HEADLINES

Josh Boyce

Patriots Place Alfonzo Dennard On IR

December 27th, 2014 at 4:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have placed cornerback Alfonzo Dennard on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter).

Dennard, a seventh-round pick in 2012, has been inconsistent during his time with New England. He has only played in 29 out of a potential 48 games in his three seasons, intercepting five passes during that time.

The Patriots still have starters Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner on the outside, and while Kyle Arrington has also struggled with a hamstring injury, he is expected to be ready for playoff football. The team still has Logan Ryan as an option at cornerback as well.

The Patriots have promoted wide receiver Josh Boyce from the practice squad to the active roster to fill Dennard’s roster spot.

The team has also signed cornerback Daxton Swanson back to the practice squad, reports Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). They released defensive end and utility lineman Cam Henderson to make room for Swanson to return to the practice squad.

Reiss writes that the promotion of Boyce could indicate that the team’s two injured starting wideouts, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, could miss the game or receive a smaller workload in Week 17 against the Bills (via Twitter).

Edelman and LaFell are working through a concussion and shoulder injury, respectively.

AFC East Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Bargains

December 5th, 2014 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bills and Patriots prepare for tough road tests against AFC West teams, and the Dolphins get ready to host the Ravens in a crucial game for potential Wild Card positioning, let’s check out a few Friday items out of the AFC East….

  • Having placed wideout Aaron Dobson on their injured reserve list, the Patriots are currently carrying just 52 players, leaving an open spot on their active roster. While we wait to see what they do with that opening, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com examines the team’s practice squad players most likely to receive a promotion, with receiver Josh Boyce and linebacker Deontae Skinner topping the list.
  • The Dolphins brought in former Portland State tackle Mitchell Van Dyk for a tryout this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). A seventh-round pick this past May, Van Dyk was cut by the Rams at the end of the preseason.
  • Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today takes a look at the contending teams getting by without highly-paid, big-name running backs, focusing on the Patriots and their recent addition of LeGarrette Blount.
  • Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon and Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison are among the league’s best bargains in 2014, according to Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News.
  • Last week, we pointed to several teams that will face offseason decisions on quarterbacks, or will look to add new signal-callers, and Field Yates of ESPN.com has made a similar list in an Insider-only piece. The Jets and Bills are among the clubs that show up in both pieces.

Patriots Add Seven To Practice Squad

September 1st, 2014 at 11:52am CST by Rob DiRe

11:52am: The Pats have officially announced their full practice squad in a press release, and the following players are the three that had yet to be reported:

11:00am: The Patriots have added four players to their practice squad, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via a series of Twitter posts). The following players joined the practice squad today:

Patriots Cut Boyce, Worthy, Others

August 30th, 2014 at 4:03pm CST by Ben Levine

4:03pm: The Pats have announced three more cuts, in a press release:

The team’s official website now lists the team’s active roster at 55 players, so we’ll have to wait and see if there are another pair of announcements today. Presumably, the last two players removed from the roster will be Brandon Browner and Brian Tyms, who will be placed on the reserve-suspended list.

1:50pm: The Patriots continue to make moves, as they’ve cut three more players:

  • James Morris (LB) (via Young on Twitter): Placed on injured reserve
  • Eathyn Manumaleuna (DL) (via Young on Twitter)
  • Chris Martin (OL) (via Young on Twitter)

11:42am: The Patriots have released 14 players this afternoon, including a player they acquired only two weeks and a fourth-rounder from 2013. The list is below:

Friday Night Game Notes: East Edition

August 23rd, 2014 at 9:38am CST by Matt Feminis

Patriots third-year pass rusher Chandler Jones, who is being used as a stand-up rusher this season, had six tackles and two sacks in a win over Carolina last night, earning praise from Bill Belichick: “Chandler’s worked really hard at whatever we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here. Last year, he also played some inside over the guard. He’s played outside over the tackle or the tight end, up, down. He’s a versatile player and he’s very conscientious to try to do whatever we ask him to do and playing in all those different spots. He’s a very athletic player with good length, good playing strength so he has a lot of versatility athletically, he has a lot of versatility mentally.” CSNNE’s Greg Bedard believes Jones is poised to become an elite defender.

Here’s some more news and notes produced after Friday night’s batch of preseason games:

AFC East Notes: Smith, Coples, Kouandijo

July 26th, 2014 at 8:24am CST by Matt Feminis

Jets second-year quarterback Geno Smith has received 74 percent of the snaps through two days of camp, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, GM John Idzik claims the “competition” isn’t tilted: “There will be a little bit of fluctuation in reps. Going into camp, we feel like we’re going to give the lion’s share to Geno and we’ll see how he responds.”

Here’s some more AFC East reading:

  • Jets 2012 first-round defensive lineman Quinton Coples hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he dedicated himself in the offseason, writes Costello in the New York Post. Coples reported to camp at 270 pounds (20 pounds lighter) and approximately nine percent body fat.
  • Sammy Watkins has “stolen the show” early in Bills camp, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak, who provides an update on the team’s rookies. As for second-rounder Cyrus Kouandijo, “He’s the heir apparent at right tackle but that transition might not take place until next season,” says Rodak.
  • Kamaal McIlwain has impressed early in Bills camp, according to WGR 590’s Joe Buscaglia, who says, McIlwain could be in the mix for the final cornerback spot. Buscaglia also noted the team is making an effort to train linebackers to learn each of the three positions. Accordingly, Keith Rivers, Nigel Bradham, Preston Brown and Stevenson Sylvester have rotated with the first team, flanking Brandon Spikes in the middle.
  • The Patriots have ongoing competitions for the center and right guard jobs, according to Boston.com’s Ben Volin. Additionally, “There’s been a lot of talk about the competition between WRs Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce for a roster spot,” says Volin, “and if that is indeed the case, Thompkins appears to be ahead by a sizable margin right now.”
  • Not surprisingly, the new-look Dolphins offensive line is enduring early growing pains as the new starters work to develop chemistry, but Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel says the remodeled blocking unit should still be held to a high standard: “For those creating built-in excuses for the Dolphins’ offensive line, concerned that they’ll hold Miami’s offense back, keep in mind that this present unit collectively has 287 regular-season NFL starts heading into September.” Kelly cites the Bears, whose offensive line was atrocious in 2012 before they turned over four starters and improved drastically last season.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Pats, Bills, Dolphins

May 24th, 2014 at 9:46am CST by Matt Feminis

When asked about the Jets’ perceived weakness at cornerback, ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini provided a blunt response: “I think fans need to come to grips with this sobering reality: The Jets believe they’re set at cornerback. I don’t agree with it, and I’m not sure [head coach] Rex Ryan does either, but [GM] John Idzik is done making significant moves at cornerback. He thinks Dee Milliner is a No. 1 corner, he invested $3 million in Dimitri Patterson and he drafted Dexter McDougle in the third round. Unless there’s a key injury, I can’t see Idzik importing a big name…”

Here’s some more AFC East notes:

  • The Patriots’ top four or five receivers appear to be set, but Masslive.com’s Nick Underhill takes a look at the competitors for the remaining roster spots. Among those on the bubble are second-year players Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins (who disappointed last season after being the talk of training camp), seventh-rounder Jeremy Gallon and size-speed prospect Mark Harrison. Underhill says, “There has been some speculation that Harrison could be tried out at tight end, and while he didn’t close the door on the notion, head coach Bill Belichick said it is unlikely Harrison will see time at that spot this season.”
  • In a Bills off-season wrap-up, ESPN’s Mike Rodak praised the signing of linebacker Brandon Spikes, who, teamed with Defensive Rookie of the Year Kiko Alonso, should improve the team’s run defense which ranked near the bottom of the league.
  • The Dolphins plucked offensive coordinator Bill Lazor from Chip Kelly’s staff in Philadelphia, and Lazor has total control of the offense, writes Barry Jackson in the Miami Herald. Based on early indications, Dolphins players are excited about the possibilities and say the new system is reminiscent of the Eagles’.

AFC Notes: Clary, Johnson, Archer, Pats

May 17th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Matt Feminis

During Chargers rookie minicap, third-rounder Chris Watt was working at right guard, “the same position of Jeromey Clary, who is to make $4.55 million in total compensation in 2014,” writes ESPN’s Eric D. Williams. “Watt lining up at right guard probably is not a coincidence.”

This comes on after an ESPN Insider piece (subscription required) about veterans whose jobs are in jeopardy in which Nathan Jahnke put the magnifying glass on Clary: “Thanks to the drafting of D.J. Fluker in 2013, Clary was moved from right tackle to right guard last year. The move didn’t work out well for Clary, who had the third-lowest run-block rating for all guards per PFF. In addition, the Chargers’ running backs averaged 4.6 yards per carry when running to the left compared to 3.6 yards per carry when running to the right, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Clary had something to do with that large difference.”

Here’s a few more AFC news and notes:

  • Any rumors of Andre Johnson being reunited via trade with Gary Kubiak in Baltimore were quashed by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com passed along a few Patriots tidbits: The team will carry three quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Mallett), but Mallett is expected to depart via free agency at year’s end; Shane Vereen could earn a contract extension with a healthy, productive season; and 2013 fourth-rounder Josh Boyce, who struggled with the “mental aspect” as a rookie, will “compete for the kickoff return job while also vying for a role as a No. 3-5 option on the depth chart.”
  • Free agent linebacker James Anderson, who started all 16 games for the Bears last season, tried out for the Patriots, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
  • On third-rounder Dri Archer, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told Post-Tribune writer Alan Robinson, “We think we got the fastest player in the draft.” The Steelers hope to take advantage of Archer’s versatility, according to Colbert, who says the rookie could be used as a kick returner, in the slot, in the backfield and maybe as an H-back.
  • When asked about potential surprise cuts depending on how many rookies/young players make the Jaguars, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco mentioned Tyson Alualu, Denard Robinson and Ricky Stanzi as bubble players.
  • With the Jets adding Daryl Richardson via waivers, Mike Goodson is not expected to be with the team, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).