HEADLINES

Greg Scruggs

Workout Notes: Titans, Brown, Johnson, Dixon

October 21st, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Just over seven months after he announced his retirement from the NFL, cornerback Cortland Finnegan had a workout today with the Patriots. Finnegan, 31, was one of the league’s worst cornerbacks in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. PFF ranked Finnegan 109th out of 110 qualified corners, with a grade of -19.7 in just seven games. As such, it came as a bit of a surprise when Miami inked the former Ram to a two-year, $11MM deal in 2014. He might not be worthy of that kind of pay, but he could make for an intriguing depth option for the Pats or another team.

Here’s a rundown of today’s other workouts from around the NFL, with all links going to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post on Twitter, unless noted otherwise..

Workout Updates: 10/16/15

October 16th, 2015 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve passed along a few of the more notable updates from the last few days on workouts and free agent visits, including the Giants trying out wide receivers like Terrelle Pryor and the Cowboys bringing in running back LaMike James. However, there are plenty more tryout updates from this week to round up, and we’ve got them all below. All links point to the Twitter account of Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, unless otherwise indicated.

Arizona Cardinals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

  • Devin Gardner, WR (link)
  • Josh Harper, WR

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo, LB (link)

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Workout Notes: Jets, Brown, Chargers, Lions

September 29th, 2015 at 6:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets auditioned running back Bryce Brown on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Brown has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was unable to stick with the Bills in 2015. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a grand total of 126 yards off of 36 carries.

Here’s a rundown of other notable workouts from around the NFL..

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.

Seahawks Release Zach Miller

March 6th, 2015 at 5:06pm CST by Zachary Links

5:06pm: In addition to releasing Miller, the Seahawks announced (via Twitter) that they waived offensive tackle Garrett Scott and defensive tackle Jesse Williams, and signed defensive end Greg Scruggs.

4:54pm: The Seahawks have released tight end Zach Miller, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s been a busy day for the Seahawks, who also reached agreement with star running back Marshawn Lynch on a new deal earlier today.

Miller signed a $34MM contract with the Seahawks in August of 2011 and he renegotiated his deal roughly one year ago to remain on the team. He agreed to a $3MM pay cut in 2014 and a $2MM pay cut in 2015, but that apparently wasn’t enough to keep his spot in Seattle. Miller would have been a $4MM cap hit in 2015 and, as Terry Blount of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes, dropping him helps offset the difference in Lynch’s bump from $7MM to $11MM next season.

Miller, a former Pro Bowler, was with the Seahawks since 2011, catching 102 balls over that span and serving as the club’s top tight end. His 2014 campaign officially ended in November when he was placed on injured reserve, but he was out of action ever since undergoing an ankle procedure following the team’s Week 3 game.

It’s possible that the release of Miller could be the start of something bigger in Seattle. On Friday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk mentioned the Seahawks as a dark horse candidate for free agent Broncos tight end Julius Thomas.

Minor Moves: Thursday

March 5th, 2015 at 11:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve already covered today’s restricted free agency decisions, so let’s take a look at the other minor moves happening around the league…

  • Via an Instagram post, defensive lineman Greg Scruggs says he’s been re-signed by the Seahawks. Scruggs, 24, appeared in three games for Seattle last season.

Earlier updates:

  • The Broncos have agreed to a four-year, $4MM extension with long-snapper Aaron Brewer, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The 24-year-old Brewer was set to become an unrestricted free agent, where the lowest tender is $1.59MM; instead, he’ll earn a $1MM AAV.
  • The Dolphins have re-signed safety Jordan Kovacs, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Signed off the Eagles’ practice squad in November, Kovacs went on to appear in eight games for Miami.
  • CFL linebacker Josh Francis has agreed to a deal with the Packers, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Francis went undrafted out of West Virginia in 2012, and spent 2014 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

November 5th, 2014 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves that affect teams’ 53-man rosters around the league:

  • In a reversal of a pair of roster moves made earlier this week, the Panthers have re-signed running back Chris Ogbonnaya using the roster spot created when the team cut De’Andre Presley yesterday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Carolina had previously activated Presley and waived Ogbonnaya, so the club’s motives here aren’t entirely clear.
  • Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, cut yesterday by the 49ers, has been claimed off waivers by the division-rival Seahawks, according to his agent Wesley Spencer (Twitter link). Since Seattle didn’t have an open spot on the roster, the team placed defensive end Greg Scruggs on the injured reserve list in order to accommodate the addition of Dobbs, tweets Brian McIntyre.

Earlier updates:

  • One depleted secondary has added a piece from another, as the Giants announced today in a press release that they’ve claimed cornerback Chykie Brown off waivers from the Ravens. To make room on the roster for Brown, who lost his job in Baltimore after Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdowns against the Ravens on Sunday, the Giants placed Prince Amukamara on injured reserve — as we learned yesterday, the cornerback is out for the year with a torn biceps.
  • The Titans have replaced one tight end with another on their 53-man roster, bringing back Brett Brackett and placing the injured Taylor Thompson on IR, according to a team release. Thompson suffered his knee injury in Week 3 and had been unable to get healthy, while Brackett had been on the Seahawks’ practice squad before signing to Tennessee’s active roster.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

October 14th, 2014 at 5:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Tuesday is typically a busy in-season day for NFL transactions, so we expect to add several more moves from around the league to this list as the day goes on. For now, here are the the day’s minor transactions relating to clubs’ 53-man rosters:

  • For now, to replace linebacker Danny Trevathan, the Broncos will promote Shaquil Barrett from their practice squad, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • The Seahawks have tweaked the back of their roster, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has cut safety Steven Terrell and signed defensive end Greg Scruggs.
  • With the roster opening created by Ventrone’s release (noted below), the 49ers have re-signed quarterback Josh Johnson, who was cut a few days ago, the club announced today in a press release.

Earlier updates:

  • The Browns have placed defensive lineman Armonty Bryant on injured reserve, signing another defensive lineman, Sione Fua, to take his spot on the roster, the team announced today (Twitter link). Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports first reported (via Twitter) that Fua was signing with the Browns.
  • The Ravens have a roster exemption for previously-suspended safety Will Hill, which will last until next Monday, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. By that point, Baltimore will have to either waive Hill or cut someone else on the roster, creating space for the safety.
  • A week after re-signing him to their active roster, the 49ers have released defensive back and special-teamer Bubba Ventrone, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Ventrone spent last season on San Francisco’s roster, but was cut prior to the 2014 regular season.
  • Having lost cornerback Trumaine McBride during Sunday night’s game against the Eagles, the Giants are set to promote cornerback Chandler Fenner from their practice squad to the active roster, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Fenner, cut in July by Seattle, has shuffled back and forth between New York’s practice squad and active roster since the regular season began.

Minor Moves: Saturday

October 11th, 2014 at 6:16pm CST by Rob DiRe

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here….

  • The Bears have elevated linebacker Terrell Manning from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced on Twitter. The move could be an indication that D.J. Williams won’t be available for Sunday’s contest with the Falcons. To make room for Manning, Chicago has waived safety Shamiel Gary.

Earlier Updates:

NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Rams, Thomas

April 6th, 2014 at 3:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest out of the NFC West:

  • Despite his listing right tackle as the Cardinals’ biggest need, ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss doesn’t see the team re-signing Eric Winston. The veteran offensive lineman, who was recently elected president of the NFLPA, lacks the durability that the Cardinals need. The team will either look to the draft for an RT, or use Bobby Massie or Bradley Sowell, both of whom played left tackle last season.
  • The Cardinals signed two cornerbacks last week, but that doesn’t mean they won’t add to the position in the first round of the draft, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Neither of the two cornerbacks (LeQuan Lewis and Eddie Whitley) were given a signing bonus, and neither is guaranteed a roster spot. The signings point to the Cardinals’ preference for, in Urban’s words, “a fluid roster.” In terms of the draft, Arizona has been linked to TCU cornerback Jason Verrett.
  • Though the upcoming draft is considered one of the deepest in recent memory, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com wonders how far the Rams can trade down from No. 2 and still land an impact player. Wagoner also notes that simply finding a trade partner could prove difficult if the quarterback-needy teams remain lukewarm on this year’s class of signal-callers.
  • Earl Thomas is still considered first-in-line to get an extension from the Seahawks, and a deal could be struck between now and the draft, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
  • Condotta thinks the Seahawks will draft at least one defensive lineman to replenish the depth they lost during free agency, but also believes that several young players such as Greg Scruggs and Benson Mayowa could be contributors in 2014.
  • Pete Carroll’s extension probably won’t have much of an impact on contract discussions between Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers, notes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Carroll had only a lone season remaining on his deal and now has a Super Bowl championship on his résumé , while Harbaugh has two seasons left on his contract, and has not won a title (despite reaching the NFC Championship game in each of his three seasons at the helm).