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East Notes: Carr, Brady, Blount, Jets

August 8th, 2015 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Carr will miss time after breaking a bone in his right hand during practice, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The highly paid Cowboys cornerback will have surgery Monday in Dallas.

Although Jason Garrett didn’t want to speculate on a timetable, Moore doesn’t anticipate the ailment will keep him out out of Week 1.

“We don’t think it’s serious. It’s a similar injury to what DeMarco Murray had last year when he played in the game, four or five days later,” Garrett told media from Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif.

Murray did not miss any games when he broke his hand last December, though the Cowboys were gunning for an NFC East title as the running back aimed toward a rushing crown. So Carr’s recovery probably won’t be as expedited.

Here are some more notes from the Eastern divisions.

  • LeGarrette Blount sustained an MCL sprain and will undergo surgery, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe. Since Blount’s regular season doesn’t start until Week 2 due to a suspension, the Patriots‘ top rusher is expected to be ready for his mid-September debut.
  • With the Patriots juggling their starting backfield frequently, Blount’s injury does open up time for its younger, slimmer ball-carriers. The returning starter still has the leg up in the competition, but after failing a conditioning test due to showing up for camp out of shape and now suffering an injury, Blount could be challenged for the spot, Ben Volin of the Globe writes. The player Blount replaced last year due to an alarm clock-related absence, Jonas Gray, could push Blount while he’s out, per Volin. James White remains the favorite to take on the Shane Vereen passing-down role, but free agent acquisition Travaris Cadet has outshined each of the backs in camp, Volin writes.
  • Volin also notes that Article 46, the now-controversial inclusion that continued to grant the commissioner disciplinary powers, now on full display in Deflategate, will replace player safety as the primary debate point in the next CBA negotiations in 2021.
  • With Antonio Allen now jettisoned after his Achilles’ tendon injury, the Jets are going to give cornerback Darrin Walls some work at safety, reports Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. Supplanted at corner by Gang Green’s splurge at the position this offseason, Walls join Jaiquawn Jarrett and Rontez Miles as back-line backups to gain some reps in case of another blow to the Jets’ secondary.

AFC East Notes: Hardy, Bush, Bulaga, Clay

March 14th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have a history of taking in players with checkered pasts, and could have the opportunity to do so again by signing Greg Hardy this offseason, write Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com. He notes that the team took in trouble souls such as Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Aqib Talib, and most recently LeGarrette Blount, all of whom had successful runs with the team.

Considering the cap space the Patriots have available after losing both Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, Hardy could be the next reclamation project for Bill Belichick.

  • The Patriots lost versatile tailback Shane Vereen to the Giants, and missed out on Reggie Bush, who signed with the 49ers earlier today. That puts them in the market for a pass catching option out of the backfield, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN. Reiss writes that last year’s fourth-round pick James White could fill that role, or Dion Lewis, both of whom are still on the roster. He also picks out University of Miami running back Duke Johnson and former Saint Pierre Thomas as possible options.
  • The Bills were pursuing offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga aggressively in free agency, and Andrew Brandt noted that Buffalo had offered him more money than he got to return to the Packers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.
  • The Bills may have lost out on Bulaga, but they are still trying to land Charles Clay away from the Dolphins, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. The team fully intends to sign Clay to an offer sheet, then the Dolphins would have to either match or allow Clay to leave.

Pats Notes: Amendola, White, Gaston

September 21st, 2014 at 9:20am CST by Rory Parks

After signing a lucrative five-year deal prior to the 2013 season, Danny Amendola has become the “invisible man” in the Patriots’ passing game, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Through two games in 2014, Amendola has two catches for 16 yards, and he was on the field for just 18 snaps against the Vikings last weekend. As Volin notes, “It’s a continuation from the end of last year, when he had one pass thrown his way in the AFC Championship game, which he dropped.”

Volin writes that there is a disconnect between quarterback Tom Brady and Amendola, and there is plenty of blame to go around. Some of it should be placed on the offensive line, whose shoddy pass-blocking has forced Brady to get rid of the ball on hot reads and bubble screens, and some should be placed on Brady himself (after all, Amendola has gotten himself open at least a few times and Brady has missed him). Nonetheless, there was some talk at the beginning of the offseason that New England would release Amendola, and if things do not improve soon, a release following the 2014 campaign could be inevitable.

Now for some other Patriots items:

  • Amendola is not the only New England wideout yet to establish himself in the team’s aerial attack this year. As Volin writes in the same piece cited above, newly-acquired Brandon LaFell is “frustrated as hell” that he has mostly been reduced to blocking, but Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald writes that more passes will come to LaFell, Aaron Dobson, and Kenbrell Thompkins when the Patriots “expand a game plan that called for a run-first offense and quick throws to offset protection concerns.”
  • Speaking of the run-first offense, Howe writes in the same article that rookie RB James White has been the team’s only healthy scratch for the first two weeks of the season, and despite his impressive training camp, White realizes that he will need to continue to excel in practice to get a shot on game days.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets that the Patriots could look to bring back DL Bruce Gaston, who was waived by the Dolphins yesterday, and place him on the practice squad.
  • In a separate piece, Reiss writes that, since the Logan Mankins trade, Nate Solder has stepped up to fill the off-the-field leadership void. Reiss also wonders if the Buccaneers are regretting the trade, which appeared to be a big win for them at the time it happened but has drawn more scrutiny during the team’s early struggles.

Sunday Transactions: AFC North

August 31st, 2014 at 7:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Baltimore Ravens:

Cincinnati Bengals:

Cleveland Browns:

Pittsburgh Steelers:

Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue

August 15th, 2014 at 12:11pm CST by Matt Feminis

Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.

Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:

      • Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
      • Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
      • Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
      • ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
      • Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
      • The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.

AFC Notes: Gilbert, Hill, White, Bills

August 2nd, 2014 at 12:56pm CST by Matt Feminis

Buried underneath the news of Shaun Suisham‘s contract extension, Triblive.com’s Mark Kaboly notes the Steelers have been talking with agent Drew Rosenhaus about a contract extension for offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Gilbert “always possessed the natural talent to excel in the NFL,” writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Now, he believes he has developed the off-field habits that will help him take the next step in his career.”

Read on for several more AFC news and notes:

  • Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney caused a minor stir when he left practice early and spent time icing his leg on the trainer’s table, but the Houston Chronicle’s Brian T. Smith caught up with head coach Bill O’Brien, who said the team is just managing the rookie’s “pitch count.
  • The Jets traded up to draft Stephen Hill 43rd overall (two spots ahead of Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery), but the talented wide out’s first two seasons have been plagued by inconsistency and injury, writes the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, who calls Hill an “enigma who leaves you wanting more every time you see him.”
  • Status quo for Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno, which means continued uncertainty, writes Adam Beasley in the Miami Herald.
  • ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss relayed Bill Belichick quotes from an interview the Patriots head coach did with Sirius XM NFL Radio, and NESN’s Doug Kyed quoted quarterback Tom Brady. Both men were speaking about rookie running back James White, is making a strong first impression thanks to his versatility and maturity, seemingly earning trust as a three-down back.
  • In a preview of the Browns, CBS’ Pat Kirwan says he wouldn’t be surprised if four rookies start — including third-round linebacker Christian Kirksey, who is already getting some first-team reps — and two more (running back Terrence West and cornerback Pierre Desir) play important roles.
  • Bengals stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth is nursing a strained calf muscle, but he’s being patient, writes Cincinnati.com’s Paul Dehner.
  • “The sale of the Buffalo Bills has evolved into an event Ringling Bros and Barnum & Baily would have been proud of,” in the opinion of Forbes’ Mike Ozanian.

AFC East Notes: Wilkerson, Tuel, Moreno

June 22nd, 2014 at 11:34am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a swing around the AFC East on this Sunday afternoon:

  • There are a number of Patriots items today. Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that, with all the attention being directed towards Dominique Easley and Jimmy Garoppolo, fourth-round running back James White–whom coach Bill Belichick has compared to Shane Vereen–has quietly put together a very impressive spring.
  • Christopher Price of WEEI.com writes that the Patriots made eight personnel moves between the end of minicamp and the beginning of training camp last year, and similar roster tweaks could be on the way this season. For instance, a veteran tight end like Jermichael Finley or Dustin Keller might be added to the roster, and there has been some speculation as to the team’s interest in recently-released players like Jason Babin and Brandon Flowers (though Price sees New England as something of an unlikely destination for Babin and Flowers).
  • Eric Frenz of Boston.com looks at a number of Patriots-related topics, including his opinion on what he believes to be the team’s strongest position (cornerback), and weakest (tight end).
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com expects the Jets to make a run at signing Muhammad Wilkerson to an extension before training camp, and he advises fans to keep an eye on the J.J. Watt situation in Houston as a measuring stick for Wilkerson negotiations.
  • In the same piece, Cimini adds that the Jets are unlikely to add a veteran corner, and that Jalen Saunders was the rookie wideout that most impressed in minicamp.
  • Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes that Bills‘ quarterback Jeff Tuel has made significant strides and will push Thaddeus Lewis for the backup quarterback spot.
  • Andrew Abramson of The Palm Beach Post writes that Dolphins‘ running back Knowshon Moreno has a knee injury that could require arthroscopic surgery, but he would be expected to heal in time for the regular season, if not training camp.
  • Christopher L. Shelton of The Sun-Sentinel describes the path that undrafted defensive tackle Anthony Johnson has taken to the Dolphins’ roster. Shelton believes Johnson, who has impressed this spring, could make the club as a reserve behind Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, and Earl Mitchell.

Patriots Notes: Mallett, RBs, Siliga, Jones

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney isn’t exactly buying Bill Belichick‘s answer when he was asked yesterday if he’d be interested in trading quarterback Ryan Mallett, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. “He was regarded highly enough as a quarterback coming out [in 2011], and I think the position creates interest in itself,” Hurney said of the Patriots signal caller. “I said this statement [from Belichick] is like if you ever go to dinner and a person says, ‘I don’t want dessert’ so you order a chocolate cake and a big piece of chocolate cake comes out and all of a sudden you look and the other person is eating half of it. I think, if the chocolate cake looks good enough for Bill Belichick, they would be interested in trading Ryan Mallett.”

Meanwhile, Doug Kyed of NESN.com answered roster questions as part of a mailbag. Among his answers:

  • The futures of running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, both free agents at year’s end, are dependent upon production, health (in the case of Vereen), ball security (in the case of Ridley) and the performance of rookie James White. As of now, Kyed believes Vereen has a higher chance of being retained.
  • Nose tackle Sealver Siliga played well in late-season duty, and if that continues through training camp, he’s the “perfect” backup for veteran Vince Wilfork.
  • Fourth-rounder Bryan Stork, who offers center/guard versatility, could compete for a starting job this season.
  • Meanwhile, the Pats have yet to add a legitimate No. 3 tight end, seemingly a position of need. Undrafted free agent Justin Jones out of East Carolina could be a sleeper, however, writes Karen Guregian in the Boston Herald. She talked to Jones’ college coach, Ruffin McNeil (who also coached Wes Welker and Danny Amendola in college), who had this to say: “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with him. He’ll catch on. He’ll work hard. Justin was taught the same concepts in our offense, as Danny and Wes had at Texas Tech. Plus, he’s got great hands, athleticism, and he’s got length. He was a mismatch any time in the red zone.” The 6-8, 277-pounder went undrafted after not playing in 2013 when he was academically ineligible.

Draft Signings: Jets, Pats, Saints, Chiefs

May 16th, 2014 at 4:49pm CST by Luke Adams

With many rookie minicamps underway, it’s clear that a good portion of the players drafted last week have been eager to get their contract situations taken care of so they can focus solely on football. Several more draftees reached agreements or signed their deals today, so let’s round up the latest….

  • No team drafted more players than the 12 the Jets selected last week, and few clubs have been more proactive about getting those draftees under contract. The club announced today in a press release that Jalen Saunders, a fourth-rounder, is the latest player to sign on the dotted line, meaning only first-round safety Calvin Pryor and two other Jets draft picks still need to ink their deals.
  • Fourth-round running back James White and seventh-round receiver Jeremy Gallon have signed with the Patriots, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. We heard earlier today that Cameron Fleming had also signed, so New England is putting a dent into its draft class.
  • In addition to confirming the previously reported signing of sixth-rounder Tavon Rooks, the Saints announced today that they’ve also locked up a pair of fifth-round picks, safety Vinnie Sunseri and linebacker Ronald Powell. Both players should receive four-year deals worth a little less than $2.4MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, and their signings mean New Orleans has secured half of its 2014 draft class.
  • Fourth-round running back and receiver De’Anthony Thomas is the latest draftee to sign with the Chiefs, tweets Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. Thomas should be in line for a signing bonus of about $420K, per Fitzgerald.
  • Safety Ahmad Dixon became the fourth Cowboy taken in the seventh round to sign his rookie deal, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • According to Robert Herron himself (via Twitter), the former Wyoming receiver officially put pen to paper today for the Buccaneers, making him the first Tampa Bay draftee to sign his deal. The club has since confirmed Herron’s tweet, and noted that fifth-round pick Kadeem Edwards has also signed (Twitter link).

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Jets, Bills

May 11th, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Peter Sowards

Versatility was the theme of day 3 for the Patriots, as each of the seven players taken on Saturday figure to fill multiple spots on the depth chart, writes Zuri Berry of Boston.com.

“I feel like we improved our team today,” coach Bill Belichick said. “We had seven picks and we kind of had them in clumps there, but I felt like we were able to take some players that will be able to compete.

“We’ll see how it all goes.”

The Patriots‘ day 3 picks were Florida State center Bryan Stork, Wisconsin running back James White, Stanford offensive tackle Cameron Fleming, Florida guard Jon Halapio, Concordia-St. Paul defensive end Zach Moore, Georgia Tech defensive back Jemea Thomas and Michigan wide receiver Jeremy Gallon.

Read below for more from the AFC East:

  • Boston.com’s Erik Frenz passes along a post-draft depth chart, penciling in second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo as the third-string quarterback behind Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett.
  • The 12 draft picks by the Jets all share similarities that helped them land in New York. “There’s pretty much a common thread with these fellas,” general manager John Idzik said, via newsday.com’s Kimberley A. Martin. “They fit our profile. They’re aggressive, they have a passion for our game, they’re great teammates. They fit the Jet profile.”
  • Five trades in three days highlighted an exciting extended weekend for the Bills, wrote Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. The most notable moves were trading for running back Bryce Brown, trading away wide receiver Stevie Johnson and trading up for Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins at No. 4 overall.
  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald aggregated notes and feedback from media analysts on the Dolphin’s Saturday draft picks, as well as adding his post-draft thoughts, specifically his concerns at cornerback.
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