees haven’t yielded progress yet, the contract-year quarterback said Thursday that he harbors no ill will toward general manager Mickey Loomis (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “Just to clarify, nothing is adversarial. I have a great relationship with Mickey Loomis and have for my entire time here,” stated Brees. “We’ll see how this shakes out over the next month and a half.”

Brees reiterated Thursday that the start of the regular season is his deadline for contract negotiations, so the two sides won’t talk again until the end of the campaign if they don’t reach an agreement by Week 1. To place the franchise tag on Brees next offseason would cost the Saints $43.2MM, so that probably won’t be an option. The only choice, then, would be a multiyear deal, and Brees, 37, believes he’s capable of lasting for a while longer. “I don’t see any reason why I can’t play at the highest level for the next five years minimum,” commented Brees, who threw for 4,870 yards and 32 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 2015.

More from the NFC South:

  • After failing to add an edge rusher through either free agency or the draft and losing Hau’oli Kikaha to a torn ACL, the Saints are left to hope at least one of Kasim Edebali, Obum Gwacham or Davis Tull emerges as a viable complement to Cameron Jordan, writes Larry Holder of NOLA.com. The 26-year-old Edebali is the most proven of the three in terms of sack production, having tallied five last season, though his overall play earned him a 103rd-place ranking among 110 qualifying edge defenders at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Gwacham impressively picked up 2.5 sacks in just 97 snaps as a sixth-round rookie. Tull, meanwhile, didn’t get into a game last year after the Saints selected him in the fifth round of the draft. The Saints’ woeful defense finished a bottom-of-the-barrel 25th in the NFL in sacks last season (31), and nearly a third came from Jordan (10).
  • The Falcons, who have three roster spots available, worked out some receivers Thursday and could sign one, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). McClure didn’t specify which wideouts tried out with the Falcons, though the free agent list isn’t exactly rife with appealing options at this point. Notably, the Falcons auditioned ex-Chargers practice squad member Donatella Luckett last month. The top of Atlanta’s receiver depth chart is all set with Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Justin Hardy in place, but there are questions about the unit otherwise.
  • One reason the Falcons are looking for depth at receiver is because they released Devin Hester on Tuesday. General manager Thomas Dimitroff spoke about cutting the all-time great return man Thursday, saying, “He passed his (pre-camp) physical. It was a football decision for us in the end” (via Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution). Hester, 33, underwent toe surgery in January and missed all but five games last season because of the issue. He also failed to register a reception after pulling in 38 in 2014.
  • The Buccaneers auditioned free agent offensive tackle Caylin Hauptmann on Thursday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Hauptmann, 25, has garnered just one NFL appearance, which came back in 2013 as a member of the Seahawks. He has also spent time with the Browns and Patriots organizations.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers

April 21st, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons currently the hold the No. 17 pick in the first round, but they are open to trading down, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com detail. GM Thomas Dimitroff has been aggressive in moving up the draft board in past years, but with this draft class being extremely deep, a move down is more enticing.

“We’ve looked at all the different scenarios, of course, and having few picks this year gives us an opportunity,” Dimitroff said of the Falcons’ strategy. “We think the draft has some really good strength from No. 15 on — obviously, as well as at the front of the draft. But we think there’s some good opportunities all the way through into the third round. So, it does present options to potentially move back.”

Here’s the latest out of the NFC South…

  • Rutgers wide receiver Leonte Carroo is visiting the Saints today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Carroo to come off the board at the end of the second round in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft.
  • Former Florida safety Keanu Neal says the Falcons would be the ideal fit for him, as McClure writes in a separate piece. “For me, schematically, yes,” Neal said. “I feel like that’s a great fit for me and my style of play. The coaching staff is authentic. I can tell they really care about each other and the program. I feel like [secondary coach] Marquand Manuel can really help me out as a person and a player. And Coach [Dan] Quinn, he’s a tremendous head coach. Getting under him, getting under his wing and learning will skyrocket my career.”
  • Offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann worked out for the Buccaneers today, tweets Wilson. The 24-year-old Hauptmann, a Florida International product, has spent time with the Browns, Patriots, and Seahawks, but has just one career NFL game to his name.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Notes: Megatron, Cardinals, Seahawks

November 12th, 2015 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

If Calvin Johnson and the Lions were to part ways, Megatron’s best landing spot would be with the Raiders, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports opines. Johnson, 31 in September, may not have more than three or four top-shelf seasons left in him and that’s a luxury that a rebuilding team like Detroit might not be able to afford.

If the Lions were to cut Johnson, they’d immediately open $11MM in cap room for 2016, and $21MM in 2017, when his dead money would be completely off the books. Meanwhile, a team landing him via trade would only be on the hook for Johnson’s base salaries, which total $32.45MM over the next two seasons.

So, why Megatron to Oakland? Robinson points out that Michael Crabtree is set to hit the open market and Johnson, who offers up far more talent and bigger matchup problems for opposing defenses, would be an excellent replacement. The Raiders could also have $75-$80MM in cap room next year, so they could afford Johnson’s substantial deal.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:

  • Several key Cardinals players are on the verge of free agency and general manager Steve Keim has been trying to extend some of them. Still, the GM continues to indicate that nothing is on the verge of getting done at this time, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes.
  • The Seahawks recently added a $25K signing bonus to defensive back DeShawn Shead‘s contract, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. There are no other alterations to the deal, so it doesn’t appear that Shead gave up anything to get that additional cash.
  • The 49ers worked out cornerback Chykie Brown as well as defensive backs Buddy Jackson, and Brandon McGee, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle.
  • The Cardinals worked out cornerback Jordan Mabin, Wilson tweets.
  • The Chiefs worked out offensive tackle Caylin Hauptmann, defensive end B.J. McBryde, and wide receiver Larry Pinkard, Wilson tweets.

Patriots Waive Nine, Trim Roster To 66 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 8:17am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to cutting quarterback Ryan Lindley and signing cornerback Justin Coleman on Friday, the Patriots announced nine other moves, reducing their roster to 66 players. Here’s the list of players who were waived by the team, according to a team release:

  • RB Tony Creecy
  • WR Zach D’Orazio
  • WR DaVaris Daniels
  • OL Ryan Groy
  • OL Caylin Hauptmann
  • OL Chris Martin
  • LB James Morris
  • DL A.J. Pataiali’i
  • DL Casey Walker

New England also released tight end Jake Bequette from the club’s injured reserve list, making him a free agent.

The Patriots will move running back LeGarrette Blount to the reserve/suspended list for Week 1 as part of their cutdown to 53 players, so the team will have to make 12 more roster moves by today’s deadline.

Patriots Sign Nine To Futures Deals

February 5th, 2015 at 5:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots announced that they have signed nine practice squad players to contracts for 2015, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links):

Some of the signings, like Barker, were previously reported but not officially announced until today. Back in November, the Pats elevated the salaries of Bequette and Barker to $10K a week, well over the customary salary of $6,300 per week.

Practice Squad Notes: Wednesday

October 13th, 2014 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here..

  • The Patriots announced that they re-signed offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann to the practice squad while releasing fellow lineman Chris Martin. The 23-year-old Hauptmann was let go just last week.
  • With their top quarterbacks healthy once again, the Cardinals released QB Dennis Dixon from the taxi squad, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
  • The Buccaneers are releasing running back Jeff Demps from their practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The former Olympic sprinter is still looking to find his place in the NFL after spending time in Tampa Bay and New England. The Bucs acquired Demps from the Pats in April of last year along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for LeGarrette Blount.

Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday

October 8th, 2014 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll keep tabs on today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • After the Seahawks plucked offensive lineman Patrick Lewis from their taxi squad, the Browns replaced him with fellow tackle Braxston Cave, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
  • The Bears re-signed defensive end David Bass to their practice squad, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Bass was dropped yesterday to make room for cornerback Al Louis-Jean‘s promotion.
  • A day after cutting tight end Phillip Supernaw to claim Ryan Taylor off waivers, the Ravens have re-signed Supernaw to their practice squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Baltimore will have to cut a player from its squad in order to make the move official.
  • Linebacker Marshall McFadden has taken the 10th and final spot on the Rams‘ practice squad, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • The Chargers have signed former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester to their practice squad, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Safety Adrian Phillips has also joined the unit, replacing injured running back D.J. Adams, says Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • In addition to confirming the signing of defensive lineman Joe Vellano to their practice squad, which was reported yesterday, the Patriots have also announced the addition of offensive lineman Chris Martin and the release of fellow offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann.
  • While the Broncos expect to be fine on Sunday with the running backs on their current 53-man roster, the team has added Jeremy Stewart to its practice squad “just in case,” tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
  • The Buccaneers have replaced tight end Taylor Sloat on their practice squad with wideout Eric Page, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
  • Using the 10th and final opening on their taxi squad, the Bengals have added interior offensive lineman Jeff Baca, head coach Marvin Lewis told reporters today (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
  • The Redskins signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to their practice squad today, according to the club (via Twitter). That leaves one spot still open on the unit.
  • Tight end Jacob Maxwell has been let go from the Dolphins‘ practice squad, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who tweets that running back Orleans Darkwa will fill the newly-opened spot.
  • The Lions have swapped out one defensive lineman for another, with Derrick Hopkins replacing Xavier Proctor, who has been placed on the practice squad IR (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

September 16th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest news added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Chiefs have signed fullback Jordan Campbell and tight end Justin Jones to the practice squad, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). To make room, they have released cornerback Robert Steeples.
  • The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that they have released cornerback Jemea Thomas from the p-squad and re-signed fullback Nikita Whitlock.
  • Running back Edwin Baker has replaced cornerback Trevin Wade on the Saints‘ practice squad, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  • Defensive end James Davidson, who was in camp with the Bengals, is set to fill the 10th and final spot on the Giants‘ practice squad, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have removed linebacker Kevin Reddick from their practice squad, says Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz from their practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Besides confirming the previously reported re-signing of linebacker Darius Fleming to their practice squad, the Patriots also announced several more moves today. Offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann and defensive lineman Kona Schwenke are now part of the club’s 10-man unit, while defensive lineman Cam Henderson and running back Marcus Thigpen have been cut.
  • The Browns have signed linebacker Allen Bradford to their practice squad, cutting wideout Ifeanyi Momah, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Safety Josh Aubrey has taken the place of wide receiver Travis Labhart on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link).
  • The Redskins announced today (via Twitter) they’ve signed defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo to their practice squad, cutting another defensive lineman, Dennis Hopkins, to clear an opening.
  • Defensive tackle Roy Philon has re-signed with the Bears‘ practice squad, leaving the team with three openings on the taxi squad, the team confirmed (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers have signed former Redskins’ sixth-round running back Lache Seastrunk to their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link).
  • Offensive lineman Emmett Cleary has joined the Bengals‘ practice squad, replacing tight end Ryan Otten on the unit, according to the club (via Twitter).
  • The Colts have swapped one guard for another on their practice squad, dropping Josh Walker and signing David Arkin, the team announced in a press release.
  • After promoting tight end Marcel Jensen to their 53-man roster, the Jaguars have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by adding offensive tackle Cody Booth, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
  • Fullback Zach Line, waived from the 53-man roster over the weekend, has joined the Vikings‘ practice squad, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
  • The 49ers made several changes to their practice squad last night. In addition to confirming the signing of tight end Xavier Grimble, which was previously reported, the club also signed cornerback Leon McFadden, dropping linebacker Shayne Skov and defensive back Chance Casey to make room, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).
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