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Deontay Greenberry

North Notes: Ratliff, Schwartz, Bengals

October 23rd, 2015 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Bears‘ release of defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff, details have trickled out about the circumstances surrounding the veteran’s departure, and they don’t paint Ratliff in a particularly positive light. According to Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, coaches considered Ratliff one of the team’s best defensive lineman, if not the best, but team officials determined that he wasn’t in a condition to work when he arrived at Halas Hall on Wednesday. When the Bears sent Ratliff home from the facility, an argument took place.

Per the Tribune’s sources, Ratliff came back to Halas Hall twice and had an “intense vocal altercation” with GM Ryan Pace before he was sent home again. Lake Forest police were ultimately summoned as a safety measure, and Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that the club still operated “at a heightened state of security” on Thursday, a day after the incident took place.

Even at age 34, Ratliff can still be effective on the field, but his latest off-field run-in will surely make any team think twice before signing him. Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:

  • When asked if he wants to re-sign with Cleveland, Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz said, “That’s kind of out of my control. We’ll see what happens,” as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) opined that Schwartz is in line for a major payday this offseason.
  • Cornerback Al Louis-Jean, who appeared in nine games for Chicago during his rookie season in 2014, is working out for the Browns today, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Louis-Jean was waived by the Bears in August.
  • Speaking of workouts, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word on several players auditioning for the Bengals, tweeting that Cincinnati took a look at safeties Ahmad Dixon and Ryan Murphy, wide receivers Devin Gardner and Deontay Greenberry, linebackers Quayshawn Nealy and Ronald Powell, and center Reese Dismukes.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Seahawks Reduce Roster To 75 Players

August 31st, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks announced that they have made a number of moves before the deadline to reduce rosters to 75 players. The full list of moves, recapped below, includes the outright release of center Lemuel Jeanpierre and defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith. As veterans, neither player is subjected to waivers.

Released outright:

  • Lemuel Jeanpierre, C
  • D’Anthony Smith, DT

Waived:

  • Jesse Davis, T
  • George Farmer, CB
  • Deshon Foxx, CB
  • Deontay Greenberry, WR
  • Keelan Johnson, CB
  • Quayshawn Nealy, LB
  • Greg Scruggs, DE
  • Ty Zimmerman, S

Waived/injured:

  • Brandon Cottom, FB
  • Triston Wade, CB

Jeanpierre, started six games at center over the past two seasons and was in competition with Drew Nowak for the starting job. Nowak, who has started the past two preseason games, has presumably beat him out for the starting gig.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/15

August 26th, 2015 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Patriots cut cornerback Jimmy Jean, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The rookie was signed by the Pats as a rookie free agent out of Alabama-Birmingham on May 8, 2015. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, played both safety and cornerback over two seasons at University of Alabama- Birmingham.
  • The Buccaneers have signed punter Jacob Schum, waiving safety Derrick Wells in the corresponding roster move, the team announced today (via Twitter). Schum just became a free agent last week after being cut by the Jets.
  • The Lions have signed former Arena League center Joe Madsen, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Madsen, who finished last season on Green Bay’s practice squad, has spent time with the Packers and Browns this year.
  • The Seahawks have cut quarterback Jake Waters, leaving just three quarterbacks on their roster, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The move seems to suggest that the club isn’t too worried about Tarvaris Jackson‘s health. To fill Waters’ roster spot, the Seahawks signed wide receiver Deontay Greenberry.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/15

August 20th, 2015 at 6:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves, signings, and other transactions..

  • The Cowboys signed wide receivers Phil Bates and Edmond Gates as well as linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. To make room, Dallas waived Lache Seastrunk, Reggie Dunn, Deontay Greenberry, and Brandon Smith (link).
  • The Bills have reached an injury settlement with tight end Clay Burton, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.
  • The Broncos announced that they were awarded tight end Jake Murphy off waivers from the Bengals on Thursday. To make room, they placed nose tackle Marvin Austin Jr. on injured reserve. The 6-foot-4, 252-pound Murphy, a Utah product, spent half of last year on the Bengals’ practice squad after playing for Oakland last summer. Murphy’s father is Dale Murphy, the two-time National League MVP (1982-83) with the Braves who eventually concluded his career with the Colorado Rockies. His older brother, Shawn, was with the Broncos during the 2011 preseason as an offensive lineman.

Cowboys Add 14 UDFAs

May 8th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ ballyhooed acquisition of La’el Collins will overshadow the remainder of the team’s undrafted free agent contingent. But 14 additional players joined the would-be first-rounder in signing with the Cowboys, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer.

  • Synjyn Days, RB, Georgia Tech
  • George Farmer, WR, USC ($55K of contract guaranteed; $15K signing bonus; $40K guaranteed base salary, according to the USA Today’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter)
  • Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor
  • Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston
  • Ray Hamilton, TE, Iowa
  • Nick Harwell, WR, Kansas
  • Shane McDermott, C, Miami ($5K signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun)
  • Daniel Quave, OT, Louisiana-Lafayette ($1.500 guaranteed signing bonus, per Wilson on Twitter)
  • Joel Ross, CB, Appalachian State
  • Tim Scott, S, North Carolina
  • Jameill Showers, QB, UTEP
  • Jason Wilson, CB, Central Michigan
  • Ray Vinopal, S, Pittsburgh ($2K signing bonus, tweets Wilson)
  • Lucky Whitehead, WR, Florida Atlantic

Draft Notes: Winston, Edwards, Valles

January 6th, 2015 at 9:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Jameis Winston‘s father says he won’t announce a decision on whether he’ll enter the NFL draft until after the College Football Playoff National Championship, as David M. Hale of ESPN.com writes. It seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Winston would be going pro, but that’s apparently not the case. Multiple sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) that the FSU star is seriously considering staying in school for another year. Later, Getlin (link) said that Winston “just might shock the world.” While we wait and see what the quarterback does, let’s take a look at the latest draft news..

  • The University of Houston announced that wide receiver Deontay Greenberry will enter the 2015 NFL draft, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter).
  • Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards plans to enter the NFL draft, according to Joe Schad of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Edwards, 21 in April, is the son of former NFL cornerback Mario Edwards Sr.
  • University of Virginia linebacker Max Valles took to Twitter to announce that he’ll be entering the 2015 draft. Valles is not considered to be one of the nation’s top linebacker prospects by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr (Insider subscription required). Valles originally said in December that he would be staying in school, but he apparently has had a change of heart. The linebacker has promise, but not much in the way of collegiate experience. After spending his first year out of high school at a prep school, he played only two seasons for Virginia. This season, Valles led his team with nine sacks and also had 12.5 tackles for loss.
  • Punter Bradley Pinion announced that he has decided to enter the draft, according to a release on the Clemson Tigers’ website. Pinion averaged 42.6 yards per punt, fifth-best in the ACC, in 2014. He had 28 punts inside the 20 to lead the ACC and break his own school record for a season.

Extra Points: Packers, Jets, Bears, Greenberry

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Packers announced that they have promoted Eliot Wolf to director of player personnel. Wolf, who served as Green Bay’s pro personnel director for the past three years, has been mentioned quite a bit as a GM candidate this offseason, but the promotion might take him off the table for GM openings around the league and could signal that he’ll be the heir apparent to GM Ted Thompson.

Meanwhile, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets that Alonzo Highsmith‘s name has come up for director of player personnel jobs for other teams, pending GM hires. Highsmith is currently employed as a senior personnel executive in Green Bay’s front office.

Let’s round up a few more Friday odds and ends from around the NFL….

  • The Jets have requested permission to interview Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard and Dolphins director of college scouting Chris Grier for their general manager vacancy, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link), if Ballard were to land the GM job in either New York or Chicago, Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich would be high on his short list of candidates.
  • In the view of Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com, recently-dismissed Eagles executive Tom Gamble would make an ideal candidate for the Bears‘ general manager opening.
  • A report earlier in the week indicated that Houston wide receiver Deontay Greenberry had chosen an agent and would enter the 2015 NFL draft, but Greenberry said on Friday that he has yet to make a decision on his status for the coming year, writes Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Nick Powell of the Star-Ledger wonders if the Giants should use the franchise tag on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. By using the tag, the Giants can wait on deciding to make a sizable long-term commitment to JPP and ensure that he’ll be motivated for 2015. On the flip side, of course, it would cost the Giants a great deal of money for the upcoming season.
  • In his latest ESPN.com mailbag, John Keim fields a handful of questions on Washington‘s 2015 outlook, including inquiries into potential roster and coaching turnover.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Updates: Wednesday

December 31st, 2014 at 7:05pm CST by Luke Adams

NCAA underclassmen have a little over two weeks to declare for the 2015 NFL draft, and several have done so already. Our list of 2015’s early entrants can be found right here, and we have some more names to add to that list today. Here’s the latest on college players forgoing their remaining NCAA years and heading to the NFL:

  • Simon Fraser University standout wide receiver Lemar Durant has declared for both the CFL and NFL Draft, according to TSN.
  • LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will enter the 2015 NFL draft, according to Jim Kleinpeter of The Times-Picayune. Collins received a favorable draft grade from the NFL Advisory Committee, which indicated that he should either project as a first- or second-round pick.
  • LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander will enter the 2015 draft, according to Scott Griffin of CBSSports.com and FOX 6 Birmingham (Twitter link). Alexander figures to be a mid-round pick in the spring.
  • Stanford cornerback Alex Carter has decided to enter the NFL draft, writes Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I talked it over with my family, and we decided it’s time,” Carter said following Stanford’s Foster Farms Bowl victory over Maryland. The corner will likely be a day-two pick.

Earlier updates:

  • Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson announced today on his Instagram that he’ll be entering the 2015 draft, according to the SEC Network (via Twitter). Robinson had a breakout junior year for the Bulldogs and is expected to be a mid-round pick in the spring, per WalterFootball.com.
  • Word is circulating that Houston wide receiver Deontay Greenberry has chosen an agent and is entering the draft, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. While Pauline says he likes Greenberry’s game “a lot,” WalterFootball.com’s assessment of the young wideout suggested he should return to school for his senior year. Still, he looks like a potential second-day pick.
  • Rutgers tight end Tyler Kroft has opted to enter the 2015 draft, passing up his final year of college eligibility, coach Kyle Flood announced on Tuesday, according to Keith Sargeant of NJ.com. “I just had a meeting with Tyler Kroft and his dad a little while ago and Tyler is going to declare for the NFL Draft and we couldn’t be more excited for him,” Flood said. “We thank him for all of his contributions and everything that he’s added to our program over the last four years. He has four credits left to graduate, which he should be able to get that done this spring, and we’re looking forward to him having a great career in the NFL going forward.” Kroft is projected as a potential third- or fourth-round pick by CBSSports.com and WalterFootball.com.
  • Shortly after his Penn State teammate Donovan Smith announced he was entering the draft, defensive end Deion Barnes confirmed that he would also forgo his final year of college eligibility, per a team release. “I talked with my family and we believe it’s best for me to move forward and forgo my fifth year,” Barnes said. The young defensive end has upside, but had an up-and-down college career and will have to perform well in workouts and at the combine to improve his draft stock.