HEADLINES

Forrest Hightower

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/17

May 22nd, 2017 at 8:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves.

  • Former Chargers sixth-round pick Tourek Williams signed with the Chiefs, who cut Victor Ochi in a Monday exchange of linebackers. Williams is entering his fifth season after playing four with the Chargers. Williams started in six games as a rookie and played in 16 during the 2014 and ’16 campaigns. He saw a broken foot end his 2015 slate after three games.
  • The Saints signed tackle Bryce Harris and waived defensive back Forrest Hightower. Harris played three seasons, 2012-14, with the Saints before bouncing around the league. He failed to make New Orleans’ 53-man roster out of training camp in 2015 but returns nearly two years later. The former UDFA out of Fresno State has four career starts on his resume, each with New Orleans.
  • The Rams signed defensive tackles Omarius Bryant and A.J. Jefferson while waiving offensive lineman Kwayde Miller. Meanwhile, defensive back Dravious Wright left the team. Wright caught on with the Rams as a UDFA last month. Jefferson is a UDFA out of Mississippi State. The Ravens cut Bryant, who played at Western Kentucky.
  • The Patriots re-signed wide receiver DeAndrew White, who spent the 2016 season on the team’s practice squad. White was originally a 49ers UDFA addition in 2015. He saw action in four games with San Francisco that season as a return man.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/17

January 4th, 2017 at 6:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.

Los Angeles Rams

  • DB Jerome Couplin
  • LB Cassanova McKinzy
  • LB Reggie Northrup
  • DB Kevin Peterson
  • WR Brandon Shippen
  • DB Kevin Short
  • RB Brandon Wegher
  • TE Bryce Williams

New Orleans Saints

  • LB Adam Bighill
  • DB Forrest Hightower

New York Jets

  • K Ross Martin

Philadelphia Eagles

  • WR Rasheed Bailey

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • TE Kivon Cartwright
  • K John Lunsford

NFL Workout Updates: 12/19/16

December 19th, 2016 at 8:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons worked out several safeties today, including veteran Dashon Goldson, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Goldson has already spent time with Atlanta this season, appearing in four games for the club earlier in the year. The Falcons also took at look defensive backs Earl Wolff and Floyd Raven as they seek to replace Kemal Ishmael, who was placed on IR last week.

Here’s more from the workout circuit:

  • Veteran linebacker Joplo Bartu met with the Dolphins today, per Caplan (Twitter link). Bartu has been in the league since 2013, and has 48 games of experience — including 28 starts — under his belt during time with Atlanta and Jacksonville. However, the 26-year-old Bartu hasn’t started a contest since 2014.
  • The Bears worked out a slew of players on Monday, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links). Chicago met with the following players today: defensive ends Jeoffrey Pagan and Mike Rose; linebackers Taiwan Jones and Frank Beltre; and defensive backs V’Angelo Bentley, Forrest Hightower, Dwayne Hollis, Rashaad Reynolds, and Mitchell White.
  • The Seahawks visited with free agent running back George Winn, tweets Caplan. Winn, who has bounced on and off the Lions and Giants practice squads this season, could add depth on a Seattle roster that has already lost C.J. Prosise and Troymaine Pope for the year.
  • Running back Terrell Watson tried out for the Eagles today, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Philadelphia recently placed RB Wendell Smallwood on injured reserve, meaning Watson — a former Bengals and Browns preseason star — could be a fit.

North Notes: Bell, Bengals, Pack, Bears, Lions

December 16th, 2016 at 4:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While it appears the Steelers will retain impending free agent running back Le’Veon Bell beyond this season, whether via the franchise tag or a long-term deal, the 24-year-old said Friday that his contract isn’t a concern at the moment. “I haven’t even been paying attention to that. I’m just playing football,” Bell stated regarding his future (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com). Led by Bell’s 298 total yards (262 rushing, 36 receiving) and three touchdowns, the Steelers knocked off Buffalo, 27-20, last Sunday to improve to an AFC North-leading 8-5.

More from the NFL’s North divisions:

  • Bengals receiver A.J. Green is targeting a Dec. 24 return from a hamstring injury, a source told Bob Holzman of ESPN. The five-time Pro Bowler hasn’t played since Nov. 20, and even though the 5-7-1 Bengals are basically out of the playoff hunt, he has vowed to come back this season.
  • Packers running back James Starks was in a car crash Monday and is now in the concussion protocol, coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Thursday (link via NFL.com’s Marc Sessler). It sounds like Starks is not in any kind of medical danger, but his status for this week is in question. It’s not clear whether he will be able to go in Week 16 or 17.
  • Bears wideout Marquess Wilson fractured his left foot in practice Friday for the third time since 2015, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Head coach John Fox is unsure if Wilson will need surgery, but the Bears are likely to place him on injured reserve prior to Sunday’s game against Green Bay. This injury could potentially end Wilson’s tenure with the Bears, as the 2013 seventh-round pick will be a free agent in the offseason. The 24-year-old has hauled in nine passes for 160 yards and a touchdown this season, and has amassed 56 receptions and three scores in 31 career games.
  • Lions practice squad linebacker Steve Longa is now being paid an active roster rate, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That could indicate another team tried to sign Longa away from Detroit.
  • The Lions worked out two defensive backs, Tony Burnett and Forrest Hightower, and linebacker Deon Lacey this week, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.