Charlie Whitehurst - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Cut QB Charlie Whitehurst

October 11th, 2016 at 1:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns announced that they have promoted quarterback Kevin Hogan and defensive lineman Gabe Wright off of the practice squad. To make room, the team reached an injury settlement with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, dropping him from the roster. Wide receiver Mitch Mathews was also signed to the practice squad.

After losing Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown to shoulder injuries during their first two games, the Browns signed Whitehurst to give them additional depth. Cody Kessler got the start in Weeks 3-5, but a big hit left him with serious bruises in his chest and ribs. Whitehurst entered the game on Sunday, but he suffered a knee injury of his own. Now, he’s been jettisoned from the roster in favor of Hogan, a fifth-round pick of the Chiefs in this year’s draft.

Kessler is aiming to suit up for the Browns on Sunday against the Titans. Cleveland is still in search of their first win this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns To Sign Charlie Whitehurst

September 19th, 2016 at 8:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is joining the Browns, his agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced Monday (Twitter link). Whitehurst will likely back up third-round rookie Cody Kessler this week for Cleveland, which is dealing with multiple injuries under center.

After losing Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown to shoulder injuries during their first two games, both losses, the Browns will start their third QB in as many weeks this Sunday against Miami. Head coach Hue Jackson revealed Monday that the team needed to find a veteran signal-caller quickly, and it has in Whitehurst. The 34-year-old possesses recent experience, having appeared in a combined five games with the Colts and Titans last season.

In total, Whitehurst has amassed 25 appearances and nine starts with four different teams. The 2006 third-round pick from Clemson has completed 55.1 percent of his 372 career attempts and tossed 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Saints Audition QBs Charlie Whitehurst, Ricky Stanzi, Others

August 29th, 2016 at 2:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints tried out a handful of players today, as Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter) reports. Among the players trying out were quarterbacks Ricky Stanzi and Charlie Whitehurst. Guard Todd Herremans, tight end Bear Pascoe, tight end Jack Tabb, and tackle Khalif Barnes also auditioned for New Orleans.

Currently, the Saints have Luke McCown and Garrett Grayson on the roster behind starter Drew Brees. Grayson gave up two bad interceptions against the Steelers on Friday night and coach Sean Payton expressed frustration with him after the game.

“He struggled tonight. I was disappointed with a couple of those plays,” Payton said (via Nick Underhill of The Advocate). “The interception to the running back is poor; and obviously, he gets blinded on the linebacker throw and forces it. So that was troubling. He had a good play early on with the touchdown pass, but I would like to see him further along at this point than he is.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Colts Place Whitehurst, Thornton On IR

December 28th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts have removed two key players from their 53-man roster, announcing today in a press release that quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and guard Hugh Thornton have been placed on the injured reserve list. The moves end their seasons, and create two openings on the Colts’ roster.

The Colts’ decision to move Whitehurst to IR after he sustained a groin injury is an interesting one. Matt Hasselbeck isn’t expected to be healthy enough to play in Week 17, which means the club currently has two options for its final game of the season — the starter will likely be either Andrew Luck, who hasn’t played since Week 9 and may not yet be cleared to return, or Stephen Morris, the only healthy QB on the roster, who was signed off the Eagles’ practice squad just four days ago.

The Colts are said to be working out free agent signal-caller Josh Freeman, but it’s highly unlikely that anyone from outside the organization would be signed to start right away. If Luck is unable to play in the club’s regular-season finale though, I’d expect Indianapolis to sign at least one more QB to the roster, whether it’s Freeman or someone else.

Thornton, 24, matched a career high with 12 starts this season for the Colts, but his season will come to an end a little early due to an ankle injury. Khaled Holmes took over for him on Sunday and is the favorite to start in his place in Week 17.

Latest On Colts’ QBs

December 14th, 2015 at 6:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It’s not often that two sub-.500 teams square off in December with first place in their division at stake, but that will be the case Sunday when the Colts and Texans – both 6-7 – meet in Indianapolis in a crucial AFC South showdown. Making this matchup even more unusual is that each club could have a backup quarterback at the helm. Thanks to a concussion, the Texans will likely be without No. 1 man Brian Hoyer, meaning they’ll turn to T.J. Yates. On the other side, it’s currently unknown which of the three Colts QBs will be under center.

Andrew Luck – who has been out since early November with a lacerated spleen – is hoping to return this week, though Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes that his status is in doubt. Luck has multiple hurdles to jump before he can make his much-anticipated comeback, as Holder notes: Team doctors have to clear him twice – once to return to practice, again to actually suit up in a game. Given that Luck’s injury is internal, the Colts aren’t going to force him back into the lineup prematurely and put his health at greater risk. For his part, Luck acknowledges that his conditioning is in need of work after missing so much time.

“Throwing felt great,” he said Monday, according to Holder. “Conditioning-wise, it’s a process. When you take time off, it takes a little more time to get back into it.”

As if Luck’s injury situation isn’t frustrating enough for the Colts, reserve Matt Hasselbeck is also banged up. The 40-year-old’s left arm is in a sling thanks to a rib injury he suffered in Sunday’s 51-16 loss to Jacksonville, and head coach Chuck Pagano said Hasselbeck is dealing with spasms associated with the injury. Pagano added that Hasselbeck will try to return to practice on Thursday, and expressed optimism regarding his status for the Houston game.

“I fully anticipate him being available for us,” Pagano said.

If the worst happens for Indy and both Luck and Hasselbeck aren’t ready by Sunday, the Colts will turn to third-stringer Charlie Whitehurst with their season at stake.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, QBs

November 19th, 2015 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

There has been plenty of quarterback shuffling going on in the AFC South recently, with the return of a healthy Marcus Mariota prompting the Titans to release Charlie Whitehurst, who was claimed off waivers by the Colts, who are without Andrew Luck for a few weeks. Meanwhile, the Texans, having cut Ryan Mallett earlier this year, grabbed Brandon Weeden off waivers from the Cowboys this week.

Today’s round-up of AFC South notes, in advance of tonight’s Titans/Jaguars game, focuses on those moves, so let’s dive right in…

One AFC South executive expressed “displeasure and dismay” that the Titans would cut Whitehurst at the exact moment that the Colts were looking for a backup for Matt Hasselbeck, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. As Schefter explains, Whitehurst hasn’t exactly been a world-beater when he’s gotten a chance to play, but one AFC South source suggested he’d rather see the Colts have to rely on a less experienced backup.
The Texans‘ motive for claiming Weeden? They’ll likely need a veteran backup of their own this weekend, since Brian Hoyer is expected to miss Week 11 due to a concussion, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. With T.J. Yates lined up for the start, practice squad signal-caller Zac Dysert would have been the next man up as the No. 2 if Houston hadn’t made a move.
Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk wonders if the Texans were also motivated to claim Weeden so the Colts couldn’t. Both teams have the same record, but Houston has faced a slightly weaker schedule, giving them waiver priority over Indianapolis. Considering Weeden used to play for current Indy offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, the Colts may preferred him over Whitehurst as Hasselbeck’s backup.

Colts Claim Charlie Whitehurst Off Waivers

November 14th, 2015 at 9:50am CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 9:50am: The team has officially announced the move.

THURSDAY, 3:31pm: Finally, the Colts have found themselves a backup quarterback in support of Matt Hasselbeck. The Colts have been awarded signal caller Charlie Whitehurst off waivers from the Titans, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.

Whitehurst, a 10-year NFL veteran, served as Zach Mettenberger‘s backup when Marcus Mariota was sidelined, but with Mariota healthy and back in the No. 1 role, Whitehurst was third on the depth chart, rendering him non-essential for Tennessee. Now, he joins the Colts where he’ll hold the clipboard for Hasselbeck until Andrew Luck is able to return.

Whitehurst came to the Titans as a free agent prior to the 2014 season. At that time, he had just finished season No. 2 as Philip Rivers‘ backup in San Diego. He saw just 12 snaps in two games during the 2013 season and didn’t attempt a pass, but he does have notable experience from his time in Seattle, when he started some games during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Titans Activate David Cobb, Cut Charlie Whitehurst

November 11th, 2015 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Titans have made a pair of roster moves this morning, announcing in a press release that they’ve activated running back David Cobb to their active roster, waiving quarterback Charlie Whitehurst to make room.

Cobb, 22, was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft by the Titans, but saw his NFL regular-season debut postponed due to a calf injury. Tennessee placed him on injured reserve with the designation to return, and had to activate him this week in order to get him into the lineup at all this season.

With Antonio Andrews expected to receive most of the Titans’ carries under new head coach Mike Mularkey, Cobb will likely be worked in slowly. Still, with running back Terrance West having been released last week, there’s room for the rookie on the depth chart, and I’d expect him to get a decent share of touches in the second half.

As for Whitehurst, the 10-year NFL veteran served as Zach Mettenberger‘s backup when Marcus Mariota was sidelined, but with Mariota healthy and back in the No. 1 role, Whitehurst was third on the depth chart, rendering him non-essential for now. Assuming Whitehurst hasn’t collected termination pay in the past, he should be eligible to collect his entire $2MM salary for the 2015 season.

Vikings Notes: AP, QB, Jennings, Munnerlyn

March 4th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were among a contingent that flew to Houston today to meet with Adrian Peterson, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today details. Now that the running back has been moved back to the exempt list, open communication is once again permitted, and this will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months, according to Pelissero. While Peterson hasn’t asked to be traded or released, he is “uneasy” about the possibility of returning to Minnesota, so the goal of today’s meeting for the club is likely to ease some of those concerns.

As we wait to hear how the meeting in Houston goes, let’s round up a few more Vikings-related notes….

Sources tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports that while Peterson hasn’t ruled out the possibility of continuing to play for the Vikings, he has also considered trade destinations, and may be open to restructuring his contract to accommodate a deal. Robinson identifies the Cardinals, Colts, Cowboys, Chargers, and Buccaneers as Peterson’s preferred destinations if he leaves Minnesota.
The Vikings reached an agreement earlier today with the Bills on a trade that will send Matt Cassel to Buffalo, which means the club will be in the market for a backup quarterback this month. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Vikings already have a specific backup in mind. Goessling suggests keeping an eye on Charlie Whitehurst, who was with Norv Turner in San Diego — Turner also has a connection to free-agent-to-be Brian Hoyer.
Spielman has said the Vikings aren’t likely to make a big splash in free agency, but as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune observes (via Twitter), the Cassel deal is the latest move toward creating the cap room necessary to keep all free agent options open.
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that the Vikings will likely restructure Greg Jennings‘ contract at some point this month. Conversely, Goessling hears that the team hasn’t approached cornerback Captain Munnerlyn about reworking his deal (Twitter link). Given the cap room created by the Cassel trade, restructuring Munnerlyn’s contract may not be necessary, says Goessling.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Revis, Amendola

May 30th, 2014 at 7:57pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Raiders announced the signings of fourth-round picks Justin Ellis and Keith McGill, the sixth and seventh members of the team’s eight-man draft class to ink rookie contracts. Ellis is a 6-2, 334-pound nose tackle out of Louisiana Tech who profiles as a run stuffer, though he will have to improve his conditioning. McGill is a rare-sized, highly athletic, overaged, unrefined cornerback (6-3, 211) out of Utah whom the Raiders hope can develop into a coverman in the mold of the big, physical, rangy secondary defenders thriving and trendsetting in Seattle.

Here’s a handful more AFC news and notes:

Patriots big-ticket acquisition Darrelle Revis spoke with the local media for the first time, saying, “I’m on my career and my journey, and right now, I’m a New England Patriot. And that’s that.” Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post took notice of Revis’ word choice: “The words “right now” were telling, because logic — and the salary cap — dictates the $20 million team option for 2015 in Revis’ deal means this will be the All-Pro cornerback’s lone season in a Patriots uniform.”
One of Revis’ new teammates, receiver Danny Amendola, managed just 54 receptions for 633 yards (11.7 YPC) and two touchdowns in his first season in New England after signing a five-year $28.5MM ($10MM guaranteed) deal. He was affected by a groin injury that kept him out of four games and hampered him in others, but Amendola — who opted against off-season surgery — tells the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe that he’s 100 percent.
Despite making a run at Alex Mack, the Jaguars believe in third-year center Mike Brewster, who has 10 career starts under his belt, said ESPN’s Michael DiRocco in a chat: “They went after Mack because he is by far the best center in the game and they felt they could take a shot. But notice they didn’t go after any other centers in free agency and only drafted one in the sixth round [Luke Bowanko]. That means they felt confident Brewster could do the job and they didn’t view it as a need position.”
ESPN’s Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans are better off with a veteran (Charlie Whitehurst) or a young, developmental (Zach Mettenberger) quarterback behind starter Jake Locker.