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Major Wright

Minor Moves: Saturday

December 20th, 2014 at 5:29pm CST by Rob DiRe

We will keep track of all of Saturday’s minor transactions here. As usual, newest moves will be added to the top as they come in:

  • The Seahawks have made a change to their 53-man roster, placing tight end Rashaun Allen on waivers and promoting offensive lineman Keavon Milton from their taxi squad, tweets Brian McIntyre. Milton will provide some depth on Seattle’s offensive line as the team prepares to be without Russell Okung and Max Unger this weekend in Arizona.

Earlier updates:

  • Earlier today, the Raiders placed Tarell Brown on injured reserve. The team has signed linebacker Spencer Hadley off of its practice squad to fill Brown’s roster spot, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • The 49ers have placed rookie inside linebacker Chris Borland on the injured reserve, reports Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The team has promoted outside linebacker Chase Thomas from its practice squad.
  • The Buccaneers have placed safety Major Wright on injured reserve, reports Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). The team has promoted cornerback C.J. Wilson from the practice squad to the active roster to fill his spot.
  • The Dolphins have signed wide receiver Matt Hazel off of the practice squad to the active roster, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has released linebacker Jake Knott to make room for Hazel.

Buccaneers Notes: McCoy, Smith, Barron

October 29th, 2014 at 10:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Buccaneers signed defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to a big money extension earlier this week, with initial numbers reported to be $98MM over seven years, with $51MM guaranteed. While more information trickled out about the details of the contract, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports has more information on the specifics, which he released in a series of tweets. He reports that $20.3MM of that total will be earned in 2014, and the rest of the money is paid out on a pay-as-you-go system. It only becomes guaranteed in the event of injury.

La Canfora gives out how much money will be owed going forward. “McCoy will make $11.5M in 2015 ($5m base/$6.5 roster bons). $12.5M in 2016 ($6M/$6.5M). $13.75M in 2017 (all base salaries), $12.75M 2018, $13M in 2019.” He also notes that McCoy will have base salaries of $10MM in 2020 and 2021, with an additional $2.5MM in roster bonuses.

Overall, after the contract guarantees kick in on the third day of the 2015 league year, the contract becomes a three year, $44.3MM deal at its minimum.

Here are some other notes from around the Buccaneers:

  • Head coach Lovie Smith does not believe the team is bereft of talent after deadline deals saw a few key players move to new teams, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “The move we made gave us the best chance to win right now. … Yeah, we picked up draft picks on both of those players — moved up on one and picked up (picks) on the other,” said Smith. “But no, it’s not about the future. Yeah, it’s always about the future, but it’s about our current roster. As I said, you don’t trade players unless you feel pretty good about the other players you have.” Smith also noted that moving on from former first-round pick Mark Barron will give Major Wright and Bradley McDougald a chance to shine. Smith said Wright has been playing as well as any safety on the roster, and praised McDougald’s future as a star on the defense. He also mentioned his desire not to have any player who was one-dimensional, saying he wanted his safeties to be able to play both the pass and the run.
  • Speaking of Barron, the Rams should be very happy with the player they acquired, writes Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He considers the trade the first move of the 2015 offseason, and believes that the Rams will correctly use him as an in-the-box safety to strengthen the run defense. He writes that in 2012 Barron was the ninth ranked safety against the run in the box by Pro Football Focus.
  • With the exit of Barron, the Buccaneers are left with only three first round picks on the roster, the others being McCoy, this year’s pick Mike Evans, and Adrian Clayborn (who is on the IR), according to Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. (However, Doug Martin was also drafted in the first round, with the team trading back into the first round to grab him in 2012.) Guard Logan Mankins, defensive end Larry English, and cornerback Mike Jenkins are also first-rounders, although they were acquired via trade and free agency. Altogether, the first rounders have played 1,699 snaps, third worst in the NFL after the Jaguars and Raiders. Those three teams are a combined 2-20 this season.
  • The Buccaneers also made a big splash in free agency this offseason, but those investments have not paid dividends, writes Yasinskas. Anthony Collins, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Josh McCown, and Michael Johnson have all disappointed, while Alterraun Verner and Clinton McDonald have merely been solid.

Buccaneers Re-Sign Major Wright

September 3rd, 2014 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have officially placed rookie running back Charles Sims on the injured reserve with the designation to return, clearing a roster spot to re-sign veteran safety Major Wright, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). Wright was among Tampa Bay’s final cuts when the team reduced its roster from 75 players to 53.

As the Bears’ full-time starter at strong safety last season, Wright grabbed a pair of interceptions, and racked up more than 100 tackles, but earned the dubious honor of ranking dead-last out of 86 qualified safeties, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). According to PFF’s data, quarterbacks completed 77.8% of their passes when throwing at Wright’s coverage, with a QB rating of 146.8.

Still, 2013 may have been an aberration for the former third-round pick. In Chicago under Lovie Smith, who is now the Bucs’ head coach, Wright’s PFF grades looked significantly better in 2011 and 2012, and at age 26, there’s still room for growth.

NFC Links: Boone, Packers, Spillman, Wright

August 31st, 2014 at 10:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some extra notes out of the NFC on this Sunday evening…

  • ESPN’s Ed Werder notes (via Twitter) that the $2MM added to Alex Boone‘s deal with the 49ers means the player is guaranteed no franchise or transition designation when his contract expires.
  • The Packers currently have a pair of backup quarterbacks for Aaron Rodgers in Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien. That hasn’t prevented the team from auditioning other quarterbacks, as ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the team worked out Jeff Mathews, Pat Devlin and Jon Jennings earlier today.
  • Former 49ers special teams ace C.J. Spillman is on his way to Dallas to presumably sign with the Cowboys, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
  • Rapoport also (via Twitter) predicts that safety Major Wright, who was cut by the Buccaneers yesterday, will be on an NFL roster by the start of the season.
  • Lache Seastrunk was informed at the last minute that he wouldn’t be added to the Redskins practice squad, tweets The Washington Post’s Mike Jones. The team cited that they wanted to go in a “different direction.”

Bucs Cut Mike Kafka, Major Wright, Others

August 30th, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Luke Adams

6:05pm: The Buccaneers have officially announced their roster moves (via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com), revealing their final cut:

Instead of releasing Ronald Talley and Major Wright, the team placed the duo on injured reserve.

5:09pm: The Buccaneers have yet to officially announce their full list of cuts to get down to 53 players, so for now we’ll have to rely on various reports to determine which players are no longer on the rest. After yesterday’s series of moves, seven more cuts have been reported so far today, meaning the team has to make just one more move to get from 54 to 53 players. Here’s the list so far:

South Notes: Bucs, Draft Visits, Jaguars

April 8th, 2014 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

We’ve already checked in on a pair of AFC South teams this morning, with posts on the Titans and Jaguars, but there are a few more items related to teams in that division and its NFC counterpart, so let’s dive right in….

  • As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details, wide receiver Mike Williams is determined to prove that the Buccaneers made a mistake by trading him to the Bills, and claims that not all of the stories about his off-field incidents are actually true.
  • The torn ACL suffered by Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas occurred during a private workout with the Saints, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
  • According to Wilson (Twitter links), Lavelle Hawkins and Major Wright both received minimum salaries from the Buccaneers, though Hawkins didn’t get a signing bonus, while Wright got one worth $65K.
  • Ball State cornerback Jeff Garrett will work out for the Colts on April 16, tweets Wilson.
  • We rounded up reports this morning of several notable prospects who are visiting the Jaguars, but we didn’t quite get them all. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that the team is also hosting BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy and Notre Dame defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt while Ed Werder of ESPN.com says (via Twitter) Blake Bortles is due to visit on Thursday.

NFC Notes: Bell, Wilson, Vaughn

April 7th, 2014 at 1:57pm CST by Matt Feminis

Cardinals safety Yeremiah Bell is likely to retire despite the team offering him a one-year contract, reports Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Phoenix (via Twitter). A Dolphins sixth-round pick in 2004, Bell, 36, spent eight years in Miami before joining the Jets in 2012 and the Cardinals in 2013. He played all 16 games in each of the last six seasons, starting all but one contest. Pro Football Talk provides additional perspective on a remarkable career which began when Bell decided to walk on at Eastern Kentucky.

Bell’s retirement would leave the Cardinals with Tyrann Mathieu at free safety and Tony Jefferson or Rashad Johnson at strong safety. However, the secondary has struggled to handle tight ends in coverage, and it would not be a surprise if the team added a bigger, more athletic, more physical safety in the draft.

In other NFC news and notes…

  • David Wilson would be an ideal No. 2 back for the Giants, but he’s coming off career-threatening neck surgery and his availability is unknown, writes Ralph Vacchiano in the New York Daily News.
  • Meanwhile, the Giants still have questions at three of five spots on their offensive line, in the opinion of ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.
  • Losing starting center Brian De La Puente to the Bears didn’t surprise the Saints, as they seemingly chose to go another direction, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett, who details De La Puente’s replacement options.
  • The Lions have agreed to a one-year deal with cornerback Cassius Vaughn, reports Aaron Wilson of National Football Post (via Twitter). Vaughn, 26, played all 16 games (four starts) last season for the Colts, recording 30 tackles, six passes defended, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
  • Oregon running back/receiver/returner De’Anthony Thomas (otherwise known as “Black Mamba”) will visit the Bears tomorrow, per Ross Jones of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Thomas displayed speed, quickness and playmaking ability in Oregon’s prolific spread attack, but concerns about his size, durability and work ethic could push him into the middle rounds. Thomas’ skill set seems to fit with the Bears, who are in need of a speedy compliment to their large receivers, as well as a replacement for Devin Hester.

Bucs Notes: Wright, Hawkins, Bridgewater

April 7th, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Buccaneers made it official with Major Wright and Lavelle Hawkins, tweeting the signings here and here. Last week, Luke Adams detailed Wright’s poor performance in Chicago, but the Bucs are hoping for a rebound from the 25-year-old safety who reunites with head coach Lovie Smith.

Other Bucs bits:

  • After trading away Mike Williams, the team has to address the receiver position in the draft because, “They have Vincent Jackson and almost nothing else,” says ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas.
  • Yasinskas also relays news that kicker Connor Barth, who missed last season because of a torn Achilles tendon, has been cleared medically.
  • Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is visiting the Bucs today, according to Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is also visiting, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Fiedorowicz will head to the Jets next.

Buccaneers To Sign Major Wright

April 4th, 2014 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

3:47pm: The Bucs and Wright have agreed to terms on a one-year contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

3:39pm: Free agent safety Major Wright will sign with the Buccaneers, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms (via Twitter) that the team is expected to lock up Wright, who is on track to become the latest ex-Bear to join former Chicago head coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay.

As the Bears’ full-time starter at strong safety last season, Wright grabbed a pair of interceptions, and racked up more than 100 tackles, but earned the dubious honor of ranking dead-last out of 86 qualified safeties, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). According to PFF’s data, quarterbacks completed 77.8% of their passes when throwing at Wright’s coverage, with a QB rating of 146.8.

Still, 2013 may have been an aberration for the former third-round pick. Under Smith, who is now the Bucs’ head coach, Wright’s PFF grades looked significantly better in 2011 and 2012, and at age 25, there’s still plenty of room for growth.

FA Visits: Heyward-Bey, Wright, Ayers, Coleman

April 1st, 2014 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard this afternoon that veteran cornerback Champ Bailey is in New Orleans to meet with the Saints, but Bailey’s trip to Louisiana isn’t the only free agent visit that has been reported today. Let’s round up a few more….

  • Former top-10 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Wednesday, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The former Raider grabbed 29 balls last season for the Colts.
  • Free agent safety Major Wright will meet with his old head coach Lovie Smith as he visits the Buccaneers today and tomorrow, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Wright himself tweeted that he’s looking forward to seeing “familiar old faces in Tampa,” while Rapoport adds that the Bucs will look to sign the 25-year-old before he leaves town.
  • Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange passes along word of a pair of New York free agent visits, tweeting that the Giants hosted defensive end Robert Ayers and safety Kurt Coleman met with the Jets. Ayers was linked to the Giants earlier in the offseason.