Logan Paulsen - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/19/17

October 19th, 2017 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Waived: DL Taniela Tupou

Buffalo Bills

Signed: LB Deon Lacey
Waived/injured: LB Tyrell Adams

San Francisco 49ers

Signed: TE Logan Paulsen

Extra Points: Kaep, Chargers, Paulsen, Cole

October 17th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL and NFLPA released a joint statement focused on “positive social change” following a meeting today between the league, owners, and selected players. But perhaps the most interesting fact about the gathering was who wasn’t in attendance — free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The NFL did not formally invite Kaepernick to the meeting, and while several players did Kaepernick to attend, the former 49ers quarterback and progenitor of kneeling during the national anthem didn’t want to be a distraction, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Despite Kaepernick’s reticence, some players were dismayed that he wasn’t officially invited to the talks, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Chargers could soon see the return of inside linebacker Denzel Perryman, who is currently on injured reserve with an ankle issue, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. “He looks better,” defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “You see him moving around a little more. I don’t know when we’re gonna get him back, but he’s starting now to tap me on the shoulder about trying to get in there, so I know he’s getting close.” Korey Toomer has replaced Perryman at middle ‘backer, but he’s earned below-average marks from Pro Football Focus, which has assigned Toomer a particularly poor grade against the run.
Given that they’ve attempted to sign him in the past, the Lions could potentially make another run at free agent tight end Logan Paulsen, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Paulsen, who was released by the 49ers earlier today, should come relatively cheap, as he only garnered a minimum salary deal during the offseason. While he won’t be a factor on offense, Paulsen could help on special teams and as a blocker, especially in the run game.
Texans linebacker Dylan Cole is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring stain and is expected to miss at least four weeks of action, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Given the recovery timeline, Cole probably isn’t a candidate for injured reserve. Although the 23-year-old Cole isn’t a Houston starter, his absence will be felt, as he’s played 105 defensive snaps off the bench while seeing time on roughly two-thirds of the Texans’ special teams plays.

49ers Place DL Arik Armstead On IR

October 17th, 2017 at 7:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers have placed defensive tackle Arik Armstead on injured reserve and released tight end Logan Paulsen, the club announced today. The pair of transactions will create space on San Francisco’s roster for newly-signed defensive tackles Tony McDaniel and Leger Douzable.

Armstead will go on IR after suffering a broken hand in Sunday’s contest against the Redskins. He’ll require surgery and will likely need four-to-six weeks to recover, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The NFL’s injured reserve rules stipulate a minimum absence of eight weeks, so Armstead will have more than enough time to heal. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 15.

Armstead, a first-round pick in 2015, has been excellent on the edge in first-year coordinator Robert Saleh‘s 4-3 scheme. Through five weeks, Armstead had played the second-most defensive snaps of any 49ers defender and posted eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5.5 pressures, and one pass defensed. Overall, the 23-year-old has graded as the NFL’s No. 33 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Paulsen, 30, has garnered only one target after agreeing to a one-year deal with the 49ers this spring. That lack of offensive production is wholly unsurprising, as Paulsen earns his money on special teams and as a blocker. Through six games, Paulsen had earned a solid 74.1 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, a mark which would rank him second behind only Rob Gronkowski if he had enough snaps to qualify.

49ers To Sign TE Logan Paulsen

March 9th, 2017 at 12:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers plan to sign former Chicago tight end Logan Paulsen, according to Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). Paulsen is known primarily for his run blocking. It’s a one-year deal, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Last year, Pro Football Focus gave Paulsen a 75.2 run blocking score, which put him in the top ten amongst all tight ends. He had a less impressive 68.8 pass blocking grade, putting him 22nd amongst all qualified TEs.

We had Paulsen ranked as one of the 15 best tight ends on the open market.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Offense

March 6th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency is right around the corner! The legal tampering period starts on Tuesday and free agency officially starts on Thursday. The list of available free agents will change between now and then as players re-sign with teams or get cut loose, but we have a pretty good idea of who will be available right now. After looking at the top defensive players, we now shift our attention to the other side of the ball.

Here are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each position. The rankings aren’t determined by earning power, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with a combination of short- and long-term value taken into account. You won’t find restricted free agents or franchise tagged guys here since they are unlikely to go leave their current clubs.

Player evaluation is always subjective, so we encourage you to make your voices heard in the comments section in cases where you disagree with us.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Updated 3-7-2017, 2:55pm CT

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Ryan Nassib, Landry Jones, Shaun Hill

Colin Kaepernick’s agents have (wisely) let everyone know that their client will stand for the National Anthem in 2017. That may seem like a minor point, but teams say they would have automatically removed him from consideration if he continued his attention-grabbing protest. He grabbed headlines for his actions on the sidelines last year, but he actually turned in an OK season. From a football standpoint, Kaepernick would make sense for a lot of teams as a QB2 with upside.

Interestingly, this list includes three quarterbacks who couldn’t cut it as the Jets’ starter and three rejects from the 49ers. They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all six of those players (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kaepernick, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert) come with varying degrees of potential and proven effectiveness. Smith, somehow, could reportedly be retained by the Jets and installed as the starter in 2017.

Ryan Nassib is just outside of the top 15 here with EJ Manuel getting the final spot. Despite positive word about his play in practice, Nassib is unproven and the Giants’ apparent lack of interest in re-signing him says a lot. It’s also possible that he might not be 100% after ending the 2016 season on IR with an elbow injury. Manuel, for all his warts, has shown potential in small bursts.

Running back:

Honorable mention: Robert Turbin, Travaris Cadet, Benny Cunningham, Lance Dunbar, Bobby Rainey, Brandon Bolden, Denard Robinson, James Starks

As expected, the Vikings have cut Adrian Peterson loose and he is expected to garner interest from contending clubs this week. Some might peg Peterson as the most talented running back in this year’s free agent class, but it all comes down to how you weigh his age and injury history. Peterson has shocked the football world in the past with an incredible comeback, but I’m a little skeptical of his ability to do it again in his age-32 season. Eddie Lacy, who has injury question marks of his own, takes the top spot at the position.

The Patriots believe they won’t be able to match the offers that come in LeGarrette Blount‘s direction. Latavius Murray could circle back to the Raiders, but he won’t be agreeing to a deal with them before free agency opens on Thursday.

Jamaal Charles has the most impressive resume of anyone on this list, with the exception of Peterson. However, no one knows exactly what he can do after playing eight games in the last two years. He’ll turn 31 in December and that’s usually not an indicator of success for running backs.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not guaranteed that he’ll find another job after getting released by the Panthers, though the Jets are said to have interest in him. Gang Green could also look into signing Patrick DiMarco and Marcel Reece. If you ask me, they should target DiMarco if they want to truly emphasize the running game. DiMarco finished the year with the best run blocking score in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

Wide receiver:

Honorable mention: Brian Quick, Brandon LaFell, Anquan Boldin, Ted Ginn, Vincent Jackson

Brandon Marshall, welcome to the free agent pool. Marshall is just two years removed from a year in which he had 109 catches, 1,502 yards, and 14 touchdowns. However, his numbers dipped significantly last season as the entire Jets offense slumped. The veteran will get tons of interest this week and his suitors may include the Giants, Patriots, and Ravens.

Kenny Britt managed to put up big numbers in the midst of the Rams’ offensive quagmire last season. He now hits free agency at a great time and the WR-needy Eagles are the latest team to be connected to him. The South Jersey contingent of the Eagles fanbase will appreciate the homecoming of the Rutgers product. At the same time, they should hope he exhibits a better attitude than he did on the banks of the old Raritan.

The talent is definitely there with Markus Wheaton and the team that takes a chance on him could wind up very, very happy. Robert Woods, historically, thrived in games where Sammy Watkins was unavailable or limited. Woods doesn’t turn 25 in until April and there’s a case to be made that he should be higher on this list. Cordarrelle Patterson has turned out to be a very capable returner, but there are definitely ambitious coaches out there who think they can still mold him into a great receiver. Michael Floyd is now years removed from his best work in Arizona, so one has to wonder what he can contribute even if he has turned over a new leaf.

Victor Cruz is an exceptionally hard-worker and a team-first kind of guy. He’ll be a great addition to any locker room, but it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’ll do in 2017. We’ll say this: a return to the slot would greatly benefit him.

Anquan Boldin just missed the top 15 and I don’t necessarily feel great about it. Brian Quick also missed the cut and it was a toss-up between him and Cruz for that last spot.

Tight end:

Honorable mention: Larry Donnell

Martellus Bennett is eager to cash in this month. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. The Raiders and Jaguars are expected to be among the teams in pursuit. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. You can never tell what the Patriots are thinking, but it sure feels like he’ll be leaving New England.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs. The Titans will make a real effort to keep him.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, so he won’t lead all FA tackles in total money this year despite being our top-ranked free at the position.

That mantle, by all indications, will belong to Ricky Wagner who could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this past season in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Honorable mention: D.J. Fluker, A.Q. Shipley (C), Brian Schwenke (C)

Kevin Zeitler was the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 50 Free Agents list last week. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market this week.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Nick Mangold‘s injury woes are holding him back here. Apparently, some teams are asking him to play guard.

Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams.

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not a given that he’ll find another NFL home after getting released by the Panthers.

Wide receiver:

Alshon Jeffery has had two down years (by his standards) but he is still the cream of the wide receiver crop. His weak production and PED suspension in 2016 probably killed his chances of getting Dez Bryant-money, but he could still get a multi-year deal with a nice amount of guaranteed cash given the dearth of WR1 types available. Jeffery hasn’t set the world on fire lately, but plenty of GMs will chalk that up to the Bears’ quarterback situation.

Few saw Terrelle Pryor‘s standout season coming. The former Buckeyes quarterback now stands as one of the best pending free agent receivers out there. We would be surprised if the Browns allow him to reach the open market, but if he does get there, he’ll get money thrown at him by teams looking for a No. 2 wide receiver.

The Dolphins can replace Kenny Stills in-house and they need to save their dollars for Jarvis Landry‘s next deal, so we envision Stills testing the open waters. Despite his age, Pierre Garcon could reportedly garner $9MM+ per year on his next pact. Because of his maddening inconsistency, we have slotted Garcon one spot ahead of teammate DeSean Jackson. There’s also this: Jackson can break a game wide open with his blazing speed, but speed doesn’t usually age well. Jackson, who reportedly wants to return to the Eagles, turns 31 in December.

Each player ranked No. 6 through No. 9 here offers potential and question marks in equal measure. Those around Kenny Britt have been questioning his work ethic and attitude since his Rutgers days, but his talent is undeniable. Markus Wheaton appeared destined for big things as the Steelers No. 2 wide receiver last year before an early season shoulder injury landed him on IR. Cordarrelle Patterson has all the physical tools to succeed and he put himself on the map last year as a kick returner. Will some team out there sign him to a multi-year pact and try to mold him into a receiver? Michael Floyd‘s rocky year ended with a Super Bowl ring, though he was not on the active roster in Houston. Floyd will be looking for a one-year, prove-it deal and there will be teams curious to see if he can reprise his 2013 season.

Tight end:

Martellus Bennett sounds like a man who is eager to cash in on the open market. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it’s not clear if they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, but he is our top-ranked free agent tackle after turning in another stellar year.

Ricky Wagner could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this year in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Kevin Zeitler is the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 10 Free Agents list from late January. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market in March.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC North

September 4th, 2016 at 6:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North 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 Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. 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 North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:

Chicago Bears

Claimed:
- C Eric Kush (Link via Field Yates)
- CB Cre’Von LeBlanc (Link via Yates)
Signed:
- TE Logan Paulsen (story)
Waived:
- TE Khari Lee (story)
- C Cornelius Edison (Link via Brad Biggs)
- DB Demontre Hurst (Link via Biggs)
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Da’Vante Bausby (Link via Brad Biggs)
- LB John Timu (Link via Brad Biggs)
- QB Matt Barkley (Link via Adam Schefter)
- TE Ben Braunecker (Link via Chicago Bears)
- WR Daniel Braverman (Link via Chicago Bears)
- OT Jason Weaver (Link via Chicago Bears)
- RB Senorise Perry (Link via Chicago Bears)

Detroit Lions

Claimed:
- LB Thurston Armbrister (Link via PFT)
Placed on IR:
- LB Josh Bynes
Signed to practice squad:
- WR T.J. Jones (Link via Justin Rogers)
- RB George Winn (Link via Rogers)
- DB Charles Washington (Link via Dave Birkett)
- WR Jace Billingsley
- CB Alex Carter
- TE Brian Leonhardt
- OL Brandon Thomas (Link via Eric Branch)
- WR Isaach Fruehcte (Link via Darren Wolfson)
- QB Jake Rudock
- LB Steve Longa (Link via Birkett)

Green Bay Packers

Claimed:
- RB Jhurell Presley (Link via PFT)
Waived:
- RB Brandon Burks (Link via Rob Demovsky)
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Brian Price (Link via Rob Demovsky)
- WR Geronimo Allison (Link via Tom Silverstein)
- WR Herb Waters (Link via Silverstein)
- LB Carl Bradford (Link via Demovsky)
- LB Beniquez Brown (Link via Demovsky)
- OLB Reggie Gilbert (Link via Demovsky)
- G Blake Muir (Link via Demovsky)
- G Lucas Patrick (Link via Demovsky)
- CB Jermaine Whitehead (Link via Demovsky)

Minnesota Vikings

Signed to practice squad:
- WR Moritz Boehringer (Link via Chris Tomasson)
- CB Tre Roberson (Link via Chris Tomasson)
- G Willie Beavers
- TE Kyle Carter
- G Isame Faciane
- RB C.J. Ham
- DT Toby Johnson
- QB Joel Stave
- DE Stephen Weatherly
- S Shamiel Gary (Link via David Canter)

Bears To Sign Logan Paulsen

September 4th, 2016 at 4:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears have added some depth at tight end, as they’ve agreed to sign former Redskins tight end Logan Paulsen, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). To clear a roster spot, Chicago has waived fellow TE Khari Lee.

Paulsen, 29, had been with Washington since 2010, although a toe injury kept him off the field last season. Entering 2016, he found himself buried on the tight end depth chart behind Jordan Reed, Niles Paul, and Vernon Davis. Paulsen compiled 53 catches, 575 yards, and four touchdowns between the 2012 and 2013 season. He was released yesterday as the Redskins formulated their 53-man roster.

With the Bears, Paulsen will play behind veteran Zach Miller, and possibly vie for snaps with Greg Scruggs. Always regarded as a good blocker, Paulsen could fill the in-line tight end role while Miller serves as more of a pass-catcher.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Redskins Cut Jenkins, Paulsen, Down To 53

September 3rd, 2016 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

Cullen Jenkins‘ short tenure in Washington has come to an end. After having signed with the Redskins earlier this week, the veteran defensive end has been cut by the team, according to Mike Jones of The Washington Post (via Twitter). The 35-year-old has been in the league since 2004, and he started 14 games for the Giants in 2015.

Logan Paulsen (also reported by Jones) is another notable cut by the Redskins. The tight end has been on the squad since 2010, although a toe injury kept him off the field last season. Entering 2016, he found himself buried on the tight end depth chart behind Jordan Reed, Niles Paul, and Vernon Davis. The 29-year-old compiled 53 catches, 575 yards, and four touchdowns between the 2012 and 2013 season.

Rookie Matt Ioannidis wasn’t necessarily expected to play a large role on this year’s Redskins team, but most expected the fifth-round pick to make the squad. The defensive end was attempting to switch to defensive tackle, writes Jones, but the rookie “struggled with consistency.” The team ultimately opted for veteran Kedric Golston and undrafted rookie Anthony Lanier. Jones tweets that the defensive lineman should pass through waivers and land back on the Redskins’ practice squad.

The Redskins are now down to the 53-man limit several hours before the deadline. Here is the full list of the players that have been cut:

DL Cullen Jenkins
OL Isaiah Williams (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com)
OL Nila Kasitati (Twitter link via Keim)
OLB Mike Wakefield (Twitter link via Mike Jones of The Washington Post)
WR T.J. Thorpe (Twitter link via Keim)
DT Jerrell Powe (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com)
TE Logan Paulsen (Twitter link via Jones)
OL Vinston Painter (Twitter link via ProFootballTalk)
DE Matt Ioannidis (Twitter link via Jones)
OL Josh LeRibeus (Twitter link via Keim)
CB Lloyd Carrington (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post)
WR Maurice Harris (Twitter link via Jones)
LB Lynden Trail (via Jones)
RB Mack Brown (Twitter link via Keim)
WR Kendal Thompson (Twitter link via Jones)
OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via Keim)
FB Joe Kerridge (Twitter link via Keim)
LB Carlos Fields (Twitter link via Jones)
TE Marcel Jensen
QB Geno Matias-Smith (link via Jones and Tesfatsion)
CB Mariel Cooper
DE Corey Crawford

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Contract Details: Ayers, Shelby, Perry

March 14th, 2016 at 4:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few of the latest contract details from around the NFC on recently agreed-upon and signed deals. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…

NFC South:

Robert Ayers, DE (Buccaneers): Three years, $19.5MM. $10.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM roster bonus due on March 16. $2MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2018 league year. $550K annually in sacks incentives (Twitter links).
Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): Four years, $18MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. Annual $1MM base escalator from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
Matt Schaub, QB (Falcons): One year, $1.75MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $1MM in playing-time and 53-man roster incentives (Twitter link).

NFC East:

Tress Way, P (Washington): Five years, $7.8MM. $2.35MM guaranteed. $1.25MM signing bonus. Up to $400K in annual escalators from 2017 to 2020 (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
Nigel Bradham, LB (Eagles): Two years, $7MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $500K base escalator for 2017 (Twitter link).
Kyle WIlber, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $3.25MM. $1MM signing bonus. $1MM playing-time incentive (Twitter link).
Logan Paulsen, TE (Washington): One year, minimum salary benefit. $35K signing bonus. $45K bonus for being on 53-man roster for first game (Twitter link).

NFC North:

Nick Perry, OLB (Packers): One year, $5MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2.3MM base salary. Up to $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. $200K workout bonus. Up to $250K in incentives (Twitter links via Wilson and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
Marcus Sherels, CB (Vikings): Two years, $4MM. $1.5MM guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due on March 16. $100K in annual punt return average incentives. $50K annual Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter links).
Rafael Bush, S (Lions): One year, $2.4MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $900K in playing-time bonuses (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Don Muhlbach, LS (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).

NFC West:

Jermaine Gresham, TE (Cardinals): One year, $3.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses. $500K in incentives for stats, playing time (Twitter link).