HEADLINES

Nick Novak

Texans To Sign Nick Novak, Cut Randy Bullock

September 29th, 2015 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Texans are the latest NFL team to make a change at the kicker position, having decided to part ways with Randy Bullock, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). Berman reports that the Texans are signing former Chargers kicker Nick Novak to replace Bullock.

Bullock, 25, has been the Texans’ kicker since the 2013 season, making 74.3% of his field goals in his rookie year before bumping up that mark to 85.7% in 2014. However, he had been inconsistent through three weeks this season, missing a 43-yard field goal and a pair of extra points.

Novak, meanwhile, had been the Chargers’ full-time kicker from 2011 to 2014, making 101 of his 117 field goal attempts (86.3%) during his time in San Diego, including 11 of 17 from 50+ yards. However, the 34-year-old was beaten out in camp this year by the younger, cheaper Josh Lambo, and was released by the Chargers earlier this month.

Novak beat out Connor Barth, Kai Forbath, Chris Boswell, and Giorgio Tavecchio – who all auditioned this week for the Texans as well – for Houston’s kicking job. As for Bullock, he’ll have to pass through waivers before he reaches free agency.

AFC Notes: Texans, Richardson, Bowe

September 28th, 2015 at 10:19pm CST by Zachary Links

With Randy Bullock looking shaky, the Texans will audition a number of kickers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston will take a look at Nick Novak, Connor Barth, Kai Forbath, Chris Boswell, and Giorgio Tavecchio as potential replacements, though it’s not a lock that they’ll sign one of those players.

Here’s more from the AFC..

  • The Jets haven’t heard from the league about more possible discipline for Sheldon Richardson and as of right now, coach Todd Bowles is operating under the assumption that he’ll be back on Monday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Despite the fact that he has yet to make his mark in Cleveland, Browns coach Mike Pettine says the team has not discussed cutting wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets.  Bowe had a $9MM guarantee on his deal and the team expects him to play this season.
  • Jets guard Willie Colon suffered a sprained knee on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.  Colon will likely be out this week and may miss more time beyond that.
  • Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth told reporterss, including Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, that length wasn’t the most important factor for him when it came to his extension. Whitworth only wanted to be in Cincinnati again and the length of the deal was apparently secondary.  He admitted that his family and other factors could influence decisions on future deals.  “I want Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Adam Jones and all these guys to know what it’s like to win a Super Bowl,” Whitworth said (link).

Nick Novak, Others Auditioning For Eagles

September 28th, 2015 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

12:07pm: Today’s tryouts are simply precautionary, according to head coach Chip Kelly (Twitter link). I speculated as much below, noting that the team could simply be attempting to identify a Plan B in case Parkey has to miss a game or two.

10:31am: Kai Forbath, Shayne Graham, and Carey Spear are also part of today’s workout for the Eagles, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

10:13am: Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reported earlier today that the Eagles would be auditioning kickers today after Cody Parkey re-aggravated a preseason groin injury during Sunday’s game, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has provided some additional details, tweeting that ex-Changers kicker Nick Novak is working out for Philadelphia.

After Marvez tweeted that there are at least two other free agents in attendance, Rapoport reported those names as well, tweeting that Caleb Sturgis and Billy Cundiff are getting a look from the Eagles. Connor Barth, Jay Feely, and ex-Eagle Alex Henery are among the other notable veteran kickers who are currently without NFL jobs, but it doesn’t sound like they’re being considered by Philadelphia.

Novak, 34, had been the Chargers’ full-time kicker from 2011 to 2014, making 101 of his 117 field goal attempts (86.3%) during his time in San Diego, including 11 of 17 from 50+ yards. However, he was beaten out in camp this year by the younger, cheaper Josh Lambo, and was released by the Chargers earlier this month.

Sturgis, meanwhile, was the Dolphins’ kicker for the last two seasons, but his performance was a little shakier, as he missed eight field goal attempts in each of his two seasons with the team, for an overall mark of 77.5%. He lost his job to Andrew Franks this year. As for Cundiff, he kicked for the Browns in 2013 and 2014, converting 78.2% of his field goal tries.

If Novak, Sturgis, or Cundiff impresses the Eagles, it won’t necessarily result in a deal — according to Marvez, it’s unclear whether Parkey will be healthy enough to kick for Philadelphia in the club’s Week 4 game against Washington. Today’s workout may just be a fact-finding mission to identify the best alternative in case Parkey’s groin ultimately keeps him out of action.

NFC Notes: Saints, Novak, Bowers, Panthers

September 7th, 2015 at 9:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are set to audition former Chargers kicker Nick Novak, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). As La Canfora notes, the Saints could use a veteran kicker and the 34-year-old would fit the bill for them. Novak made 22-of-26 field goals last year and is only two years removed from his best campaign, making 34-of-37 kicks in 2013. He also hasn’t missed more than four kicks in a season since his first in San Diego.

  • Former Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers will work out for the Panthers, according to a source who spoke with Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. Bowers, a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, was released by the Buccaneers over the weekend. In his four seasons with the Bucs, Bowers has totaled just seven sacks. Last year he had one sack in 11 games, including two starts.
  • In order for the Seahawks to get the Cowboys’ seventh-round pick in 2016, Christine Michael will have to be on the 46-man gameday roster three times this season, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Michael came to the Cowboys over the weekend in a deal that will help strengthen up a group of running backs that includes Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar.
  • If quarterback Ryan Griffin wasn’t claimed by the Buccaneers this week, he would have wound up joining the Browns, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns were the only other team to put a claim in on Griffin.
  • Lions GM Martin Mayhew said that he plans on signing a quarterback to the practice squad, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets. A signing could happen as soon as Tuesday.

Chargers Cut Nick Novak

September 5th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The preseason play of undrafted rookie Josh Lambo brought a changing of the guard in San Diego, with the Chargers deciding to part ways with veteran Nick Novak, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken (on Twitter).

A Texas A&M product, Lambo will provide an edge on kickoffs in possessing a stronger leg than Novak, who is free to sign with any team in being a vested veteran.

Novak, 34, was the Bolts’ kicker the past four seasons. Prior to that, he bounced around the league, playing nonconsecutive stints from 2005-2010.

Novak made 22-of-26 field goals last year and is only two years removed from his best campaign, making 34-of-37 kicks in 2013. He hasn’t missed more than four kicks in a season since his first in San Diego.

 

AFC Notes: Pats, Iosefa, Levitre, Chargers

September 3rd, 2015 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Until the NFL’s slate of Week 4 preseason games gets underway tonight, there’s only one story dominating the headlines, and that’s Judge Richard Berman’s decision to vacate Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension today. We’ll have a few more reactions and notes on that decision coming up later this afternoon, in the wake of the NFL’s announcement that it will appeal the ruling.

In the meantime, let’s check in on a few more items from around the AFC, including an additional tidbit on Brady’s Patriots….

  • The Patriots are bringing in fullback Joey Iosefa for a visit and a workout today, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Iosefa is the rare draftee who didn’t survive his team’s first round of cuts this week — he was selected in the seventh round by the Buccaneers in May.
  • While there’s been some speculation that veteran Titans guard Andy Levitre is on the verge of losing his roster spot in Tennessee, it sounds like the team will keep him as a backup, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Levitre will earn a base salary of $6.5MM this season and will have a cap hit of $8.6MM. Those figures remain the same in 2016 and 2017, so he’ll be a release candidate going forward.
  • Rooke kicker Josh Lambo has shown he deserves to be on every general manager’s emergency short list, but Nick Novak is the clear choice for the Chargers‘ job as the team makes its cuts to 53 players, writes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.