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Luke McCown

Sunday Roundup: Hardy, L. McCown, Welker

November 8th, 2015 at 12:47pm CST by Rory Parks

As this week’s games get underway in full force, let’s take a look at some notes from around the league:

  • Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times, citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter, reports that the Buccaneers put together a contract structure for Greg Hardy that the Cowboys ultimately mirrored, but Tampa Bay’s contract was contingent on the club meeting with Hardy for evaluation. Once it became clear that such a meeting was not possible, the Bucs pulled the offer (Twitter links).
  • Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune writes that Saints backup quarterback Luke McCown will get a second opinion on his back injury this week, but Terrell’s source indicates that McCown will likely require season ending surgery. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the news is fairly significant, as New Orleans has never had to rely on a rookie to back up Drew Brees.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that free agent wide receiver Wes Welker is still waiting for his phone to ring, and that he has passed both physicals he has taken this year. He wants to play for a contender, and he has instructed his agent to reach out again to the teams on his list to see if there is a fit.
  • ESPN’s Jane McManus tweets that the NFL’s investigation into Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel‘s recent encounter with police is expected to conclude this week. McManus notes that the police report and various witness testimony have complicated the investigation.
  • Although there was more league-wide effort to make a deal prior to this year’s trade deadline than in seasons past, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that only one trade was made because the demand from sellers was too great. The Browns and 49ers in particular asked for compensation that rival executives believed was unreasonable.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a detailed look at the 2016 wide receiver free agent class and the types of contracts some of the bigger names in the class can expect to land. Fitzgerald says the best player on that list, Alshon Jeffery, is better equipped to handle a franchise tag should the Bears go that route because he is so young and the tag will not impact the way teams view his future as long as he remains healthy.
  • ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that the Jaguars are likely to part ways with Toby Gerhart at season’s end.
  • Likewise, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com believes Jon Beason has played his last game for the Giants (Twitter link).

NFC Notes: RGIII, Packers, Saints

August 29th, 2015 at 11:46am CST by Ben Levine

The Packers will have some work to do in the next couple of weeks as they look to reduce their current 88-man roster to 53. Even though they need to trim a third of their preseason roster, general manager Ted Thompson told Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com that he’ll still be eyeing the waiver wire prior to the regular season.

“We look, like everybody else,” Thompson said. “We do a lot of that work and we do it every week, so it’s non-stop because games are played on Monday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday, so it’s non-stop. We’re always trying to catch up.”

“It could be guys that you would potential consider trading for or putting in a claim for or that sort of thing. It runs the gamut because you’re kind of guessing what the home team, so to speak, wants to do with a player. The home team might love this player and you know you’re not going to get your hands on him, so you move on. At the same time, you find guys from time to time where the teams aren’t quite as attached to.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

  • Washington general manager Scot McCloughan is “determined to change [the] team culture,” reports ESPN.com’s Ed Werder (via Twitter). Those changes would include moving on from quarterback Robert Griffin III.
  • Kirk Cousins may not only be starting this evening’s preseason game for Washington, as ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini tweets that the plan is to have the former fourth-rounder start Week 1.
  • Evan Woodbury of NOLA.com writes that wideout Willie Snead‘s strong preseason has put the player in a position to make the Saints. “I think he’s done well. He’s very competitive. He’s got some real good football instincts,” said coach Sean Payton. “He’s right there in the thick of it, competing for playing time, competing for a roster spot. He made a couple of plays tonight. He’s doing a good job.”
  • Drew Brees‘ role as the Saints number-one quarterback is obviously safe, and rookie Garrett Grayson seems to have a solid hold on the number-three spot. That leaves Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin competing for the backup spot, and Woodbury writes that McCown appears to be leading the competition.
  • Former Canisius power forward Chris Manhertz is trying to catch on with the Saints as a tight end, and Brett Martel of the Associated Press writes that the former Bills project is using Jimmy Graham (a former basketball player) as inspiration. “Absolutely,” Manhertz said. “It’s really amazing to see how smoothly (Graham) made the transition and where he’s at now, and playing at a high level.”

NFC Notes: 49ers, Armstead, Briggs, Saints

May 24th, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest regarding a pair of NFC teams:

  • The 49ers are hoping their roster is so deep that first-round defensive end Arik Armstead doesn’t start contributing on the field until 2016, according to of Paul Gutierrez ESPN.com. Armstead might have to make his mark this year, though, as the 49ers’ defensive line took a big hit with the recent retirement of Justin Smith. Veteran Darnell Dockett is expected to be San Francisco’s No. 1 right end, which could leave the left side open for Armstead, Gutierrez notes.
  • Smith’s retirement freed up cap room for the 49ers, but Gutierrez doesn’t necessarily think they’ll use it this year. The team could sign free agent linebacker Lance Briggs, whom it has expressed interest in, but Gutierrez doesn’t expect it to happen unless Briggs comes cheap. Moreover, the Niners have 13 players entering contract years – Aldon Smith, Alex Boone, Anquan Boldin, and Vernon Davis among them – so they have to watch out for the long term.
  • Quarterback Ryan Griffin‘s roster spot with the Saints is in jeopardy after they used a third-round pick on Garrett Grayson. Nonetheless, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes Griffin still has a chance to beat out Luke McCown as one of the team’s top three QBs. The winner of the Griffin-McCown battle will likely be the No. 2 behind Drew Brees, leaving Grayson to develop as a No. 3, while the Saints are expected to be cut the loser.
  • Free agent wide receiver Kris Durham told Sirius XM NFL Radio that he worked out for the Saints, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. It was reported earlier this week that Durham worked out for the Cowboys. The four-year veteran has played for the Seahawks, Lions, and Titans during his career, hauling in 55 passes and three touchdowns.

Saints Re-Sign Luke McCown

February 5th, 2015 at 10:45am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have re-signed backup quarterback Luke McCown to a one-year deal worth $970K, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune. The base salary is the minimum for a ten-yer veteran. McCown received an $80K signing bonus, and $350K in guarantees, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

McCown, like many backup signal-callers, is something of a journeyman, having spent time with the Browns, Buccaneers, Jaguars, and Falcons in addition to the Saints. All told, he’s attempted 317 NFL passes, completing 184 for 2,035 yards and nine touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Originally a fourth-round pick by Cleveland in 2004, the 33-year-old McCown has spent the last two seasons as New Orleans’ No. 2 behind Drew Brees, attempting just one pass during that stretch.

According to Woodbery, McCown will compete with third-year player Ryan Griffin for the backup position. The two staged a similar competition last year, which McCown won, relegating Griffin to the practice squad for much of the season. McCown will now remain in the same division as his older brother, Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown.

Saints Notes: Roster Moves, Goodwin, Griffin

August 25th, 2014 at 9:52pm CST by Rory Parks

There are a few Saints-related items to pass along this evening:

Roster Moves

  • The team has released LB Victor Butler, tweets Kristian Garic of WWL 870am., thereby saving $1.5MM in cap space. Mike Triplett of ESPN.com was trying to confirm the release as of the time of this post.
  • The Saints have informed OL Manase Foketi that he will be waived, tweets Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.

Other notes

  • Woodbery writes that the team’s kicking competition between Shayne Graham and Derek Dimke has not been decided, and head coach Sean Payton said that the battle will go down to the wire.
  • In a separate piece, Woodbery breaks down how the new practice squad rules affect different members of the Saints’ roster.
  • Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune believes the Saints’ center battle is over and that Jonathan Goodwin has earned the starting job over Tim Lelito.
  • In the same piece, Holder writes that it is “increasingly evident” that the Saints will open the season with three quarterbacks. Even though Ryan Griffin has outperformed Luke McCown, the team does not appear ready to part with McCown, who has worked with the first-team offense in every preseason game thus far. Payton said that Griffin will see “plenty of action” in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Ravens.

Extra Points: Fairley, Wallace, Vaccaro

August 16th, 2014 at 12:50pm CST by Matt Feminis

Lions enigmatic defensive tackle Nick Fairley has quickly worked his way into new head coach Jim Caldwell’s doghouse. Fairley been demoted to the second unit, and if that was meant to be a motivational ploy, it doesn’t seem to be working. In his review of the Lions’ second preseason game, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said Fairley “might as well have not even played. Watching Fairley intently throughout the second quarter, he rarely got any push up front and only once stumbled into a tackle.”

Here’s a handful more miscellaneous news and notes from around the league:

  • Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez took an insightful look into Mike Wallace‘s slow adjustment to joining the Dolphins. Things are looking up, though, in Year Two, according to head coach Joe Philbin: “The comfort level [Wallace] has with the entire program is miles ahead of where he was a year ago at training camp. Maybe we underestimated just the sheer adjustment of a player moving from one program to another. I think he’s more comfortable in the locker room and with the coaching staff and feels better about his relationships with the quarterbacks.”
  • Saints second-year safety Kenny Vaccaro is establishing himself as a defensive playmaker and leader by example, writes Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune: “[Vaccaro] might have the most swagger of any Saints defender since Darren Sharper. He’s good — and he knows it. And that’s not a bad thing. The Saints’ defense is loaded with alpha males, but Vaccaro is elbowing his way to the head of the pack.”
  • Ryan Griffin is making a legitimate run at becoming Drew Brees‘ backup, according to ESPN’s Mike Triplett. A second-year pro, Griffin went undrafted out of Tulane, but earned a spot on the practice squad before spending the final 10 games on the active roster. “Griffin, 24, continues to show a combination of poise and confidence that belies his lack of experience,” says Triplett. If the Saints are to keep just two quarterbacks, they will have to choose between Griffin’s upside and experience of 33-year-old veteran Luke McCown.
  • Rookie nose tackle Louis Nix III is one of five Texans Houston Chronicle writer John McClain will be watching tonight. Nix practiced this week for the first time since having his knee scoped before camp. “They expect him to compete for a starting job,” says McClain. “They traded into the third round to get Nix (6-2, 331), who has the ideal build for a 3-4 nose tackle who’s supposed to tie up two blockers…If Nix stays healthy and keeps his weight under control, he can be an ideal fit for Romeo Crennel’s scheme.”
  • Ravens defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore, a teammate of Nix III at Notre Dame, suffered a torn Achilles tendon, had surgery yesterday and is expected to be sidelined 6-8 months, reports Aaron Wilson in the Baltimore Sun. The injury is a tough break to say the least for Kapron-Moore, who also missed last season because of a torn ACL suffered in the 2013 BCS Championship against Alabama.

Saints To Re-Sign Luke McCown

March 26th, 2014 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with backup quarterback Luke McCown, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). The announcements comes on the heels of head coach Sean Payton expressing this morning that he’d like the club to re-sign the veteran signal-caller.

McCown, who has also played for the Browns, Bucs, Jaguars, and Falcons, will be returning to New Orleans for a second season. In 2013, the 32-year-old didn’t see much action behind a healthy Drew Brees, appearing in just three games for the Saints. McCown misfired on his only pass attempt of the season.

The Saints also have youngster Ryan Griffin under contract, and Payton had high praise for him this morning as well (Twitter link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com). Still, McCown will probably enter the summer as the favorite to be Brees’ primary backup.

Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but McCown undoubtedly won’t make out as well as his older brother Josh McCown, who signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Bucs earlier this month. Luke’s contract is more likely to be a minimum salary benefit deal, which is what he played on in 2013.

Saints Rumors: Graham, Lorig, McCown

March 26th, 2014 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

There was speculation after Jimmy Graham received the franchise tag from the Saints a few weeks ago that the standout pass catcher could draw interest from a team willing to part with two first-round picks to sign him, but so far nothing has materialized. Instead, Saints head coach Sean Payton believes Graham will eventually reach a long-term agreement with the club, suggesting that “a lot of us feel it’s not a matter of if, but when” (Twitter link). Here are a few Wednesday updates related to Graham and more Saints-related issues:

  • Payton tells Pro Football Talk that he believes a deal with Graham before the grievance deadline of April 22 is likely. However, the head coach believes the franchise tag system is “antiquated” and said this morning that it was only a matter of time before a player like Graham battled his position designation (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
  • The Saints didn’t go into free agency intending to sign a fullback, but jumped at the opportunity to sign a “very good” football player in Erik Lorig, said Payton (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett).
  • According to Payton, New Orleans will always pay attention to quarterbacks in the draft, but the club would like to re-sign veteran backup Luke McCown (Twitter links via Triplett).
  • Tim Lelito will be in the mix at center for the Saints, according to Payton, but the situation is still unfolding and the club could bring in a veteran (Twitter link via Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune).
  • Payton also said today that there’s always a premium on cornerbacks and pass-rushers, and teams always have interest in adding another one (Twitter link via Holder).

NFC South Notes: Saints, Falcons, Panthers

February 4th, 2014 at 7:20pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com’s Insider-only breakdown of 50 pressing questions for the 2014 NFL offseason focuses on areas of concern for each of the league’s 32 teams, including all four NFC South squads. Among the key topics to monitor, according to the ESPN scribes: Whether there’s any chance the Saints let Jimmy Graham get away, whether or not Mike Glennon is the Buccaneers‘ starting QB going forward, and what weapons the Panthers might add to help complement Cam Newton. Here are a few more Tuesday items from around the NFC South:

  • While the Saints may not need a new No. 1 wide receiver, the club needs to start re-stocking the shelves at the position, with a number of the incumbents entering their 30s, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett. In a separate piece, Triplett also assesses the Saints’ needs at the linebacker position.
  • The Falcons may look into acquiring a veteran backup for Matt Ryan this offseason, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who says that free-agent-to-be Luke McCown “still has admirers” within Atlanta’s front office.
  • GM Dave Gettleman and the Panthers have switched scouting services for the draft, moving from National Scouting to BLESTO, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina is now one of eight teams associated with BLESTO, one of the services that acts as a co-op in pooling scouting information leading up to the draft.