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Jon Asamoah

Falcons Reach Injury Settlement With Jon Asamoah

December 21st, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have reached an injury settlement with veteran guard Jon Asamoah, the team announced today in a press release. The transaction will remove Asamoah from Atlanta’s injured reserve list, making him a free agent.

Asamoah, 27, spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Chiefs, after being selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2010 draft. He parlayed 41 starts at right guard for the Chiefs into a five-year, $22.5MM deal with the Falcons in 2014. However, after starting 15 games for Atlanta last season, Asamoah landed on injured reserve this year prior to the start of the 2015 campaign due to a hip issue. He also wasn’t viewed as a fit under the new coaching staff’s zone-blocking scheme.

Asamoah’s contract still featured $3.9MM in dead money after the 2015 season, so the Falcons figure to carry a chunk of money on their 2016 cap for the offensive lineman. But, depending on what the injury settlement looks like, the club should be off the hook for the rest of his contract, including his $3.5MM salary and $500K in roster bonuses for 2016.

The fact that the Falcons had to complete an injury settlement with Asamoah rather than simply release him from IR suggests that he’s not healthy yet, so I wouldn’t expect him to sign with a new club until the offseason.

Falcons Mince Roster Down To 52 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons are among the final teams to unveil their regular-season roster, and they did so by leaving one spot open.

Atlanta’s roster now sits at 52 players, one below the limit of 53, according to AtlantaFalcons.com.

The team parted ways with Antone Smith, who reached an injury settlement with the team. Out since the Falcons’ preseason opener with a hamstring injury, the 29-year-old backup did not suit up for the team again and will now avoid injured reserve due to this settlement.

Also rehabbing from a broken leg sustained last November, Smith signed a one-year, $1.4MM deal in March to stay in Atlanta.

Injury-plagued veteran tight end Tony Moeaki also couldn’t make the roster. The 28-year-old spent last season with the Seahawks before signing on with the Falcons in March. Atlanta will go with Jacob Tamme and Levine Toilolo as its top two tight ends.

The Falcons placed Jon Asamoah, fullback Collin Mooney and cornerback Travis Howard on injured reserve. Asamoah, a high-priced signing in 2014, suffered a hip injury during preseason workouts.

Those also cut are as follows:

  • LB Derek Akunne
  • OL Pierce Burton
  • CB Akeem King
  • OL Eric Lefeld
  • LB Stansly Maponga
  • NT Joey Mbu
  • WR Carlton Mitchell
  • OL Adam Replogle (waived/injured)
  • RB Jerome Smith
  • TE D.J. Tialavea
  • LB Tyler Starr

Extra Points: Hardy, Asamoah, Falcons

September 3rd, 2015 at 10:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Greg Hardy is waiting for a final recommendation from the NFL Players Association before deciding on whether to make a legal challenge on his four-game suspension, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Even if he does, Florio writes that it’s hard to see the Cowboys star getting that four-game ban cut down based on the timing of everything. If Hardy files something now, he won’t get a final ruling before Monday, September 21st. There’s also the possibility of a PR backlash against Hardy, who has already had his suspension stemming from domestic violence reduced significantly.

Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Falcons guard Jon Asamoah wasn’t seen with the team tonight during its preseason game and that led some, including ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter) to speculate that he could be involved in a trade. However, the Falcons quickly took to Twitter to declare that Asamoah is not being traded. Still, Chris Chester has taken the spot of the former third-round draft choice and it’s conceivable that he might not survive the cutdown to a 53-man roster. Prior to the 2014 season, Asamoah inked a five-year, $22.5MM deal including $8MM guaranteed with Atlanta. After the game, coach Dan Quinn told reporters, including McClure (link), that Asamoah and Jake Matthews were excused from the game with injuries.
  • The Falcons announced linebacker Brooks Reed underwent groin surgery, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport hears that Reed will be out for six weeks and that is a tough blow for the Falcons’ front seven.
  • Bills coach Rex Ryan is less-than-pleased with kicker Dan Carpenter. “I’m tired of seeing us miss a field goal. We’ll certainly be looking. Nobody earns this job by default,” Ryan said, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (on Twitter). If the Bills cut Carpenter, they would save $1.3MM this season and $1.75MM next season.
  • The Vikings have added a veteran lineman after final cuts the last two years and Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) would not be surprised at all to see them do the same thing again this year.

J’Marcus Webb To Sign With Chiefs

May 19th, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Matt Feminis

11:03am: Webb’s deal is for one year at the veteran minimum ($730k), per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).

8:44am: After visiting a few teams this offseason, offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb has decided to sign with the Chiefs, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter). Webb, who will be 26 this August, has 45 career starts under his belt and will likely vie for a role as a swing backup tackle behind starters Eric Fisher and Donald Stephenson. The Chiefs lost offenisve linemen Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah and Geoff Schwartz — who combined for 28 starts in 2013 — before adding a pair of late-round, developmental prospects in Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Zach Fulton.

Contract Details: McCluster, Bradshaw, Cassell

March 12th, 2014 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest contract details from around the NFL..

  • Dexter McCluster‘s three-year deal with the Titans gets him $7.35MM guaranteed with a $3MM bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. While he can earn $12MM over those three years through incentives, it’s valued closer to $9MM, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. The base salaries are as follows: $1MM, $2.35MM, and $2.275MM (link).
  • Ahmad Bradshaw‘s deal with the Colts is a minimum salary benefit contract, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The tailback gets an $855K base which counts as $695K against cap. The deal also has an injury split.
  • Jacoby Jones‘ four-year deal with the Ravens has a base value of $12MM and a max value of $14MM, tweets Wilson. The wide receiver has a $2MM incentive clause for catches and $4.5MM guaranteed.
  • Matt Cassel gets a $3MM roster bonus Monday and a $2.65M base in 2014 in his new two-year, $10.5MM pact with the Vikings, tweets Pelissero. In 2015, it’s a $4.15MM base with a $500K roster bonus due in March. There’s also $100K without the bonus each year. He also has an injury waiver.
  • In Linval Joseph‘s five-year, $31.25MM deal with the Vikings, he gets $12.5MM guaranteed with a $3MM signing bonus, tweets Wilson.
  • Jon Asamoah‘s deal with the Falcons is a five-year, $22.5MM deal with $8MM guaranteed, Pelissero tweets. The total includes $500K in per-game roster bonuses each year.
  • T.J. Ward‘s deal with the Broncos is a four-year, $22.5MM pact with $7MM due in the first year, tweets Pelissero. Another $6.5MM is guaranteed for injury only in 2015.
  • DeMarcus Ware‘s three-year, $30MM deal with the Broncos is front-loaded, with $13MM due in 2014 and $23M after 2015, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports. Ware’s cap numbers are: $9.6MM, $11.6MM and $8.6MM for 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, adds Corry (via Twitter).
  • Austin Howard‘s five-year, $30MM deal with the Raiders has $11.8MM guaranteed, tweets Wilson. The salaries are as follows: $2.9MM, $3.9MM, $4.4MM, $4.9MM, and $5.4MM.

Falcons To Sign Jon Asamoah

March 11th, 2014 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons appear to have a reached an agreement to sign free agent guard Jon Asamoah, according to John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter). Middlekauff says that Atlanta will sign Asamoah for a deal worth about $4.5MM annually, and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports is hearing the same thing (Twitter link).

Asamoah has been linked to the Falcons multiple times in the last few days, with a Saturday report indicating that the team was “extremely” interest in him, while a report yesterday suggested it’d be a “small upset” if the free agent guard didn’t land in Atlanta.

When I examined the free agent market for guards last week, I placed Asamoah in the first tier, speculating that he was more likely than fellow Chiefs lineman Geoff Schwartz to sign with a new team. While he didn’t play regularly for the entire 2013 season, Asamoah ranked 20th overall among guards, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).

FA Rumors: Ward, Asamoah, Mundy, Quarless

March 10th, 2014 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

The 2014 free agent period will officially get underway tomorrow, meaning Monday represents the last full day for teams to re-sign their own prospective free agents before those players are eligible to hit the open market tomorrow afternoon. With free agency looming, Andrew Cohen breaks down the salary cap situations for all 32 teams in a piece for Rotoworld and rumors on free-agents-to-be continue to swirl. Let’s round up a few of the latest overnight and morning updates:

  • Safety T.J. Ward is among the players on the Jets‘ “persons of interest” list, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Ward would be a good fit for New York’s secondary, though the team typically doesn’t invest heavily in safeties.
  • An NFL source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that it would be a “small upset” if prospective free agent Jon Asamoah doesn’t sign with the Falcons to play right guard. However, the Jets are another possibility for Asamoah, Caplan adds in a second tweet.
  • Giants free agent safety Ryan Mundy is intrigued by the opportunity to compete for a starting job with the Bears, reports Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Giants have inquired on free agent tight end Andrew Quarless, but they’re just one of seven teams in the mix, with the Packers trying to re-sign him, reports Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News (Twitter links).
  • Longtime Texans defensive end Antonio Smith has drawn interest from four teams and has a pair of visits lined up, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Smith figures to sign this week.

FA Rumors Roundup: Verner, Byrd, Jones

March 8th, 2014 at 8:36pm CST by Peter Sowards

The period for agents of free agents to negotiate with NFL teams began today at 11:00am CT, and the rumors have been steadily pouring in.

Free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner has been the topic of a good portion of those rumors. Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean reports that the Lions, Steelers and Giants have been added to the mix of teams interested in the former UCLA Bruin’s services (via Twitter).

Verner has previously drawn interest from the Vikings, Jets and Rams, and is apparently lukewarm of giving the Titans a hometown discount.

Widely regarded among the top free agent cornerbacks, Verner surely was pleased to see fellow FA corner Sam Shields sign a four-year contract with the Packers for $39MM earlier today. PFR’s Luke Adams ranked Verner as the No. 8 overall free agent and No. 2 corner behind Aqib Talib at No. 7. Shields ranks 12 spots behind Verner at No. 20. ProFootballFocus.com rated Verner as the No. 12 cornerback in football last season (subscription required).

More free agent rumors from around the league…

  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press confirmed Wyatt’s report of the Lions having interest in Verner (via Twitter), though he can’t see it happening, citing safety as a bigger need.
  • Among the teams to inquire on safety Jairus Byrd today were the Rams, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter). Rapoport called the interest “unexpected and interesting.”
  • The Giants have expressed interest in former Ravens defensive lineman Arthur Jones, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Wilson also reported that the Falcons are “extremely” interested in free agent offensive guard Jon Asamoah, who has played 59 games for the Chiefs the past four seasons, with 41 starts.

Jets Have Sights Set On Asamoah

March 8th, 2014 at 9:17am CST by Matt Feminis

“Legal tampering” begins at 11 a.m. CT, when the NFL’s three-day negotiating window opens, allowing teams to discuss deals with impending free agents. The Jets will waste no time in an effort to upgrade their offensive line, as the team is planning to lure Chiefs free agent offensive guard Jon Asamoah, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

Despite losing his starting job to Geoff Schwartz late in the season, the 26-year-old Asamoah has 41 career starts under his belt and will have multiple suitors, including the Falcons and Chargers, writes Mehta. He is considered a better pass protector than run blocker.

The Jets are seeking to upgrade from Willie Colon, who started 16 games at right guard last season before tearing a biceps tendon in Week 17. He is considered a “back-burner option.” Meanwhile, the team is negotiating to retain right tackle Austin Howard, who has started all 32 games the last two seasons.

AFC West Notes: Watkins, Pryor, Chiefs

February 23rd, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here’s a few notes from the AFC West focusing on the draft and free agency:

  • Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins is an option for the Raiders with the fifth overall pick, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Watkins ran a 4.43 40-yard-dash, which was somewhat disappointing, but Bair doesn’t expect it to affect his draft stock. The Raiders have a history of selecting big, speedy receivers, and some believe Watkins could have the same type of immediate effect that A.J. Green and Julio Jones did in their rookie seasons.
  • In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s Paul Guiterrez notes that quarterback Terrelle Pryor could become trade bait. Coach Dennis Allen specifically noted that fellow QB Matt McGloin has a future with the Raiders, but made no such declaration about Pryor.
  • Guiterrez also reports that Raiders offensive lineman Mike Brisiel could be released, if he doesn’t retire first.
  • Eric Berry is a candidate for a contract extension with the Chiefs, writes Adam Teichel of ESPN.com. Berry is heading into the final season of his current deal.
  • Teichel goes on to note that the Chiefs could probably re-sign both free agent offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and Jon Asamoah for what it would cost to retain tackle Branden Albert, also a free agent. However, Schwartz wants to be a starter, and will likely not accept an offer to return as a backup.
  • The Chiefs would only consider drafting a quarterback if things looked bleak regarding an Alex Smith extension, says Teichel.
  • The wide receiver draft class is deep, which is a positive for the Chargers as they look for a play-maker to pair with Keenan Allen, writes ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams.
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