HEADLINES

Kenneth Acker

Jaguars Trim Roster To 53

September 1st, 2018 at 4:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Jaguars were the latest team to announce their full slate of roster cuts, getting down to the required 53 players. Here are the moves:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on injured reserve:

Jaguars To Add CB Kenneth Acker

August 11th, 2018 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars made a move to add some potential depth to their cornerback contingent on Saturday, agreeing to terms with Kenneth Acker, John Reid of the Florida Times-Union reports (on Twitter).

Jacksonville will also bring in cornerback Bryce Canady, per Reid. To make room on their 90-man roster, the Jags are releasing cornerback Dexter McDougle and waiving Charlie Miller.

A former 49ers and Chiefs cornerback, Acker previously signed with the Colts in April but was cut in May. He logged multiple visits as well, meeting with the Seahawks in the spring and, per ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter), the Raiders more recently. The Raiders viewed Acker as a possible safety but did not sign him.

A sixth-round 49ers pick in 2014, Acker spent time as a depth piece for the Chiefs the past two seasons. He started in two games with Kansas City, which acquired him via trade prior to the 2016 season. Acker’s most notable work came as a full-time starter for the 2015 49ers.

The Jags were McDougle’s fourth team. The former Jets third-round pick played sparingly for the Saints and Eagles last season. McDougle, who signed an extension with the Eagles prior to last season, latched on with the Jags via reserve/futures contract in January.

Jacksonville obviously has its starting spots locked down, with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye forming perhaps the league’s top corner tandem, but its depth is somewhat uncertain. Aaron Colvin‘s Texans defection led to a D.J. Hayden signing. Tyler Patmon and some lower-profile veterans comprise the rest of this corner corps. So, Acker has a reasonable chance of sticking around into the regular season.

Colts Release CB Kenneth Acker

May 15th, 2018 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

Kenneth Acker‘s time with the Colts was short-lived. One month after signing with Indianapolis, Acker has been released, according to a press release. To fill his spot on the roster, the Colts signed undrafted rookie safety Michael Cirino. 

The Colts signed Acker for depth following the departure of Rashaan Melvin. Acker was never in line for a starting job, but he seemed like he could have offered support from the bench along with the returning Pierre Desir. Apparently, Acker didn’t cut it on the practice field.

Acker has played in 40 career games, including 15 starts, over the course of his four-year NFL career with the Chiefs (2016-17) and 49ers (2014-15). The Seahawks also showed some interest in him before he landed in Indy.

Cirino totaled 55 tackles, two tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles in two years at Division II Adams State.

Colts Sign CB Kenneth Acker

April 11th, 2018 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts annoucned the signing of cornerback Kenneth Acker. Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s probably not a costly contract for Indianapolis.

Acker has played in 40 career games, including 15 starts, over the course of his four-year NFL career with the Chiefs (2016-17) and 49ers (2014-15). The Seahawks also showed some interest in him before he landed in Indy.

The Colts lost Rashaan Melvin in free agency this year when he joined with the Raiders, leaving them with a lack of depth at cornerback. Acker probably isn’t in line for a starting job, but he can offer support from the bench, along with the recently re-signed Pierre Desir.

Colts Meet With CB Kenneth Acker

April 3rd, 2018 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Chiefs and 49ers cornerback Kenneth Acker visited the Colts on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Acker could help to provide support in what is a very thin positional group.

The Colts re-signed corner Pierre Desir this season, but they watched Rashaan Melvin leave in free agency to join up with the Raiders. Replacing Melvin won’t be easy. The former undrafted free agent started in all ten of his games last season and graded out as a top 20 cornerback, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. Acker probably would not profile a starter for Indianapolis, but he could offer depth from the bench. The Seahawks also have some interest in him.

In other Colts news, GM Chris Ballard recently discussed the team’s offseason, which has not been as headline-grabbing as other teams in the AFC.

Seahawks Meet With CB Kenneth Acker

March 28th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks are still looking to add to their revamped secondary. On Wednesday, they hosted former Chiefs cornerback Kenneth Acker for a free agent visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Acker, 26, spent the first two years of his career with the Niners before being traded to the Chiefs in 2016. Although he was a starter in ’15 with San Francisco, he has not been a first string player since. Acker appeared in just nine games with KC in 2016 but saw time in each of the Chiefs’ 16 regular season games in 2017, as well as their Wild Card round loss to the Titans.

Last year, Acker recorded 19 total tackles and one interception. His 210 snaps were not enough to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings, but with a larger sample size, he would have ranked 91st in the NFL. Needless to say, Acker would not be in the mix for a starting job in Seattle, but he could offer help off of the bench.

As of this writing, the Seahawks’ top corners are Justin Coleman (who will likely remain with the team following a second-round tender) and Shaquil Griffin. Free agent Byron Maxwell, who quietly had a solid season in seven games with Seattle, remains unsigned.

Chiefs Acquire Kenneth Acker From 49ers

August 27th, 2016 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Being set to enter the season without a proven starter opposite Marcus Peters, the Chiefs made a move to acquire some veteran help at cornerback.

Andy Reid announced the team traded a draft pick for 49ers corner Kenneth Acker, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. Acker will join a cornerback corps full of young players like himself, with the Chiefs’ top in-house options being homegrown talents drafted in the past three seasons.

The compensation will be for a seventh-round pick in 2018, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Acker has started more games than any of Kansas City’s other right cornerback options. Opposite the reigning defensive rookie of the year, who plays primarily on the left side, the Chiefs’ options weren’t exactly proven talents. Third-rounders Steven Nelson and Phillip Gaines represent the NFL experience, but Nelson barely played last season and Gaines — a 2014 starter — is returning from a torn ACL. Rookies KeiVarae Russell and D.J. White joined the fray this April as well.

Acker came to the 49ers as a sixth-round pick in 2014 and started 13 games last season. He intercepted three passes, deflected eight and made 63 tackles for the rebuilding team in 2015. He’ll now join one with playoff aspirations.

However, Acker is also coming off a season he finished on IR. A stress fracture in his foot ended his ’15 season, although the former SMU talent still managed to get in 15 games.

Acker was a primary starter for the Jim Tomsula-led Niners, but under new DC Jim O’Neil, his star has fallen a bit. The 6-foot corner came into the weekend behind not only starters Jimmie Ward and Tramaine Brock, but the 24-year-old relocating performer also sat behind rookies Will Redmond and Rashard Robinson — taken in the third and fourth rounds this year, respectively. Per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, Keith Reaser and Chris Davis are expected to join the rookie corners as the 49ers’ primary backups this season.

This is the third trade in the past four years between these franchises. The 49ers sent Alex Smith to Kansas City in 2013, and the teams exchanged disappointing first-round receivers A.J. Jenkins and Jonathan Baldwin later that year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers Trim Roster Down To 53

August 30th, 2014 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

5:45pm: The 49ers have officially set their 53-man roster, announcing the moves in a press release. Earlier, we learned that the team cut ways with 13 players, and we now have the other six players that have been released:

Released:

Placed on injured reserve:

It was previously reported that Tukuafu was released, but it appears that the former Oregon Duck will stick around on the team’s IR.

1:47pm: The 49ers are whittling their roster down to 53 players, and have cut the following players so far, according to various reports:

NFC Rookies: Lions, 49ers, Seahawks, Sam

May 16th, 2014 at 7:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

Lions‘ draft picks Nevin Lawson and T.J. Jones have officially signed their rookie deals, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Lawson, a cornerback out of Utah State, was a fourth-round selection. Jones, the receiver out of Notre Dame, was taken in the sixth round. That leaves only three players left to be signed, which Twentyman writes is expected soon.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • The 49ers have announced the signing of sixth-round draft pick Kenneth Acker, according to the team’s official website. The SMU cornerback signed a standard four-year deal with the team. He is one of six rookie draft picks to sign his deal.
  • The Seahawks have officially announced the signing of defensive tackle Jimmy Staten, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Staten, a fifth-round pick out of Middle Tennessee State, is the third draft pick to sign with the team.
  • While Michael Sam and the Rams have yet to agree on their rookie contract, the player and team already made one big decision together, as the OWN Network’s documentary on Sam has been postponed, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). The Rams have said they prefer to treat Sam like any other seventh-round draft pick.