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Lestar Jean

Minor Moves: Giants, Jean, Lynch

June 13th, 2014 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves include a pair of Giants, a trio of wide receivers and (you guessed it) four injured players. Let’s check them out…

  • Giants wide receiver Kris Adams was added to the team’s reserve list, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Adams had two catches with the Colts in 2012.
  • The Giants have come to an injury settlement with defensive back Jocquel Skinner and removed him from their injured reserve, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Vikings wideout Lestar Jean has cleared waivers and will be placed on injured reserve, the team announced (via Twitter). Jean has ten career receptions for 186 yards and one touchdown.
  • The Colts have placed safety Corey Lynch on the injured reserve, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). The 29-year-old will be joining defensive end Fili Moala, who was placed on the IR earlier this week.
  • The Titans have signed wide receiver Rico Richardson and waived injured linebacker James Gayle, reports ESPN.com Paul Kuharsky (via Twitter). Richardson was on the Chiefs practice squad last season and was released by the Texans last month. Gayle is an undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech.
  • The Lions have added offensive tackle Bryce Quigley, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The undrafted rookie, who suffered a season-ending injury in San Diego State’s finale, worked out with the Lions yesterday.

Minor Moves: Burton, Ogbuehi, Sims, Giants

June 12th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

  • The Colts claimed defensive back Brandon Burton and the Browns claimed tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). Burton, 24, was taken by the Vikings in the fifth round of the 2011 draft and has since inked deals with the Bills and Bengals. Ogbuehi was waived by the Dolphins this week to make room for wide receiver Gerald Ford, who is not to be confused with former president Gerald Ford.
  • The Buccaneers tweeted that rookie running back Charles Sims has officially signed his contract with the club. The third-round pick spent four years at Houston before playing for West Virginia in 2013 and was named co-Big 12 newcomer of the year by rushing for 1,095 yards and eleven touchdowns.
  • The Giants cut Kris Adams with a failed physical designation, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Adams was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2011 by the Bears and has also been a member of the Rams, Vikings, and Colts.
  • The Vikings waived-injured former FAU wide receiver Lestar Jean, Wilson tweets.
  • The Colts cut former Ohio State guard Marcus Hall, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Cowboys placed former NAIA cornerback Jocquel Skinner on injured reserve after he cleared waivers after being waived-injured, Wilson tweets.

Contract Details: Avant, Wilson, Lowery, Jean

April 9th, 2014 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun and the National Football Post has passed along this several contract details on deals signed within the last few days. While most contracts being signed these days are minimum salary pacts, that’s not the case for all of them, and even some of those minimum deals include bonuses of varying amounts. Let’s turn to Wilson for a few of the latest updates (all links go to Twitter)….

  • Jason Avant‘s one-year deal with the Panthers includes a minimum base salary of $855K, but doesn’t qualify as a minimum salary benefit contract because his bonuses exceed $65K — Avant got $150K for signing, and will also be eligible for a $45K workout bonus, bringing the total value to $1.05MM.
  • The Falcons signed a pair of defensive backs yesterday, and both players received minimum salary benefit deals. Cornerback Josh Wilson got a $65K signing bonus on his minimum contract, while safety Dwight Lowery received a $30K bonus on his one-year pact, meaning their respective cap hits are $635K and $600K.
  • Lestar Jean‘s one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Vikings has the usual minimum salary benefit cap number of $635K, but took a different route to get there. In addition to his $570K base salary, Jean receives a $10K signing bonus and is eligible for a $55K roster bonus, meaning his contract doesn’t technically qualify as a minimum salary benefit deal, even though the cap hit is identical.
  • Finally, one last contract update comes courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, who notes that Brian De La Puente is actually receiving one dollar more than a minimum salary deal would be worth. Because he’s not technically a minimum salary player, De La Puente is eligible to re-up with the Bears before free agency begins next season for a salary worth more than the minimum.

Vikings Sign Lestar Jean

April 8th, 2014 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings have officially signed free agent wideout Lestar Jean to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. Jean had been eligible to receive a contract tender from the Texans, but Houston elected to pass, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Jean, 26, spent three seasons with the Texans but never played a significant role in the offense, appearing in under 300 snaps during his time in Houston and spending the 2011 season on injured reserve. The Florida Atlantic alum visited the Panthers and Dolphins this offseason before agreeing to terms with the Vikings.

AFC Rumors: Dolphins, Jets, Clowney, Texans

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As they continue attempting to fortify their offensive line, the Dolphins are hosting 25-year-old free agent Jason Fox for a visit, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, if the team were to sign Fox, who reportedly worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week, the former Lion would be viewed as a depth piece with a chance to earn a larger role, not the Dolphins’ starter at right tackle.

Here’s more on another free agent paying a visit to Miami, as well as a few other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Dolphins will also host free agent wideout Lestar Jean for a visit and workout, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Jean met with the Panthers last month, but left Carolina without a deal.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) still expects the Titans to release Chris Johnson this week. If and when that happens, look for the Jets to “pounce” on the veteran running back, says La Canfora.
  • Asked about Jadeveon Clowney at South Carolina’s Pro Day today, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that his club met with Clowney last night, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. However, according to O’Brien, the Texans’ No. 1 pick is still “wide open” (Twitter link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Before he signed with the Raiders, Maurice Jones-Drew was strongly considering the Patriots and Steelers as well, as he said today on Mad Dog Sports Radio (Twitter link).
  • In a pair of tweets, Aaron Wilson provides details on Dimitri Patterson‘s one-year, $3MM deal with the Jets, which includes a $1MM signing bonus, and C.J. Wilson‘s one-year, minimum-salary benefit contract with the Raiders.

FA Rumors: Colts, Blount, Allen, Britt, Finley

March 21st, 2014 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Colts aren’t necessarily done adding free agents, the team’s major moves have likely already been made, as GM Ryan Grigson told reporters today, including Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

“You never say you’re done,” Grigson said. “We had a plan and we feel really good about it. We feel real good where we’re at right now. We’re going to look toward the draft. You never say never and we’re always trying to get better. If somebody pops up and they make sense from a roster standpoint and they kind of fit the specs – age and money, big picture – then I’ll look at it.”

As the Colts shift their free agent focus to the bargain bin, let’s check in on a few other afternoon items related to the open market:

  • Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) doesn’t see the Colts pursuing center Alex Mack any further, suggesting it always would have been a long shot to sign him away from the Browns.
  • Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who continues to draw interest from the Patriots, is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Sunday night, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Pittsburgh also met with veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew this week.
  • As Jared Allen continues to mull his options, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) weighs in with a couple tidbits: The veteran defensive end is considering three teams, with retirement also still an option, and should make a decision this weekend. As for Allen’s second visit with the Seahawks, it happened because key members of the organization weren’t at the first meeting, says Rapoport.
  • Wide receiver Kenny Britt has visited the Rams, Patriots, Redskins, and Bills, and has also garnered interest from the Seahawks and Panthers, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, Britt will decide his next move this weekend, whether that means taking more visits or agreeing to sign with a team.
  • Jermichael Finley may still be a few more months from being in position to sign with an NFL club, a source tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The free agent tight end continues to recover from a spinal injury, and hasn’t yet received medical clearance.
  • At this point, the Panthers aren’t expected to sign Kevin Cone, Lestar Jean, or C.J. Akins, the three receivers they worked out today, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

Extra Points: NFLPA, Moreno, Contract Details

March 20th, 2014 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Newly-minted NFLPA president Eric Winston is just hours into his new role, but he sounds like he’s ready to hit the ground running.

“This union has always been about fighting,” Winston told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “It won’t change.”

Winston didn’t mince words when it came to the idea of expanding the NFL season from 16 to 18 games, telling Pelissero that the idea is “dead in the water.” He was less definitive when it came to the idea of playoff expansion, but he made it clear that the union will only be on board under certain conditions. Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Knowshon Moreno arguably had the most impressive 2013 campaign of any of this year’s free agent running backs, but his name hasn’t surfaced at all in the last nine days. That changed today, with word breaking that the Dolphins will have Moreno in a for a visit on Friday (Twitter link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald).
  • The Panthers continue to pursue free agent receivers, and will have Lestar Jean in for a visit tonight and tomorrow, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers hosted free agent defensive back Chris Owens today, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Owens also met with the Steelers this week, as we heard earlier this afternoon.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap has the full breakdown of many of the new contracts signed in recent days, including, but not limited to, Andrew Hawkins‘ four-year pact with the Browns, Scott Chandler‘s two-year deal with the Bills, James Starks‘ two-year deal with the Packers, Charlie Johnson‘s two-year contract with the Vikings, and Usama Young‘s two-year deal with the Raiders.
  • Jerricho Cotchery‘s deal with the Panthers is technically for five years, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun details (via Twitter). I imagine it includes three void years, similar to Roman Harper‘s new contract. Cotchery also received a $2.25MM signing bonus.
  • Wilson (Twitter links) also provides details on a pair of minimum salary benefit contracts, noting that fullback Jed Collins will get $710K from the Lions between his $65K signing bonus and $645K base salary. Safety Craig Steltz will get $795K from the Bears between his $730K salary and the $65K roster bonus for 2014.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Contract Tenders: Tuesday

March 11th, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cam Johnson has signed his tender that should keep him with the Colts in 2014, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). The linebacker was traded to the Colts from the 49ers last year.

Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports that Buccaneers returner Eric Page has also signed his tender, but awaits for the deal to be made official (via Twitter).

While Johnson and Page signed their respective one-year deals, here are some other players from around the NFL who were not tendered and are now free agents:

  • The Texans will allow three players to test free agency, as none of Bryan Braman, Terrell McClain, and Lestar Jean received tenders from the team, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • Dezmon Briscoe did not receive a tender from the Redskins, reports Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter). The 24-year-old receiver did not play in a game for the Redskins last season, but caught 35 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011.
  • The Bills chose not to tender Thomas Welch, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN NFL Nation (via Twitter). The offensive tackle is now an unrestricted free agent.
  • The Lions did not tender tight end Dorin Dickerson, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • Safety M.D. Jennings was not tendered by the Packers, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). Silverstein does leave open the possibility of the team still re-signing their starting free safety.