HEADLINES

Montee Ball

Browns Interested In Montee Ball

September 9th, 2015 at 8:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Broncos running back Montee Ball has spoken to several teams, including the Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). At this time it’s still uncertain where he’ll land, Cabot adds.

Ball, cut by the Broncos earlier this week, is now a free agent after clearing waivers. A Heisman finalist while at Wisconsin in 2011, Ball was selected by Denver in the 2013 draft, and was expected to be inserted as the starting running back in the Broncos’ high-powered offense. But over the course of two seasons, Ball was never able to secure a role as the No. 1 back, losing the job to Knowshon Moreno in ’13 and C.J. Anderson in ’14. All told, Ball saw less than 200 carries during his time with the Broncos, and totaled less than 800 yards on the ground.

On Monday, we learned that the Falcons are among the clubs with interest in Ball. The 24-year-old could also be a fit for teams like the Titans and Cowboys, but we have yet to hear of reported interest from either one of those clubs.

 

Falcons Express Interest In Montee Ball

September 7th, 2015 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons are among the teams that have expressed interest in running back Montee Ball, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Ball, who was cut by the Broncos yesterday, is set to become a free agent today if he clears waivers.

A Hesiman finalist while at Wisconsin in 2011, Ball was selected by Denver in the 2013 draft, and was expected to be inserted as the starting running back in the Broncos’ high-powered offense. But over the course of two seasons, Ball was never able to secure a role as the No. 1 back, losing the job to Knowshon Moreno in ’13 and C.J. Anderson in ’14. All told, Ball saw less than 200 carries during his time with the Broncos, and totaled less than 800 yards on the ground.

Still, Ball is just 24 years old, and has some upside. Teams with unsettled running back situations, such as the Titans, Browns, or Cowboys could kick the tires on the ex-Bronco even if they don’t place waiver claims.

As for the Falcons, it looks like they could head into the season with rookies Tevin Coleman and Terron Ward as their only healthy backs, with Devonta Freeman said to be still nursing a hamstring injury.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC West

September 6th, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC West 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 Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers 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 AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed:
    • OL Jah Reid (link)
  • Claimed off waivers:
  • Cut:
  • Signed to practice squad:

Oakland Raiders

San Diego Chargers

  • Signed to practice squad (press release):
    • TE Alex Bayer (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
    • CB Greg Ducre
    • WR Javontee Herndon
    • G Michael Huey
    • LB Ryan Mueller
    • S Adrian Phillips
    • QB Brad Sorensen (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken)
    • RB Dreamius Smith
    • DT Damion Square

Broncos Waive Montee Ball

September 6th, 2015 at 1:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After being drafted in the second round just two seasons ago, running back Montee Ball is now unemployed, as the Broncos have waived the 24-year-old, according to Mike Klis of 9 News (Twitter link).

A Hesiman finalist while at Wisconsin in 2011, Ball was selected by Denver in the 2013 draft, and was expected to be inserted as the starting running back in the Broncos’ high-powered offense. But over the course of two seasons, Ball was never able to secure a role as the No. 1 back, losing the job to Knowshon Moreno in ’13 and C.J. Anderson in ’14. All told, Ball saw less than 200 carries during his time with the Broncos, and totaled less than 800 yards on the ground.

Still, given his draft pedigree, it wouldn’t be surprise to see another club take a shot on Ball via waivers. His base salaries for the next two seasons total less than $2MM, so his price isn’t terribly high. A rumor on Friday indicated that the Cowboys were discussing a deal involving Ball, and although that report was ultimately disputed, Dallas still could make sense as a landing spot, even though they already acquired Christine Michael earlier today.

Ball becomes the second notable member of the Broncos offense to be cut today, joining center Gino Gradkowski.

Extra Points: Ball, Patriots, Giants, Savage

September 4th, 2015 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Vic Lombardi of CBS4 and Benjamin Allbright of AM1340 in Denver (Twitter links) have heard that the Cowboys and Broncos are discussing a potential trade involving running back Montee Ball, who has slipped down the depth chart in Denver. However, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link) cites a Cowboys source who says no trade talks are occurring, and Star-Telegram colleague Charean Williams tweets that Dallas would likely only be interested in Ball if he’s released.

The Cowboys have been adamant throughout the offseason that they likes their running backs, though acquiring Ball on the cheap seems more like a more realistic option for the team than signing a veteran free agent.

As we wait to see if anything materializes for the Cowboys, let’s round up some odds and ends from around the NFL…

  • As expected, the Patriots don’t intend to try to recoup the $1MM fine or the two draft picks they lost as a result of DeflateGate, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Team owner Robert Kraft made the decision months ago not to fight the penalties, and even after Tom Brady‘s win in court, it would be a major uphill battle, since teams aren’t protected by the same CBA rules as players.
  • The Giants will spend the next couple days looking for safeties, either via trades or waiver claims, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That’s no surprise, considering the position looked a little thin even before the team lost several safeties to injuries.
  • The Texans got some good news on quarterback Tom Savage, who left Thursday’s game with a shoulder injury. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), Savage just sustained a severe sprain, and won’t require surgery. Houston’s third-string QB is expected to miss at least four to six weeks, and head coach Bill O’Brien indicated today that the club will consider signing another QB for the roster or practice squad (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Asked if the Cardinals have any interest in their former defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, who was released today by the 49ers, head coach Bruce Arians said his club isn’t interested “at this point,” per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
  • Former Bears long snapper Rick Lovato is trying out for the Dolphins, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Broncos Place Montee Ball, Quinton Carter On IR

December 13th, 2014 at 1:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Montee Ball‘s disappointing season has come to an end, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the Broncos will place their second-year running back on the injured reserve. Ball will join Quinton Carter on the season-ending list, with linebacker Danny Trevathan and tight end Dominique Jones taking the two open roster spots.

Coming off a rookie season where he rushed for 559 yards and four touchdowns, Ball faced various ailments from the start of his second campaign. Despite undergoing an appendectomy during the preseason, he was the team’s featured back through the first month of the season. He suffered a groin injury in the Broncos’ early-October victory over Arizona, forcing him out of the lineup for more than a month. He made a brief return in a November loss to the Rams, but his groin injury lingered.

As Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo notes (via Twitter), the emergence of C.J. Anderson allowed the team to end Ball’s season early. Anderson and the injured Ronnie Hillman have combined for 1,347 all-purpose yards and ten touchdowns this season, while Ball compiled 234 yards and a touchdown in five games. While the former second-rounder hasn’t lived up to expectations since entering the league, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) have not been overly critical of the running back.

Carter showed a lot of promise when he entered the league in 2011, starting 12 games as a rookie. The Oklahoma product spent the next two seasons recovering from knee surgery, and he was used primarily as a backup nickel safety this season. Klis notes in his report that Carter’s career with the Broncos could be finished, as the 26-year-old is set to be a free agent at the end of the season.

Trevathan played two games for the Broncos earlier this season before succumbing to a knee injury. The third-year pro was subsequently placed on the IR-DTR. Trevathan will likely slide back into a backup role with Denver, one season after finishing with more than 100 tackles.

Jones’ promotion is insurance in case Julius Thomas or Jacob Tamme are limited this weekend. The tight end has bounced around a bit since entering the league in 2011, spending time with the Colts, Dolphins, Chiefs and Bills.

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 12th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While we don’t cover every injury here at Pro Football Rumors, we will keep track of injuries to key players that could force teams to make important roster moves. We’ll update the following list throughout the day:

  • Giants nickel back Trumaine McBride told reporters tonight, including Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link), that he has a dislocated thumb, which figures to sideline him for multiple weeks.
  • Eagles running back Darren Sproles left tonight’s game against the Giants with a knee injury, and as Doug Farrar of SI.com tweets, NBC’s Michele Tafoya reported that the tests adminstered to Sproles’ MCL and ACL by the team left the running back “pretty unhappy.” We should have a clearer idea of the prognosis for Sproles on Monday.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets fear that starting right guard Brian Winters will be sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, a sources tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The team will conduct tests tomorrow morning to determine whether or not that’s the case.
  • Sam Shields believes he avoided a major knee injury today, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Losing Shields would’ve been a costly blow for the Packers, who re-signed the cornerback to a lucrative long-term deal during the offseason.
  • Milliner is believed to have torn his Achilles, tweets Rapoport; the second-year corner would obviously miss the remainder of the season if true.
  • The Browns believe Mack has suffered a significant leg injury, and expect him to “miss extended time,” reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Currently, the Browns have moved right guard John Greco to center, with Paul McQuistan taking over at RG. We’ll certainly have more on this situation as more news is relayed.
  • Patriots running back Stevan Ridley has been ruled out for the day with a knee injury. Per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter), Ridley’s “ankle bent in a way no one wants their ankle to bend.”
  • The Bengals linebacking unit has taken another hit, as Rey Maualuga had to be carted off the field with a leg injury, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of the the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Speaking on FOX, Jay Glazer provided an update on Broncos running Montee Ball, who will miss an additional 3-4 weeks with a groin injury.
  • The Browns excellent offensive line has taken a hit, as center Alex Mack had to be carted off the field with a left ankle injury, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. ESPN.com’s Tony Grossi adds (on Twitter) that an air cast was applied to Mack’s ankle, an indication that the injury could be serious.
  • Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo is out for the day after suffering a knee injury that forced him to be carted off the field, according to John Clayton of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • After suffering two concussions already this season, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict left today’s game after taking a hit to the head; another concussion could shelve Burfict for some time.
  • 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner is out for the rest of the Jets’ game against the Broncos after suffering a non-contact injury to his ankle.

Injury Updates: Monday

October 6th, 2014 at 5:42pm CST by Luke Adams

As is typically the case on Mondays, teams around the NFL are receiving updates on injured players, and while in some instances that news is reassuring, that’s not always the case. Here are a few items related to injuries that may force clubs to make roster moves:

  • As feared, Titans safety Bernard Pollard has a ruptured Achilles and will miss the rest of the season, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. While the team has yet to officially make a move, we can expect Pollard to hit IR at some point this week.
  • A pair of Ravens are expected to miss multiple weeks, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com, who writes that cornerback Asa Jackson suffered a severly sprained toe, while defensive end Chris Canty is dealing with an infection in his wrist. Head coach John Harbaugh indicated today that the club’s current plan is to place Jackson on the injured reserve with the designation to return. The team will also look to add a cornerback in his absence, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Broncos running back Montee Ball suffered a strained groin, and could miss up to three weeks, head coach John Fox said today (Twitter link via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com).
  • The Giants figure to be without running back Rashad Jennings for the near future, as the offseason signee confirmed today that he sustained a sprained MCL (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News). While Jennings should remain on the 53-man roster, the team could bolster the running back position by promoting Michael Cox from the practice squad, notes Vacchiano (via Twitter).
  • The Jets got a scare when linebacker David Harris injured his shoulder, but an MRI showed no structural damage and he’s considered day-to-day, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post.

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 5th, 2014 at 10:57pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are some injuries that occurred during Sunday’s game action:

  • Chargers‘ center Doug Legursky left the blowout victory over the Jets with a knee injury, and Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego reports that he will likely be out much longer (via Twitter).
  • The Jets also lost a key member of their team, with linebacker David Harris suffering a shoulder injury, reports Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). He will undergo an MRI tomorrow.
  • Calais Campbell‘s injury reported earlier was an MCL injury, and will keep him out between three and four weeks, reports Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).

Earlier Updates:

  • Saints‘ star tight end Jimmy Graham suffered a sprained shoulder during the team’s overtime victory against the Buccaneers earlier today. The team is going into their bye week, which should give the All-Pro pass catcher time to recover. Graham hopes to return to the field the following week against the Lions.
  • Titans‘ safety Bernard Pollard left the locker room using crutches, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean (via Twitter). The team fears that he has torn his achilles, writes Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. Pollard will have an MRI on Monday.
  • Titans‘ starting quarterback Jake Locker has also faced an injury, being forced out of the team’s loss at the hands of the Browns. Locker injured his thumb in the game, and while X-rays were negative, he will have an MRI on Monday, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.
  • Giants‘ running back Rashad Jennings is set to have an MRI on his knee tomorrow, but believes the injury is not serious, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
  • There have been a number of injuries for the Cardinals during their matchup against the Broncos. Starting quarterback Drew Stanton, who was already filling in for an injured Carson Palmer, has been forced out of the game with a concussion, reports Mark Dalton of the Arizona Cardinals (via Twitter). Rookie Logan Thomas has replaced him in the game. The team does not have an emergency quarterback left on their roster. Defensive end Calais Campbell has also been removed from the game with a knee injury, reports Lindsay Jones of USA Today (via Twitter).
  • The Broncos have not been unscathed so far, losing running back Montee Ball to a groin injury, reports Chris Cwik of CBS Sports.
  • The Chargers have also experienced some key injuries despite building a big lead over the Jets. Tackle D.J. Fluker and receiver Malcolm Floyd have both left the game with lower leg injuries, and failed to return, reports Eric Williams of ESPN (via Twitter). Running back Donald Brown also left the game with a concussion, writes Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego (via Twitter).

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Ball

August 4th, 2014 at 5:49pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raiders have released an early version of their depth chart, and one of the big surprises is the absence of new addition James Jones from the first string, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Jones is expected to lead the group in production, but was listed as a part of the second string.

Here are some other notes from around the western divisions:

  • While he did analyze the Raiders‘ depth chart, Bair did say not to put too much stock in such an early version, even though he believes it will give some insight into the team’s plans at kick returner and punt returner (via Twitter).
  • Rahim Moore and Derek Wolfe are back on the field and impressing the Broncos‘ coaches, as they have taken starting jobs, at least for now, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Both players finished last season missing games due to injury.
  • Broncos‘ running back Montee Ball had his appendectomy today, but the team expects him to be ready for the first game of the season against the Colts, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).