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Jalen Saunders

The Spring League Announces Camp Roster

April 9th, 2017 at 7:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Since we learned last year that there’d be a spring football league in 2017, several former NFL stars have committed to the endeavor. Today, The Spring League announced (via Twitter) their full training camp roster.

Ahmad BradshawAs was previously reported, defensive end Greg Hardy, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., and running back Ben Tate were among the major names to have committed to the league. Former cornerback Brandon Browner was reportedly involved, but he was curiously omitted from the training camp roster. Former Giants and Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw is seemingly the biggest addition to the roster since the last update.

The Spring League is composed of four teams, with the rosters comprised of veteran free agents. Ultimately, six games will be played between April 5 through April 26. Players who are currently on NFL rosters are not eligible to participate.

The full training camp roster can be found below:

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Fullbacks

  • Adam Cox
  • Jonathan Amosa

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Kellen Winslow, Ben Tate Join Spring League

March 22nd, 2017 at 11:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Spring League kicks off in April and it will feature some notable names looking to resurrect their football careers. Defensive end Greg Hardy, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., cornerback Brandon Browner, and running back Ben Tate are among the players who have been confirmed as participants, according to a press release. Greg Hardy (vertical)

Winslow has not played in an NFL game since the 2013 season and we haven’t heard much from him since he worked out for the Packers last August. Tate, a former second-round pick, showed lots of promise in Houston but could not capitalize on a starting opportunity with the Browns in 2014. Hardy and Browner first committed to the league in early March.

The Spring League consists of four teams comprised of veteran free agents. The league will conduct practices and play six games from April 5 through April 26. Players who are currently on NFL rosters will not be eligible to participate.

The league has secured five quarterbacks thus far, including Chiefs 2011 fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi and NFL practice squad journeyman McLeod Bethel-Thompson. At wide receiver, there’s former Ram Brandon Gibson, Jets 2014 fourth-round pick Jalen Saunders, and one-time Bills WR2 David Nelson. Former Jets defensive back Ellis Lankster and Texans 2013 third-round defensive tackle Sam Montgomery will also be suiting up for The Spring League next month.

The full list of players can be found below. In addition to those listed here, Pro Football Rumors has learned that another 30 players are expected to join prior to the start of training camp.

Quarterbacks

  • Hutson Mason
  • Ricky Stanzi
  • McLeod Bethel-Thompson
  • Zach Kline
  • Jeremy Cannon

Running backs

Wide receivers

  • Jalen Saunders
  • David Nelson
  • Kenzel Doe
  • Brandon Gibson
  • Daje’ Johnson
  • Gavin Lutman
  • Tyler McDonald
  • J.D. Woods
  • Sed Cunningham
  • Lawrence Smith
  • Terrance Lewis
  • Rashon Ceaser
  • Kendrick Wiggins

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NFC Notes: Saunders, Donnell, Ingram, Packers

December 10th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Wide receiver and return man Jalen Saunders, who is on the Bears‘ practice squad IR list, just finished serving a four-game suspension, but before he could even become eligible to return to Chicago’s active practice squad, he was hit with another penalty. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Saunders has now been suspended 10 games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

The 10-game ban will mean that Saunders will miss the final four games of the 2015 season, as well as the first six games of next year. By that point, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll still be in the Bears’ plans at all, and it may be hard for the Oklahoma product, a Jets fourth-round pick in 2014, to find another team willing to take a shot on him.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Giants tight end Larry Donnell won’t play again this season, having been placed on injured reserve by the team. But at this point, there’s optimism that Donnell’s neck injury won’t be a long-term issue that impacts his career in future years, head coach Tom Coughlin said today (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post).
  • Having been placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, Saints running back Mark Ingram will undergo surgery to repair his torn left rotator cuff, writes Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Ingram is the second Saints running back to land on IR this season, joining Khiry Robinson on the list.
  • Packers offensive lineman Matt Rotheram is the latest practice squad player to get a raise, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Yates tweets that Rotheram is now earning $25,588 per week, equivalent to what he’d earn as a minimum-salary player on the active roster. Green Bay likely bumped up the lineman’s salary after he received some interest from rival teams.
  • British rugby player Tom Burgess will continue his NFL tour today with a workout for the Seahawks, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Burgess has already auditioned for the Steelers, Giants, Jets, and Bills, and could be in line for a reserve/futures contract at season’s end.

Extra Points: Mexico City, Randle, Saunders

November 11th, 2015 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

A group of league officials will be in Mexico City through Wednesday to determine if Azteca Stadium is prepared to host an NFL game in 2016, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com. Back in 2005, the Cardinals and 49ers faced off at Azteca in front of a crowd of 100K+, so the league knows that the interest is there.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL:

  • One team that had been interested in free agent running back Joseph Randle is no longer pursuing him now that he has received a four-game suspension, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com.
  • Bears practice squad wide receiver Jalen Saunders has been suspended four games for violating an undisclosed league policy, according to a source that spoke with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Saunders, a fourth-round pick in 2014, was one of several draft choices for the Jets under former GM John Idzik that did not pan out.
  • Another wideout, Clyde Gates, has also been suspended four games by the NFL, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Gates, currently a free agent, is also a former Jets receiver, though he started his career with the Dolphins after being selected in the fourth round of the 2011 draft.
  • Despite his stellar season so far, TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin will likely transition to the wide receiver position for the NFL draft, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reports.
  • In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry take a look at players in contract years who are helping or hurting their respective values as they approach free agency.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap also looks forward to free agency, examining a few quarterbacks who could hit the open market this winter, and identifying some potential trade candidates at the position.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/15

October 6th, 2015 at 5:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: DE Jordan Williams (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
  • Cut: G Mike Liedtke (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)

Green Bay Packers

San Diego Chargers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/15

September 7th, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Luke Adams

While many teams filled up their 10-man practice squads on Sunday, plenty of teams didn’t confirm their moves right away, or kept a few spots open on those units. On top of that, at least one club that signed 10 players to its taxi squad on Sunday has already made several changes, bringing in new players and jettisoning players who didn’t even spend 24 hours on the squad.

We’ll have updates on Monday’s NFC practice squad signings and cuts in this space, with teams listed in alphabetical order. When new moves occur, we’ll bump this post back to the top of the page. Here’s a round-up of today’s moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed (link via Josh Weinfuss):
    • CB Cariel Brooks
    • T Rob Crisp
    • LB Gabe Martin
    • G Antoine McClain
    • WR Jaxon Shipley
    • RB Kerwynn Williams
    • CB Leon McFadden

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed (press release):
    • LB Derek Akunne
    • T Pierce Burton
    • CB Akeem King
    • QB Matt Simms
    • LB Tyler Starr

Chicago Bears

  • Signed (Twitter links):
    • LB Lamin Barrow
    • T Nick Becton
    • DL Brandon Dunn
    • CB Jacoby Glenn
    • WR Jalen Saunders

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed (Twitter link via Todd Archer):
    • OT John Wetzel
    • S Tim Scott
    • LB Dakorey Johnson
  • To be signed:

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed (press release):
    • RB John Crockett
    • CB Robertson Daniel
    • DT Christian Ringo

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed (via Evan Woodbery on Twitter):
    • TE Blake Annen
    • CB Don Jones

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed:

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed (press release):
    • T Edawn Coughman
    • T Terren Jones
    • WR Rannell Hall
    • TE Cameron Brate

Washington:

Patriots Jettison 11 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 5:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Reggie Wayne indeed appears among the contingent of cut Patriots, per the team’s official website, but the team’s wide receiver depth chart took another hit, at least from an experience standpoint amid the moves the Super Bowl champions made Saturday.

Brandon LaFell will begin the season on the PUP list, meaning the earliest the veteran can debut Oct. 25 at the earliest. A foot injury kept the starting wide receiver out of training camp, and it likely leaves New England to once again rely on the underwhelming Danny Amendola in the starting lineup.

The Patriots also waived Jonas Gray, he of the four-touchdown performance last season before an alarm clock-related practice absence halted the runner’s momentum.

They cut tight end Asante Cleveland and wideout Jalen Saunders, both of whom they traded for recently, notes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter).

The rest of New England’s cuts are as follows:

  • Justin Coleman, DB
  • Xzavier Dickson, LB
  • Darius Fleming, LB
  • Brandon King, S
  • Robert McClain, CB
  • Zach Moore, DL
  • Daxton Swanson, DB

Patriots To Acquire Jalen Saunders From Saints

September 1st, 2015 at 5:20pm CST by Luke Adams

5:20pm: The Pats will send the Saints a conditional 2018 seventh-round choice, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

8:22am: Bill Belichick and the Patriots have pulled off another trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is acquiring wide receiver and return specialist Jalen Saunders from the Saints for a conditional draft pick. It’ll be the fourth trade New England has made since August 10.

Saunders, who turns 23 later this month, was selected by the Jets in the fourth round (104th overall) in the 2014 draft. The Oklahoma product was cut in September by New York, then spent time on the Cardinals’ and Seahawks’ practice squads before catching on with the Saints. However, he became expendable this summer, when seventh-round rookie Marcus Murphy beat him out for New Orleans’ return job.

The exact details on the conditional pick going to the Saints in the swap aren’t known, but I wouldn’t be surprised if New Orleans only gets the pick if Saunders makes the Patriots’ roster, or plays in a certain number of games for New England.

The Patriots have also made small deals for offensive lineman Ryan Groy, tight end Asante Cleveland, and OL/TE Michael Williams over the last month.

Saints Cut Brian Leonard, Sign Jalen Saunders

November 19th, 2014 at 4:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Having completed a series of roster moves yesterday, the Saints once again tweaked their 53-man squad today, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has signed wide receiver Jalen Saunders from off the Seahawks’ practice squad, cutting running back Brian Leonard to create space for Saunders.

A Jets fourth-round draft pick back in May, Saunders was cut earlier this season after muffing a pair of punts, and has since spent time on the Cardinals’ and Seahawks’ practice squads. While the rookie wideout certainly won’t be called upon to take over Brandin Cooks‘ role or replicate his production in New Orleans, the Saints’ decision to sign him appears related to having to put their own rookie receiver on IR yesterday due to a season-ending thumb injury.

As for Leonard, he had signed with the Saints a week ago to provide backfield depth. The fact that the team is comfortable releasing him a day after cutting fellow running back Edwin Baker suggests that perhaps Pierre Thomas and/or Khiry Robinson will return to action this weekend.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

November 4th, 2014 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up the latest practice squad signings and cuts from around the league right here, with the most recent moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • The Seahawks continue to shuffle through the members of their practice squad, as Condotta reports (Twitter link) that the club has cut tight end Brett Brackett.
  • Safety Adrian Phillips has cleared waivers and rejoined the Chargers‘ practice squad, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter).
  • The Saints have filled their practice squad by signing running back Tauren Poole and officially confirming the addition of fullback Michael Zordich, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  • According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Seahawks have signed safety Dion Bailey to their taxi squad, while Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets that the club dropped receiver Chris Matthews to make room for Bailey.

Earlier updates:

  • Wideout Jalen Saunders, who was drafted in the fourth round this year by the Jets and has also spent time with the Cardinals, has signed to the Seahawks‘ practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • The Bills have cut wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt from their taxi squad, replacing him with cornerback Rod Sweeting, the club confirmed in a press release. Sweeting was just released from the division-rival Dolphins’ practice squad a week ago.
  • After losing safety Jordan Kovacs to Miami, the Eagles have signed running back Kenjon Barner to fill the final spot on their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link). Philadelphia traded for Barner this summer, but cut him when reducing the active roster from 75 players to 53.
  • Cornerback Chance Casey has been added to the 49ers‘ practice squad, filling the 10th and final open spot, per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
  • Washington has released tackle Terren Jones from its practice squad, leaving three openings on the unit, the team announced today (Twitter link).
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