HEADLINES

L.J. McCray

AFC Notes: Bills, Browns, Jags, Bengals, Colts

December 29th, 2016 at 9:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Rex Ryan was a beloved players’ coach with the Jets from 2009-14, but it doesn’t seem that was fully the case during his nearly two-year run in Buffalo. Reacting to the Bills’ Tuesday decision to fire Ryan, one defensive player informed Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunne, “That was music to my ears.” Similarly, some other Bills never bought into Ryan and felt he tore down the elite defense he inherited in 2015, according to Dunne (Twitter links). On the other side of the ball, wide receiver Sammy Watkins told the team’s official website that a “culture change” will be in order with Ryan’s successor. “Change the culture, change the mindset and get players on board,” he said. “If they’re not listening, cut them, kick them out, whatever. Sit them on the bench. I think that will help us move forward.”

More from the AFC:

  • Browns executive vice president Sashi Brown and vice president Andrew Berry were in attendance at Wednesday’s Houston Bowl to scout Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This isn’t the first connection between Cleveland and Garrett, who could go No. 1 overall in next spring’s draft. The 1-14 Browns will lock up that selection with a loss to the Steelers on Sunday.
  • Impending free agent cornerback Prince Amukamara would like to re-sign with the Jaguars on a multiyear deal, but he admitted Thursday that the team has bigger issues on its plate at the moment. “Right now the front office priority is probably finding a head coach and stuff like that, but I would hope to be a priority to them [after the hire],” he told Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com. Amukamara, who inked a one-year deal with the Jags last March, has appeared in 13 games and made 11 starts – his highest totals in those categories since 2012. Despite being in danger of posting his first interception-less season, the 27-year-old ranks a respectable 51st among 119 corners at Pro Football Focus. “I think it was huge to just be able to show that I am durable and I can play this game if I’m healthy,” added the former Giant.
  • Like Amukamara, Bengals corner Dre Kirkpatrick doesn’t want to leave his current setting. “I love this organization,” the soon-to-be free agent told Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. Kirkpatrick, a 2012 first-round pick who’s currently in his fifth-year option season, is second among Bengals corners in snaps (906). He has also picked off exactly three passes for the third time in his career and is set for his second straight year with at least 14 starts. PFF isn’t overly bullish, however, as it ranks Kirkpatrick as this season’s 74th-best corner.
  • The Colts worked out linebacker Dezman Moses and safety L.J. McCray on Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter links). Moses is easily the more experienced of the pair, having appeared in 46 games to McCray’s 22, and has been available since the Chiefs cut him Oct. 7. McCray hasn’t caught on anywhere since the 49ers waived him Sept. 5.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Workout Updates: Seahawks, Patriots, Ravens

December 27th, 2016 at 5:52pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Seahawks, with a below-average rushing attack and Thomas Rawls nursing a shoulder injury, worked out five free agent running backs Tuesday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Stevan Ridley, Jonas Gray, Dan Herron, LaMichael James and Dominique Williams all auditioned for the club. The most established member of the group is Ridley, who has been available since Atlanta released him Nov. 23. The 27-year-old has just one appearance and three carries to his name this season and has seen his playing time sharply decline since a 1,263-yard campaign with New England in 2012. Gray, also an ex-Pat, has made little impact since averaging 4.6 yards per attempt on 89 carries in 2014, his rookie year. He hasn’t found an employer since the Jaguars waived him Aug. 17.

Along with those rushers, defensive back L.J. McCray visited the Seahawks, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The Seahawks agreed to acquire McCray from the 49ers back in early September, but the deal fell through after he failed his physical. San Francisco then cut McCray, who hasn’t landed anywhere since.

More workouts from Tuesday:

  • The Patriots auditioned linebacker Arthur Brown, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). Both the Jaguars and Jets have cut Brown this month. He entered the league in 2013 as Baltimore’s second-round pick.
  • Cornerbacks Tharold Simon and Steve Williams tried out for the Ravens, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Simon made nine appearances earlier this season with the Cardinals, who cut him last week. He’s better known for his 11-appearance, five-start tenure with Seattle from 2014-15. Williams, meanwhile, moved on and off the Rams’ roster multiple times this year. He has totaled six appearances this season (five with San Diego) after playing in 14 games with the Chargers and intercepting two passes last year.
  • The Falcons worked out three tight ends – Orson Charles, Darion Griswold and Joel Ruiz – and defensive end Martin Ifedi, reports Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com (Twitter link). Griswold and Ifedi ended up signing with their practice squad.
  • The Dolphins also took a look at the aforementioned Tharold Simon, who joined fellow corner Demetrius McCray and two tight ends – Gabe Hughes and Chris Pantale – tweets Caplan.
  • Tight end Rob Housler showcased himself to the Colts, relays Caplan (Twitter link). The five-year veteran has 109 catches, nearly all of which (105) came with Arizona from 2011-14.
  • The Eagles auditioned wide receiver Greg Ellingson, cornerback Tay Glover-Wright and Canadian Football League punter Richie Leone, according to Caplan (Twitter links).
  • Defensive ends Rufus Johnson and Rakim Cox worked out for the Lions (Twitter links via Caplan and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Linebackers Deon Lacey and Glenn Love tried out for the Cardinals, per Balzer (Twitter link).

49ers Claim Taylor Hart From Eagles, Waive L.J. McCray

September 5th, 2016 at 5:49pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers have claimed defensive tackle Taylor Hart off waivers from the Eagles, according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area (Twitter link). Additionally, San Francisco has waived safety L.J. McCray.

Taylor Hart

Hart joins Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner as the third 49ers defensive lineman who attended Oregon, where new head coach Chip Kelly was at the helm from 2009-12. Hart played under Kelly during the latter’s final three seasons with the Ducks and then reunited with Kelly in Philadelphia. The Eagles chose Hart in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, but he didn’t debut until last season. In 14 games (one start), Hart tallied 27 tackles.

San Francisco had a deal in place over the weekend to send McCray to the NFC West rival Seahawks for a late-round pick in 2018, but it fell through after he failed a physical. As a result, the 49ers won’t get anything for McCray, an undrafted free agent in 2014 who appeared in 22 games with the club.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers Acquire Rod Streater, Trim Roster To 53

September 5th, 2016 at 12:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

12:25pm: Maiocco tweets that McCray is likely to be placed on waivers following the failed trade.

MONDAY, 9:40am: McCray reportedly failed his physical, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicates (via Twitter) that the deal is off. The safety was originally traded to the Seahawks for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2018.

The safety is set to go back to the 49ers for the time being. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that McCray is recovering from a torn ACL and is likely to be released.

SUNDAY, 5:30pm: The wideout announced that he’s officially been dealt to the 49ers, while CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco tweets that Streater presumably passed his physical.

SATURDAY, 4:14pm: The 49ers announced they they’ve acquired wide receiver Rod Streater from the Chiefs. Streater had spent his career in Oakland before signing with Kansas City, and now he’ll head back to the Bay Area with a chance to make an impact in a depleted WR corps.

San Francisco also announced that they’ve traded safety L.J. McCray to the Seahawks. The compensation involved in both deals has not been announced.

Cut:

Lemonier was the 49ers’ third-round pick in 2013, but he never made much of an impact in San Francisco. In 42 games (two starts), Lemonier picked up 37 tackles and a sack.

Extra Points: Giants, Cowboys, Davis, Sanchez

September 3rd, 2016 at 8:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Sam Bradford trade got all the headlines today, but there were actually three smaller deals that were also consummated in the past twelve hours, and we’ve now learned the details about the returns. The Seahawks gave up a conditional 2017 seventh-rounder to acquire safety Dewey McDonald from the Raiders, and a conditional 2018 seventh-rounder to pick up safety L.J. McCray from the 49ers, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Meanwhile — and this might be a first — the Chiefs and 49ers have agreed to swap conditional 2019 seventh-round picks as part of the trade that sent wide receiver Rod Streater to San Francisco, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).

Here’s more from around the league on cutdown day:

  • Expect the Giants to be active in checking out veteran offensive linemen released today, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Teams were trying strike a trade with them, but nothing came of those talks. New York recently agreed to re-sign Will Beatty, who is expected to compete for time at right tackle, but the club could certainly use a bit more depth along the front five.
  • Austin Davis turned down a potential deal with the Cowboys because he wanted guaranteed money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Instead, Davis signed on with the Broncos today. His one-year deal ostensibly includes guaranteed cash. Dallas, meanwhile, turned to the man Denver released today — Mark Sanchez.
  • Speaking of Sanchez, the Cowboys could face questions about their signing of the veteran QB, as one source indicates to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Dallas signed Sanchez before he was technically released by the Broncos. It’s a pretty minor issue, but one that the league has seemingly been trying to crack down on in recent years.

49ers Sign Two CBs; Mike Davis To IR-DTR

November 7th, 2015 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The 49ers have placed running back Mike Davis on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, the team announced today in a press release. Davis may be the last player this season to get that designation, since anyone placed on IR-DTR after this week wouldn’t be eligible to return in the second half of the regular season.

In addition to moving Davis – who can return for Week 17 – to IR-DTR, the Niners also placed safety L.J. McCray on season-ending injured reserve. To fill the two newly-opened spots on the 53-man roster, San Francisco promoted a pair of cornerbacks, Marcus Cromartie and Chris Davis, from the team’s practice squad.

As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle points out (via Twitter), it makes sense for the 49ers to promote multiple cornerbacks to their active roster due to the injury problems they’re having in the secondary. Cornerbacks Tramaine Brock (shin), Kenneth Acker (concussion), and Keith Reaser (ankle) are all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Atlanta.

The Niners have also seen their backfield ravaged by injuries, having placed Davis on IR-DTR after sending Reggie Bush to the IR list earlier this week. The team signed veteran backs Shaun Draughn and Pierre Thomas to fill in for this weekend’s contest.

West Notes: Davis, Broncos, Crabtree

November 4th, 2015 at 10:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Years back, the NFL moved the trade deadline up from Week Six to Week Eight. However, the day of the deadline typically isn’t a hotbed of activity and we didn’t see any trades take place on Tuesday. While some would argue that the deadline should be pushed back even further, Mike Florio of PFT argues that the deadline should be abolished altogether to encourage as much activity as possible.

Of course, on the day prior to the deadline, we saw an AFC West team and an NFC West team link up for a pretty significant deal. Here’s more out of the West divisions..

  • The Broncos believe that Vernon Davis will give them a serious threat in the passing game, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report in one of his latest videos. However, some around football wonder if the tight end will be able to learn the new playbook quickly enough. That’s something that Davis struggled with in San Francisco.
  • Count quarterback Derek Carr among those who would like to see the Raiders lock up wide receiver Michael Crabtree. “I would love for Crab to be here for a long time,” Carr said, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Crabtree has been targeted 65 times already in 2015, turning those looks into 40 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns. And, while Carr isn’t the man responsible for signing Crabtree’s checks, the young quarterback’s endorsement probably carries a lot of weigh with the front office.
  • 49ers safety/special teamer L.J. McCray had a meniscus tear fixed on Tuesday, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets. McCray could come back later this season but a trip to the IR is still possible.

49ers Sign Seven UDFAs, Cut Three Players

May 12th, 2014 at 7:33pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers have signed seven rookie free agents to contracts, according to the teams official website. They released three players to make room for the additions.

The three players released were linebacker Darius Fleming, cornerback Dax Swanson, and receiver DeMarco Sampson.

Here’s the full list of the team’s UDFA signings:

  • Morgan Breslin, LB, USC ($5K bonus and $2.5K in other guarantees, per Matt Maiocco)
  • Asante Cleveland, TE, Miami
  • Dillon Farrell, C, New Mexico ($5K bonus)
  • Kory Faulkner, QB, Southern Illinois ($3K bonus)
  • Fou Fonoti, OT, Michigan State ($5K bonus)
  • L.J. McCray, S, Catawba ($6K bonus)
  • Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford ($7.5K bonus and $2.5K in other guarantees)