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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 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..

Extra Points: Wilkerson, Graham, Manziel, Brady

September 26th, 2015 at 5:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Muhammad Wilkerson begins another standout season, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News begins wondering if he could be the trade chip that lands the Jets a quarterback.

After noting the Jets prefer the skill set of currently troubled 2013 defensive rookie of the year Sheldon Richardson to Wilkerson, Mehta speculates whether Wilkerson’s contract-year campaign could still benefit the Jets down the road by allowing them to keep the defensive end around for trade purposes. Using the Chiefs’ 2008 trade of Jared Allen to the Vikings as an example, Mehta proposes the Jets use a non-exclusive franchise tag on Wilkerson after this season and dangle him in trade talks, as Kansas City did seven years ago.

He continues in saying the only way the Jets could keep both of their star ends is one agreeing to take far less than their value, which will not happen. Of course, this talk of trading Wilkerson is contingent on Richardson re-routing his career, which is far from a certainty at this point.

Here is some other news from around the league.

  • Jimmy Graham‘s level of happiness with the Seahawks has been one of the key points of discussion in the NFL this week, and the sixth-year tight end might not experience a morale uptick, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk offers. While noting satisfaction could come in time as Graham and Russell Wilson increase their rapport, Florio suggests Graham is not a fit for what the Seahawks do. Graham’s begun to lobby for Wilson to not shy away from throwing his way, even if he’s covered. “Obviously, Drew (Brees) wasn’t running the read options, Graham told media. €œIf (Wilson) is in trouble, he was going to read me, and I was the option. … I tell Russ every day, it don’€™t matter (if coverage is tight) and sometimes just throw it because sometimes it just doesn’€™t matter.”
  • Sufficiently recovered from a high-ankle sprain, Eric Fisher will return to the Chiefs‘ starting lineup against the Packers, doing so at right tackle now, after sitting behind waiver pickup Jah Reid in the first two games, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Although Andy Reid denied the speculation Fisher delayed his recovery in order to not have to face J.J. Watt in the Chiefs’ opener, Fisher hasn’t remotely lived up to expectations as a No. 1 pick and will begin a critical campaign in hopes of rescuing his career.
  • Nick Toon‘s workout itinerary now includes a stop in St. Louis, as the Rams examined the former Saints backup, per Florio. The Rams also worked out wideouts Issac Blakeney, Kain Colter, DaVaris Daniels, Jordan Leslie, Tyler Rutenbeck and Taylor Washington. Florio opines that the Rams, who carry six healthy receivers presently, are sending a message to some in the unimpressive group. Toon also worked out for the Cowboys and Titans this month after being waived by the Saints.
  • After news emerged on the timeline for the Tom Brady case, Michael Coyne of the Massachusetts School of Law explains to CSNNE.com how that will affect the 38-year-old quarterback’s season, should the Patriots return to the playoffs as expected. While distractions are inevitable given how this has unfolded, Coyne points out Brady will not have to be present for the appeal hearings.
  • Johnny Manziel fumbling twice in each of the Browns‘ first two games was the driving force behind them opting to relegate him back to the bench in favor of Josh McCown, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com writes. The Browns lost possession on both mishaps against the Jets and recovered each loose ball against the Titans. “The No. 1 thing when you play quarterback is you have to protect the football,” Browns OC John DeFilippo told media. “. . . If you don’t protect the football, then you’re not giving yourself the best chance to win.”
  • A knee injury this week during practice will keep Trent Cole from traveling with the Colts to Nashville, Tenn., for their Week 3 tilt with the Titans, reports Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (on Twitter). Robert Mathis‘ workload will increase as a result, Holder reports.

Vikings Trim Roster To 75 Players

September 1st, 2015 at 9:10am CST by Rob DiRe

TUESDAY, 9:10am: The Vikings are now down to 75 players, having waived/injured quarterback Mike Kafka, according to the team (Twitter link). He’ll land on the team’s injured reserve list if he clears waivers.

MONDAY, 2:13pm: The Vikings have announced two more moves today, removing another two players from their active roster. According to a team release, Minnesota has waived/injured tackle Carter Bykowski, who will be out for the year with a pectoral injury, and placed cornerback Josh Robinson on the reserve/PUP list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

SUNDAY, 6:30pm: The Vikings have moved closer to securing their 75-man roster, announcing that they’ve cut 11 players:

  • Joe Banyard, RB
  • Brandon Bostick, TE
  • Jalil Carter, CB
  • Justin Coleman, CB
  • DaVaris Daniels, WR
  • Stephen Goodin, OT
  • Josh Kaddu, LB
  • Jordan Leslie, WR
  • Caesar Rayford, DE
  • Chrishon Rose, DT
  • DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB

They currently have 78 men on the roster, and will need to cut an additional three players in time for the Tuesday deadline.

Vikings To Sign 10 Undrafted Free Agents

May 5th, 2015 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings are the latest team to announce their 2015 undrafted free agent class, having come to terms with 10 rookies. Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (Twitter link) has the full list, which we’ll pass along right here, accompanied by bonus info from Ben Goessling of ESPN.com:

  • Justin Coleman, CB, Tennessee
  • DaVaris Daniels, WR, Notre Dame ($10K bonus)
  • Tom Farniok, C, Iowa State
  • Anthony Harris, S, Virginia ($10K bonus, plus $10K guaranteed salary)
  • Taylor Heinicke, QB, Old Dominion ($10K bonus, plus $10K guaranteed salary)
  • Jordan Leslie, WR, BYU
  • Gavin Lutman, WR, Pittsburg State ($7.5K bonus)
  • Blake Renaud, FB, Boise State
  • Jesse Somsel, G, Saginaw Valley State
  • Bobby Vardaro, G, Boston College ($2K bonus)

Draft Notes: Strong, Peters, Beasley, Fowler

April 15th, 2015 at 8:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams are in full swing in preparing for the 2015 NFL Draft, meeting with prospects and hosting workouts to fill out final draft boards. Here we will keep up with which prospects are garnering interest in a jam-packed notes post, with any updates added to the top:

  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that Louisville tackle Jamon Brown will visit the Broncos, Lions, and Washington, and has private workouts scheduled with the Bengals and Bills.
  • Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Rams have visited with LSU tackle La’el Collins and Louisville WR DeVante Parker (Twitter links). In a separate piece, Thomas offers a little more detail on Parker and provides a complete list of all the pre-draft visits that the Rams have hosted.
  • Kevin White visited with the Giants today, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Raanan adds that the team is doing its due diligence just in case the wideout should fall to New York, which holds the No. 9 overall pick.

Earlier Updates

  • Jaelen Strong definitely has a wrist injury, but he contradicts the report that he will need surgery, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
  • In addition to Strong, Todd Gurley, Cedric Ogbuehi, and Tevin Coleman will be having Combine rechecks this weekend, writes Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • The Seahawks will meet with University of Louisiana at Lafayette defensive tackle Christian Ringo, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). The team will also host Michigan defensive end Frank Clark (via Twitter). Clark had recently visited the Saints in New Orleans.
  • In addition to Kendricks, the Falcons will work out UCLA defensive end Owa Odighizuwa, according to Chase Goodread of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • Western Oregon wide receiver Tyrell Williams will visit the Chargers on Monday, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Division II star has already met with the Patriots, Lions, and Cardinals.
  • Minnesota defensive tackle Cam Botticelli has a number of team’s interested in his services, writes Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter). The Texans, Eagles, Lions, Seahawks, and Buccaneers have looked into him.
  • University of Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux worked out for the Bengals at their local prospect day, according to the Associated Press in USA Today. Legaux will also have the opportunity to work out for the Saints later this week.
  • The Saints will also host Tulane running back Dante Butler at their local prospect day on Friday, reports Tammy Nunez of NOLA.com.
  • Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong has a fractured bone in his wrist, which should require surgery, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He will be among players that will get combine rechecks this weekend, and the injury could affect his draft stock (via Twitter).
  • Potential first-round cornerback Marcus Peters met with the 49ers yesterday and the Falcons today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). Peters will visit with the Raiders tomorrow.
  • Pass rusher Vic Beasley has met or will meet with at least six teams drafting in the top ten, writes Rapoport (via Twitter). He will meet with the Titans today, and visit the Jets and Washington sometime next week.
  • Florida pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. will visit with Washington as well, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. The visit might be for naught, as most believe Fowler is going to land in Jacksonville on draft day. The Jaguars select third overall.
  • Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat visited with the Broncos, who are need of help along the offensive line after losing Orlando Franklin in free agency, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Peat might not last that long, but could provide immediate impact for a team trying to return to the Super Bowl.
  • Cardinals running backs coach Stump Mitchell attended Tevin Coleman’s workout at Indiana, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN (via Twitter). The Lions already had Coleman in for a workout earlier in the process, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Tony Paulie of DraftInsider.net adds that the Cowboys and Patriots have expressed interest in the Indiana tailback (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have scheduled a workout with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty in Waco, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Brandt notes the team has indicated that it will select a quarterback at some point in the draft.
  • The Lions also hosted Kansas State receiver Tyler Lockett for a visit, the sixth receiver the team has brought in according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The 49ers have expressed interest in a number of LSU players, including linebacker Kwon Alexander, running back Terrence Magee, and cornerback Jalen Collins, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com.
  • Ohio State speedster Devin Smith told SiruiusXM NFL Radio he had a visit with the 49ers, saying he got a “really good vibe from the coaches and staff,” and that the visit “went really well,” (via Twitter).
  • UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks met with Saints’ assistant coaches Joe Vitt and Rob Ryan during his visit with the team earlier this week, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com.
  • Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks worked out for the Bengals at their local prospect day, and could be a player the team keeps an eye on in the middle rounds of the draft, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.
  • Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. has visited with the Patriots, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Edwards will visit with the Texans and Seahawks as well, although Garafolo believes Seattle will need to trade up from No. 63 to draft him.
  • Old Dominion basketball player Richard Ross has drawn interest from NFL teams who believe he could be next in line of basketball players making the transition to tight end. The Vikings are among the teams interested in Ross, sending tight ends coach Kevin Stefanski to the school for a private workout, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
  • The Browns have conducted a private workout for quarterback Garrett Grayson at Colorado State, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Assuming they don’t trade up in the draft, the Browns figure to miss out on at least the top two QBs in this draft class, meaning a player like Grayson probably represents a more realistic target.
  • Washington State wide receiver Vince Mayle has visited the 49ers, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Dolphins, Seahawks, and Washington, and is on his way to visit the Colts today, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).
  • South Florida cornerback Chris Dunkley has visits lined up with a number of NFL teams, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Dunkley says by the end of the process he will have met with the 49ers, Chargers, Falcons, Dolphins, Patriots, Bills, Lions, and Ravens.
  • Coastal Carolina interior offensive lineman Chad Hamilton will work out privately for the Falcons on Thursday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hamilton previously had a private workout for the Texans.
  • Wilson also reported that Western Kentucky tight end Mitchell Henry met with the Chargers for a private workout. Mitchell will meet with an NFC team this week. Additionally, Wilson reports that Marshall cornerback Darryl Roberts has had workouts for the Colts, Eagles, Chiefs, 49ers, and Packers.
  • University of Washington pass rusher Andrew Hudson met with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Washington this week, as part of his pre-draft visits, writes Brett Tessler of Tessler Sports (via Twitter).
  • Utah guard Junior Salt, BYU wide receiver Jordan Leslie, and San Diego State University linebacker Derek Largent are among the players the Dolphins are targeting as late-round picks or priority free agents, reports Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

Rob DiRe and Rory Parks contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: AP, Wisniewski, Wootton, Saints

April 15th, 2015 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Today is April 15, which means that, under the terms of the NFL’s original suspension, Adrian Peterson is now eligible to be reinstated. Still, nothing has happened on that front so far today, and few expect anything definitive or formal to actually happen in the next few hours either, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

As Rapoport notes (via Twitter), the legal case related to Peterson’s suspension may still drag out for some time, but the league can reinstate him in the meantime, which will signal the end of his time served, making him eligible to start the 2015 season. Time will tell whether that happens with the Vikings or another team.

Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….

  • Free agent center Stefen Wisniewski visited Washington this week, but the club is “probably” not the frontrunner for him at the moment, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. Wisniewski has made a handful of visits since free agency opened, having met with the Patriots, Jaguars, and Titans as well. However, it’s not clear whether all those teams have real interest in him, or if the visits were more exploratory in nature — perhaps to get a closer look at Wisniewski’s surgically-repaired shoulder.
  • Veteran defensive lineman Corey Wootton, who tried out for the Jaguars and Titans earlier in the offseason, is visiting the Saints today, according to Sean Fazende of FOX 8 in New Orleans (Twitter link).
  • The Vikings and Saints, a pair of teams in need of a cornerback, are hosting Georgia corner Damian Swann for pre-draft visits, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • Florida State’s Cameron Erving, viewed as the top center in this year’s draft class, is paying a visit to St. Louis to meet with the Rams, today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). The offensive line figures to be one of main areas of focus for the Rams during the draft.
  • The Packers will take a closer look at BYU wide receiver Jordan Leslie, who is scheduled to visit the team prior to the draft, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.