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Lavar Edwards

Bills Trim Roster To 53

September 2nd, 2016 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they’ve moved their roster to 53 players by cutting 21 players. That list of cuts includes notable names like fullback Jerome Felton, linebacker Manny Lawson, versatile cornerback Sterling Moore, and linebacker Randell Johnson."<strong

The Bills will save $2.35MM against the cap by releasing Lawson and $1.55MM by cutting Felton. By freeing up that cash, the Bills will have a little more room to work with as they negotiate a new deal with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Felton was signed as a free agent last offseason to a four-year pact worth $9.2MM, with $4MM guaranteed. Considering how the fullback position has been phased out by many NFL teams, that was a steep price to pay for the former Viking. With Minnesota, Felton acted as the lead blocker for Adrian Peterson‘s 2012 MVP campaign, paving the way for Peterson to nearly break the all-time rushing record. Felton himself went to the Pro Bowl that season, and was named second-team All Pro. The team is saving money by dropping the 30-year-old, but his release is also a sign of their confidence in Glenn Gronkowski.

Over the last three seasons, Lawson has appeared in all but one regular season game for the Bills. In 2015, Lawson appeared in every contest and started 14 games, racking up 45 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 pass deflections. Lawson is facing a one-game ban as a result of a domestic violence incident and that was thought to be a big blow in the season opener considering that the team will also be without top rookies Reggie Ragland and Shaq Lawson plus reserve linebacker IK Enemkpali. For one reason or another, the Bills have decided that they are better off without him.

Moore, 26, came over from Tampa Bay during the offseason, and has also spent time with the Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders. Johnson, meanwhile, has been with Buffalo for the past two seasons, starting one game during that time.

Here is the complete list of cuts:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/1/15

December 1st, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Seahawks signed tight end Chase Coffman and released center Drew Nowak, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets.
  • The Patriots claimed running back Trey Williams off waivers from the Cowboys, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In a related move, defensive end Trey Flowers has been moved to IR.
  • The Broncos waived tight end Richard Gordon and promoted safety Josh Bush from the taxi squad, as Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets.
  • The Patriots are expected to sign return specialist Damaris Johnson, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year deal for Johnson, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Earlier Updates:

  • The Bills created two openings on their 53-man roster with a pair of Monday moves, and opened up a third vacancy by officially placing Kyle Williams on IR today, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. The move had been expected since last week.
  • To fill those three spots on their roster, the Bills signed defensive end Lavar Edwards off the Cowboys‘ practice squad, defensive lineman T.J. Barnes off the Jets‘ practice squad, and linebacker Kevin Reddick via free agency, per Rodak (all Twitter links). The series of signings helps the team fortify its banged-up defensive line, while also re-adding Reddick, who was cut prior to the regular season.
  • The Dolphins have re-signed center/guard Jacques McClendon to their 53-man squad as an insurance policy for Mike Pouncey, the team announced today (via Twitter). Pouncey is dealing with a minor foot sprain and is considered day to day for now. Miami waived linebacker James-Michael Johnson in a corresponding move.

NFC East Notes: Cassel, Cowboys, Kelly

October 9th, 2015 at 6:05pm CST by Rob DiRe

The NFC East is in flux right now, with the Cowboys, Giants, and Washington all sitting at 2-2 and the Eagles only a game behind at 1-3. Here are a few notes as we get ready for Week 5:

  • The Cowboys have activated Matt Cassel to be the primary backup behind Brandon Weeden, according to ESPN.com. Kellen Moore had previously been the backup as Cassel learned the offense, and will drop to the No. 3 quarterback for this Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
  • The Cowboys have only 52 players on their roster at the moment and David Moore of The Dallas Morning News expects them to promote either defensive end Lavar Edwards or wide receiver Vince Mayle from the practice squad to fill out that final spot (via Twitter).
  • In college news, USC lost to Washington at home despite being a huge favorite, leading to rumors that the Trojans could be in the market for a new head coach, and Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly could be a target, according to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated. This was a huge defeat considering head coach Steve Sarkisian’s ugly start at the school, which was also considering Chris Petersen, who instead was hired in Washington. The loss has begun speculation of Sarkisian being replaced at Southern Cal, and one name the school would be extremely interested in Kelly, who they were interested in before he left for the NFL.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/29/15

September 29th, 2015 at 6:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL, with any additional moves added to the list throughout the day:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed: WR Shaq Evans (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: S Ronald Martin (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com)
  • Cut: CB Keon Lyn

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Diego Chargers

St. Louis Rams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: DT Derrick Lott (press release)
  • Cut: CB Imoan Claiborne

Washington:

  • Signed: C Austin Reiter (Twitter link via Zac Boyer of the Washington Times)

Bears Sign Mitch Unrein

September 25th, 2015 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 12:10pm: The Bears have made their signing of Unrein official, cutting defensive end Lavar Edwards to make room on their roster, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

THURSDAY, 9:00pm: The Bears are set to sign defensive lineman Mitch Unrein, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Unrein was cut loose by the Chargers on Thursday afternoon but it didn’t take him long to find work.

The former undrafted free agent signed a two-year deal with the Bolts worth $1.9MM this offseason, but his stay in beautiful San Diego did not last long. Unrein originally caught on with the Texans in 2010, and he soon found a home in Denver thereafter. The Wyoming product spent four seasons with the Broncos, making 54 appearances. He was relatively productive in 2012 and 2013, nearing 400 snaps in both campaigns while compiling a combined 40 tackles. He found himself in a reduced role in 2014, however, playing only 46 snaps in eight games.

Unrein is now reunited with John Fox, his former coach in Denver.

Bears To Sign DE Lavar Edwards

September 16th, 2015 at 10:14am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears will sign defensive end Lavar Edwards, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Edwards recently became a free agent when he was dropped by the Raiders to make room for the signing of Aldon Smith. Prior to that, Oakland claimed Edwards from the Cowboys.

Edwards, 25, appeared in four games for the Cowboys in 2014 and spent the bulk of the season on the taxi squad. In the year prior, he saw seven games with the Titans including one start. A product of powerhouse program LSU, Edwards was taken in the fifth round of the 2013 draft by Tennessee.

Raiders Sign Aldon Smith

September 13th, 2015 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

SUNDAY, 8:11am: The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along a bit of news on the Smith signing this morning (via Twitter). We already knew that Smith chose the Raiders’ offer over competing contracts from the Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams, and Rapoport says those other clubs actually offered more money than Oakland. Smith, however, wanted to stay close to his support system in the Bay Area. Rapoport also reports that the Raiders are confident in the information they have on Smith’s criminal charges, which suggests that Smith may not be facing significant punishment from the judicial system or, consequently, from the league.

SATURDAY, 11:25am: ESPN’s Field Yates has slightly different contract numbers for Smith (Twitter link), reporting that the base salary is worth $1.25MM. He also notes that there is $2.75MM in sack incentives and $4MM in per-game bonuses, both of which differ from Rapoport’s tweet.

FRIDAY, 5:06 pm: Smith’s deal with the Raiders is worth up to $8MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). It includes a $1MM base salary, $5MM in 53-man roster bonuses, and $2MM in sack incentives.

12:47pm: The Raiders have officially signed Smith, cutting defensive end Lavar Edwards to create a spot on the roster, according to a team release.

11:16am: After being released last month by the 49ers, outside linebacker Aldon Smith has found a new home across the bay. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), the Raiders have agreed to sign Smith to a one-year contract.Aldon Smith

When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, the linebacker recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team.

However, Smith’s off-field issues have limited his production since then — he missed nearly half the Niners’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014. Most recently, Smith was arrested by Santa Clara police on hit and run, DUI, and vandalism charges, though when he was released from jail, the outside linebacker disputed the fact that he had been driving under the influence.

The incident is the latest in a series of off-field run-ins for Smith, who has had DUI arrests in the past, and it was the last straw for the 49ers. The team parted ways with him in early August, with GM Trent Baalke issuing the following statement: “This organization has tried very hard to help Aldon fight his issues. Although he is no longer a member of this team, our support and concern for him will continue.”

Cole reported earlier this week that at least four teams had interest in signing Smith, but things were still in a holding pattern at that point, since the NFL had yet to make a decision on possible discipline after his latest legal situation. As Cole noted, if Smith were to sign with a club and then received a year-long suspension, that would be a PR embarrassment for both the team and the league.

The fact that the Raiders are willing to bring Smith aboard suggests that the club either has an idea of what his potential suspension might look like or is simply willing to roll the dice on a talented but troubled player. It’s also not clear how long the NFL’s investigation will take, so Smith could potentially play until the league announces its decision. If he’s able to stay on the field for the majority of the 2015 season, the Raiders should have a very strong pass rush this year, with the ex-Niner joining Khalil Mack and Justin Tuck in Oakland.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Smith chose the Raiders over the Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raiders Claim Lavar Edwards From Cowboys

September 7th, 2015 at 5:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have claimed defensive end Lavar Edwards off waivers, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Edwards was bumped off the Cowboys’ roster over the weekend.

Edwards, 25, appeared in four games for the Cowboys in 2014 and spent the bulk of the season on the taxi squad. In the year prior, he saw seven games with the Titans including one start. A product of powerhouse program LSU, Edwards was taken in the fifth round of the 2013 draft by Tennessee.

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC East

September 6th, 2015 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, and Washington are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Dallas Cowboys

  • Acquired via trade:
    • RB Christine Michael, from Seahawks (link)
  • Cut:
  • Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers:
    • QB Stephen Morris (link)
  • Signed to practice squad (via press release)

    • T Brett Boyko (Twitter link via Adam Caplan)
    • G Malcolm Bunche
    • CB Randall Evans (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
    • WR Freddie Martino
    • DE Brian Mihalik
    • RB Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via Brett Tessler)
    • TE Chris Pantale
    • WR Quron Pratt
    • S Ed Reynolds (Twitter link via Caplan)
    • LB Deontae Skinner (Twitter link via Tony Pauline)

Washington

Steelers Re-Sign Brad Wing

January 23rd, 2015 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have locked up punter Brad Wing for another season, signing him to a one-year contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. After spending his first full NFL season in Pittsburgh in 2014, Wing had been eligible for exclusive rights free agency, meaning he could only sign with the Steelers, unless the team let him go.

Wing, who turns 24 next week, punted 61 times, recording 43.7 yards per punt and a net average of 38.6 yards. Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high on the LSU’s performance, ranking him 28th out of the league’s 32 regular punters, with a -7.6 grade (subscription required).

Because he was only an exclusive rights free agent, Wing is unlikely to receive more than the minimum salary, which will be $510K for a player with his experience. There may also be a signing bonus in the deal, but it would be very modest.

Here are Friday’s other minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional minor transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Cowboys have signed defensive end Lavar Edwards and safety Keelan Johnson to reserve/futures contracts, as Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News writes. Edwards spent time on the Cowboys’ active roster and practice squad this season, while Johnson, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month for an aggravated assault charge, last played for the Eagles in 2013.
  • Defensive end Sam Montgomery has signed a new deal with the Bengals, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Montgomery spent the entire 2014 season on Cincinnati’s practice squad after being waived by the team at the end of the preseason.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets‘ first free agent signing under new GM Mike Maccagnan is offensive tackle Sean Hooey, who inked a reserve/futures deal, according to the team (Twitter link). Hooey was cut by the Rams at the end of the 2014 preseason, and briefly landed on the team’s practice squad before being released from that unit as well.
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