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Michael Mauti

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South

September 6th, 2015 at 5:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South 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 Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers 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 South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Vikings Reduce Roster To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 5:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Having acquired offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles from the Chargers earlier today, the Vikings needed to remove 23 players from their active roster, as the league moved from 75-man rosters down to 53-man squads. Minnesota announced all of its moves in one go, issuing a press release that features 22 cuts, along with cornerback Jabari Price heading to the reserve/suspended list.

Here are the players cut today by the Vikings:

  • T Babatunde Aiyegbusi
  • DT Chigbo Anunoby
  • DE B.J. Dubose
  • G Isame Faciane
  • C Tom Farniok
  • WR Donte Foster
  • WR Isaac Fruechte
  • S Anthony Harris
  • RB DuJuan Harris
  • DT Greg Hickman
  • DE Leon Mackey
  • LB Michael Mauti
  • LB Brian Peters
  • CB Shaun Prater
  • FB Blake Renaud
  • CB Josh Thomas
  • T Tyrus Thompson
  • C Bobby Vardaro
  • LB Brandon Watts
  • WR Ryan Whalen
  • RB Dominique Williams
  • OL David Yankey

Minor Moves: Wednesday

December 10th, 2014 at 7:15pm CST by Luke Adams

As NFL teams get their 53-man rosters in order for Week 15’s slate of games, we’ll round up Wednesday’s minor transactions in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Seahawks have signed defensive end David King from the Bengals practice squad, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. The defensive end, who was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, was signed by Cincinnati in August.

Earlier updates:

  • The Cowboys continue to shuffle pieces to and from their roster and practice squad, with team executive Stephen Jones indicating that defensive end Kenneth Boatright is the latest taxi squad player to receive a promotion, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Dallas now has a full 53-man squad.
  • The Panthers have released quarterback Matt Blanchard from their injured reserve list, now that he’s been deemed healthy, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Person adds in a second tweet, Blanchard sustained a severe concussion during a preseason game and wasn’t cleared for more than two months.
  • Having waived defensive back Roc Carmichael yesterday, the Eagles filled the opening on their roster today by adding another player to their secondary. The team announced (via Twitter) that it has signed safety Jerome Couplin from off the Lions‘ practice squad. Couplin originally signed with Detroit back in May as an undrafted free agent out of William and Mary.
  • Like the Eagles, the Vikings have also poached a player from another club’s practice squad, plucking offensive tackle Carter Bykowski away from the 49ers, per a team release. To make room for the incoming signee, Minnesota has placed linebacker Michael Mauti on the injured reserve list.
  • Washington completed a series of roster moves on Tuesday that left the team with an open spot on its 53-man roster, and the club has now signed cornerback Justin Rogers to once again max out the squad (Twitter link). Rogers was one of several players to work out for Washington earlier this week.

Vikings Notes: Ponder, Turner, Greenway

August 20th, 2014 at 5:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

While Christian Ponder is reportedly open to a trade, he has not asked the Vikings’ management or coaching staff for one, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter).

Ponder was in the running to be the team’s starter earlier this offseason, sharing first-team reps, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. More recently, he has been relegated to the third string as Matt Cassel and first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater continue to compete for the starting spot.

While he would like a chance to start, he is saying the right things as he has accepted his current role with the team, according to Tomasson.

“I’m learning so much right now. I do feel like it’s beneficial for me to be right here right now,” said Ponder. “As a competitor, though, you want to be the guy that’s out there playing. But I do feel like in the situation I’m in right now, I am getting better though I’m not playing.”

Here are some other notes from around Vikings organization:

  • Ponder may no longer be in contention in Minnesota, but the team has yet to announce an official depth chart at quarterback. However, offensive coordinator Norv Turner may have revealed a bit about his selection process, writes Jim Souhan of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Cassel will start the season opener, and will remain the start if he is healthy and performing well. Bridgewater will be inserted into the lineup only when he is ready. “I know Teddy’s getting himself ready to play,” said Turner. “And he’s got to be ready to play, because this league is tough on quarterbacks. You can be in there real fast.’’
  • New head coach Mike Zimmer is enjoying his new chess pieces on defense, trying to balance his versatile players while installing his fundamental system, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. “It’s a little bit of, ‘What can the guy do and still be effective?'” Zimmer said. “Once I feel like we have the fundamentals down and the techniques down, then you can worry about tricking somebody else or disguising. You don’t always have guys like Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Brian Robison that can do a number of different things. Those three guys can stand up and drop, play outside linebacker and rush.” 
  • Linebacker Chad Greenway missed practice with a wrist injury, allowing second-year player Michael Mauti to get some extra reps, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Mauti is still on the bubble, but a strong performance in Greenway’s absence could go a long way to help him make the team.
  • While Mauti fights to make the team, and Zimmer tries to find ways to use his other defensive players, the Vikings are still looking for a third linebacker to step up and take the middle linebacker spot, writes Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com. Jasper Brinkley and Audie Cole are fighting to earn that spot. “Jasper seems to be a little bit more communicative and Audie seems to have a little more range. As far as the running game they’re very close and the passing game they’re similar,” Zimmer said. “You have to look at all the different things: how it affects the rest of the guys on the team; you have to look at their blitz ability; their communication on different formations that you get. There’s so many variables with that position that goes into it that you just kind of overall look at it.”
  • Griffen is not letting any of the scheme and roster uncertainty get in the way of the basics, writes Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. After signing a huge contract to remain with the team, he knows the basic philosophy of the defense will be to get after the football. “We’re going to be in attack mode and we’re going to be able to play,” Griffen said. “Just go out there and have fun. Football’s fun.”