LaMichael James - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Giants, JPP, Raiders, McGloin

January 3rd, 2017 at 12:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Let’s go coast-to-coast for some news from around the NFL:

Despite a report that Jason Pierre-Paul could return for the divisional round and possibly even Wild Card weekend, the timeline has not changed for the Giants star, a source tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. That means JPP is still looking at a conference round return as his best-case scenario. The defensive end is still just one month removed from sports hernia/groin surgery.
The Raiders are going forward with the expectation that quarterback Connor Cook starts against the Texans, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Matt McGloin is not believed to be ready for this weekend’s playoff game. If McGloin cannot go, it sounds like Oakland will have quarterback Garrett Gilbert on the active roster as the backup.
The Raiders worked out seven players Monday including running back LaMichael James, but no quarterbacks (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com). defensive end Alex Bazzie, linebacker Brandon Hepburn, safety Dion Bailey, and cornerback Greg Ducre also auditioned, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

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).

East Notes: Bills, Taylor, Fells, Jets, Dolphins

October 13th, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills signed quarterback Josh Johnson earlier today for depth purposes, but before they did, they looked into re-signing Matt Simms, who was with the team in camp, says Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links). Simms, who knows the Bills’ playbook, would’ve been Buffalo’s preferred option, but he’s currently on the Falcons’ practice squad and thinks he has a better future in Atlanta, so he turned down the opportunity, says Carucci.

Why did the Bills need another quarterback in the first place? Carucci (Twitter link) hears that Tyrod Taylor is “hurt pretty bad,” noting that the team considered the passport status of potential QB additions, in advance of a Week 7 trip to London. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), Taylor could miss multiple games due to a sprained MCL, which figures to open the door for EJ Manuel to start.

As the Bills wonder whether they should have kept Matt Cassel, let’s check in on several other items from out of the NFL’s East divisions….

Doctors treating Giants tight end Daniel Fells for his MRSA infection are increasinly more optimistic that Fells won’t lose his foot, sources tell Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Fells remains hospitalized, and multiple reports have indicated that his NFL career is likely over, but it sounds as if a combination of surgical procedures and antibiotics have improved his outlook over the last few days.
The Jets almost certainly won’t be able to extend both Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, and “every indication” is that the team would prefer to lock up Richardson if he stays out of further trouble, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
Multiple people around the NFL that have spoken to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suspect the Dolphins will pursue a high-profile head coach for the permanent job after the season. Cole identifies Mike Shanahan as one notable potential target for Miami.
Former 49ers and Dolphins running back LaMichael James – who now goes by LaMike James – is working out on Wednesday for the Cowboys, tweets Ross Jones of FOX Sports.

Dolphins Waive LaMike James

September 14th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins will waive running back LaMike James (née LaMichael James), coach Joe Philbin told reporters, including Greg Likens of 940WINZ (via Twitter). In a related move, tight end Jake Stoneburner has been brought up from the taxi squad.

James, 26 in October, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter on the team’s depth chart. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 39 rush attempts and five receptions during that span. When he found himself behind Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ depth chart last year, James requested and was granted his release. One has to wonder if James’ release could have been triggered in part by his reported scuffle with teammate Jarvis Landry last week.

The Dolphins signed James to their practice squad in September and eventually promoted him to their active roster, but he didn’t see much action in Miami either — the Oregon product had just three carries in 2014. James had been eligible for restricted free agency, but was non-tendered by Miami and re-signed at a lesser rate in March. Now, he’ll be looking for work elsewhere.

Dolphins Re-Sign Louis Delmas, LaMichael James

March 20th, 2015 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

12:35pm: The Delmas signing has been confirmed by agent Drew Rosnehaus (via Twitter), while the team announced its new deal with James (Twitter link). Delmas’ one-year contract with Miami is worth up to $3.5MM, tweets Breer.

12:23pm: The Dolphins have re-added a pair of players to their roster, according to reports. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), the club is re-signing safety Louis Delmas, while Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that the team has brought back running back LaMichael James as well.

Delmas, who turns 28 in April, started 12 games at safety for the Dolphins last season, racking up 60 tackles and grabbing one interception, which he returned for an 81-yard touchdown. He also recovered a pair of fumbles and recorded a sack. In his 844 defensive snaps, Delmas graded as about an average safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), receiving middle-of-the-pack marks for both his run defense and his pass coverage.

James, 25, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter on the team’s depth chart. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 39 rush attempts and five receptions during that span. When he found himself behind Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ depth chart last year, James requested and was granted his release.

The Dolphins signed James to their practice squad in September and eventually promoted him to their active roster, but he didn’t see much action in Miami either — the Oregon product had just three carries in 2014. James had been eligible for restricted free agency, but was non-tendered by Miami and presumably re-signed at a lesser rate.

Dolphins To Promote LaMichael James

November 10th, 2014 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Running back LaMichael James will get back on an active roster for the first time since being cut by the 49ers in September, according to agent Jeff Sperbeck, who tweets that the Dolphins are promoting his client to their 53-man roster. Having previously been on Miami’s practice squad, James will take the roster spot vacated by tackle Branden Albert, who is headed to injured reserve with a season-ending knee injury.

James, 25, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter on the team’s depth chart. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 39 rush attempts and five receptions during that span. When he found himself behind Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ depth chart this year, James requested and was granted his release.

By promoting James, the Dolphins will have four running backs on their active roster, with Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas, and Damien Williams already on board. If the club doesn’t make any other changes to its 53-man roster this week, I’d expect to see an offensive lineman added to the practice squad to take James’ spot.

AFC Mailbags: Dolphins, Ravens, Raiders, Chiefs

October 4th, 2014 at 12:50pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s take a look at notes from the AFC…

LaMichael James‘ best chances of making the Dolphins 53-man roster is via a role on special teams, according to James Walker.
The “slower-than-antcipated” development of Ravens linebacker Arthur Brown has resulted in him being labeled a disappointment, writes Jamison Hensley. However, the writer says that it’s too early to give up on the former second-rounder.
Bill Williamson can envision the Raiders giving Charles Woodson one more season if the cornerback wants to continue playing.
Adam Teicher says there’s a possibility the Chiefs could cut Dwayne Bowe after the season, but it’s far from a guarantee.
The Chiefs should be in no rush to extend linebacker Justin Houston, writes Teicher. The team has until March to reach an agreement, and Teicher notes that the Chiefs have leverage with their franchise tag.

Dolphins Sign LaMichael James

September 30th, 2014 at 7:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

7:07pm: James is headed to the Dolphins’ practice squad, rather than their 53-man roster, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post (via Twitter).

4:37pm: The Dolphins have signed running back LaMichael James, according to his representative at the NOVO Agency, Jeff Sperbeck (on Twitter). James worked out for Miami two weeks ago, at which point the two sides were reportedly discussing a deal.

James, 25 next month, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 41 rush attempts and five receptions during that span.

The Niners added even more running back talent in recent drafts, selecting Marcus Lattimore and Carlos Hyde in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Sensing that his role was about to decrease from small to non-existent, James asked for his release earlier this month, and his request was granted. The team had shopped James during the offseason, so it’s apparent that no other squad offered anything of note for the third-year player.

In Miami, James will join a running back corps currently led by Lamar Miller, who has averaged 4.5 yards per carry so far this season. Knowshon Moreno is expected to return in a few weeks following an elbow injury, but as of now, Miller is backed up by undrafted free agent Damien Williams. James could potentially see some third-down work and aid on special teams, but I’d be surprised if he significantly eats into Miller’s workload. However, James should be familiar with Miami’s offense: Dolphins OC Bill Lazor was the Eagles’ QBs coach under Chip Kelly last season, and James played under Kelly at Oregon from 2009-11.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, James

September 16th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets were busy working out a number of players today, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Rex Ryan & Co. auditioned linebackers Pat Angerer and Desmond Bishop, wide receivers Tiquan Underwood and David Gettis, and quarterback Pat Devlin. Here’s more out of the AFC East…

The Dolphins worked out former 49ers running back LaMichael James, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). James was unhappy with his situation in San Francisco, asked for his release, and secured it earlier this month. Miami, obviously, could use some help at RB. The former Oregon star wasn’t signed after the workout but it’s still a possibility and the sides have discussed a deal, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Former Mizzou tight end Eric Waters also worked out for the Dolphins today, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (on Twitter). The 6’5″, 245 pound tight end was cut loose by the Steelers in advance of their cutdown to a 75-man roster.
The Dolphins may not benefit from the new drug policy, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Safety Reshad Jones and defensive end Dion Jordan are both suspended, but multiple sources say the new rules won’t get Jordan’s suspension revoked. The same sources were not in agreement whether Jones would be returned to the Dolphins’ active roster.

49ers Waive LaMichael James

September 8th, 2014 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

LaMichael James has asked for and been granted his release from the 49ers, according to agent Jeff Sperbeck (via Twitter). Sperbeck writes that he and his client appreciate San Francisco’s willingness to allow James “to pursue his career elsewhere” and tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle that there have been talks with the Niners about a potential release for “the last few weeks” (Twitter link).

James, who turns 25 next month, entered the season third on the Niners’ depth chart at running back, behind starter Frank Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde. While he has contributed on special teams, James’ offensive snaps have been limited in his first two seasons in the NFL, as he has accumulated just 41 carries for 184 yards since entering the league.

James was mentioned in trade rumors earlier this year, with reports at the time suggesting the 2012 second-rounder would welcome a trade if it meant a chance to get more playing time. He could get that opportunity now, depending on which team decides to claim him off waivers or – if he clears waivers – to sign him.

Now that Ray Rice is no longer in the picture in Baltimore, the Ravens may be one team that considers placing a waiver claim on James. As for the Niners, with Kendall Hunter on injured reserve and James on waivers, the club may add another running back before Week 2’s contest against the Bears.