HEADLINES

DeVonte Holloman

Minor Moves: Friday

February 13th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns released offensive lineman Paul McQuistan earlier today, a notable transaction because the move leaves Cleveland with some dead money on its cap for the 2015 season. However, the following transactions aren’t quite as noteworthy, involving players who didn’t see the field much – or at all – in 2014, or players who won’t be receiving any guarantees on their new contracts. Here are today’s minor moves:

  • The Falcons have signed former Seahawks linebacker Allen Bradford, the team announced today in a press release. Bradford has been well-traveled since entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2011, spending time with the Buccaneers, Browns, Giants, and Jaguars, in addition to playing under new Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn in Seattle. However, the 26-year-old has only appeared in 13 career regular season contests.
  • Per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys have signed free agent defensive tackle Davon Coleman, who spent some time with the club during the 2014 season after signing as an undrafted free agent last spring. Machota adds that Dallas has also locked up one of its exclusive rights free agents, re-signing linebacker Cameron Lawrence. Both players figure to receive minimum-salary contracts.
  • According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Cowboys made one more transaction today, waiving linebacker DeVonte Holloman with a failed physical designation. Holloman had been on the injured reserve list all season.
  • Offensive tackle Xavier Nixon has been claimed off waivers by Washington, according to Caplan (via Twitter). Nixon, cut this week by the Colts, spent some time with Washington before heading to Indianapolis in 2013.
  • The Falcons officially removed defensive lineman Peria Jerry from the reserve/left squad list today, tweets Caplan. This was a procedural move, since Jerry announced his retirement back in July.

Cowboys Cut Caleb Hanie, 10 Others

August 26th, 2014 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys are the latest NFL team to trim its roster to 75 players, with former Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie and former fourth-round pick Matt Johnson among the players cut today by Dallas. Per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (via Twitter), here’s the full list of roster moves made by the Cowboys in advance of this afternoon’s deadline:

Cut:

Waived-injured:

Placed on injured reserve:

  • Ben Gardner, DE

Placed on reserve/non-football injury list:

East Notes: Sanchez, Hill, Schwartz, Cowboys

August 26th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

As one of the league’s premier backups, Eagles signal-caller Mark Sanchez figures to be the subject of trade rumors when starting QBs like Sam Bradford go down for the season. However, as he tells Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sanchez isn’t interested in listening to that sort of speculation.

“I’m an Eagle. I love being an Eagle,” Sanchez said. “There’s a ton of quarterbacks. Talk about someone else.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • With final cuts approaching, some trade chatter is starting to surround Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter) notes that the team has already tried to move Hill this summer, with no takers so far, while Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter) is skeptical that the Jets could get anything for the wideout. On the other hand, one AFC exec tells Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com that he thinks there’d be some interest, since the free agent market for receivers is thin.
  • The Giants received some good news on Geoff Schwartz’s foot injury, announcing today in a press release that the guard will be in a walking boot for the next seven to 10 days, then will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. The timetable suggests that Schwartz will avoid hitting any sort of PUP or IR list.
  • Cowboys linebacker DeVonte Holloman tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that it was an “easy decision” to retire after sustaining his latest neck injury, though he admitted it’ll be “tough not to be out there” on the field with the team.
  • As Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram outlines, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones weighed in on position battles at a few key positions in Dallas as the team prepares to cut its roster down to 53 players.

DeVonte Holloman Expected To Retire Due To Injury

August 21st, 2014 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, a neck injury is expected to end the playing career of linebacker DeVonte Holloman (link via Jon Machota and Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News). Holloman suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the Ravens.

“DeVonte got information back from the doctors in San Antonio and some other doctors he visited with regarding his neck and it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to play football anymore,” Garrett said. “This becomes an easy decision for him and his family when you’re dealing with that kind of an injury.”

Holloman, 23, was selected by the Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2013 draft out of South Carolina. He contributed sparingly on defense and special teams up until the last three weeks of the season, when injuries forced him into the role of Dallas’ regular middle linebacker. This isn’t the first neck-related injury for Holloman, who sustained a spinal contusion in practice last season that sidelined him for seven games.

Holloman is the latest young NFL player to see his career prematurely cut short by spine or neck injuries. Others who have been forced into early retirement recently include ex-Packers running back Johnathan Franklin and former Giants running back David Wilson.

Casserly Rips Rolando McClain

July 26th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Matt Feminis

Charley Casserly of NFL Network is not a fan of Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain.

Appearing on Inside Training Camp Casserly, a former NFL GM, did not sugarcoat his opinion of the former eighth overall pick: “McClain …I would never have taken this guy with the eighth pick in the draft,” spouted Casserly. “I think this guy is not good enough. I don’t think he’s physical enough. I don’t think his instincts are good. I don’t think he can cover; I don’t think he can play. To me, it was a trade that is a waste of time. They were hoping, I guess, to get a big guy in the middle because [Justin Durant] and [DeVonte Holloman] aren’t that kind of a guy. Hey, I’m going to go see them in 10 days. I hope he’s not there to waste my time with him.”

McClain, who missed the beginning of camp to deal with legal issues, is expected to join the team today.

NFC Notes: Jones, Rams, Cowboys, Nicks

June 9th, 2014 at 6:07pm CST by Matt Feminis

In a video interview with SI.com, Falcons receiver Julio Jones said he expects to sign a long-term contract extension before his rookie deal runs out. “I will not get to free agency,” said Jones. “They gave up a lot for me and they know how hard I work. They’re not going to let me go. And I love Atlanta, I love being here.” Jones also says teammate Roddy White, a free agent next year, wants to be in Atlanta three more years.

Here’s a few more NFC notes:

  • The Rams boast the league’s best front seven, while the Cowboys’ is the worst, according to Mike Tanier of Sports On Earth. On the Rams’ burgeoning front four (excluding first-round pick Aaron Donald), in particular, Tanier says, “Think of the Rams defensive line as starting each game with four three-and-outs that leave the opponent punting from about the 22-yard line, and you get a sense of their impact.”
  • Meanwhile, “The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and (in the saddest, most ridiculous minicamp story of the year) Sean Lee from a defense that allowed 2,056 rushing yards and recorded just 36 sacks last year,” writes Tanier. “Henry Melton arrives as a younger, more system-suited replacement for Hatcher, but everything else is a shambles. Bruce Carter, Justin Durant and DeVonte Holloman form the most anonymous linebacker corps in the league…And of course, the Cowboys are so cap-stressed that they wouldn’t be able to sign a veteran reinforcement, even if one becomes available this late in the offseason.”
  • Buccaneers veteran guard Carl Nicks‘ health status remains a question mark, writes ESPN’s Pat Yasinkas: “Nicks, who missed almost all of last season with a toe injury and a MRSA infection, previously has said he expects to be ready for training camp. But it remains to be seen if he still is on target. The team has been quiet about Nicks’ status.”
  • Seahawks pass rusher Bruce Irvin (hip) and running back Robert Turbin (knee) had off-season surgery, reports Bob Condotta in the Seattle Times.
  • The 49ers have approximately $6.4MM in cap space, probably enough to “extend a vet and have an emergency stash for the season,” according to ESPN’s Bill Williamson (via Twitter).

NFC Notes: Giants, Durant, Washington, Floyd

May 24th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Matt Feminis

“It seems everyone in the free world with an interest in football wants to know why the Giants didn’t draft a tight end and what they’re going to do to shore up the position,” writes Giants.com Senior Writer/Editor Michael Eisen. However, Eisen says GM Jerry Reese likes his two young, developmental tight ends (Adrien Robinson and Larry Donnell) and wants to see what the team has in veterans Kellen Davis and Daniel Fells and rookie free agent Xavier Grimble before addressing the position.

In other NFC news and notes…