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Phillip Thomas

Bills Cut K Dan Carpenter, Others

March 6th, 2017 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they have parted ways with a number of players, including kicker Dan Carpenter. Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, long snapper Garrison Sanborn, tight end Gerald Christian, and safety Phillip Thomas were also shown the door.

Buffalo’s kicker from 2013-16, Carpenter was slated to carry a $2.937MM cap number for 2017. In his first year with Buffalo, he nailed 92% of his field goal attempts. However, his numbers have been slipping in recent years. In 2015, he missed six of the recently-elongated extra points and bricked five more in 2016. Last year, Carpenter made only 76% of his field goal tries, so his release doesn’t come as a huge shock.

Collectively, these cuts will create $6.1MM in additional cap space for the Bills, inflating their total past $24MM.

Robey-Coleman served as a sporadic starter in Buffalo, breaking with the Bills’ first unit 15 times during his four seasons with the team. The 25-year-old former UDFA signed a two-year deal to stay in Buffalo in 2015, and this release could create a bit of a market for his services. He was set to make $2.1MM this season. Buffalo will save $1.65MM as a result of this release.

While profiling as a lower-tier player than Stephon Gilmore or Ronald Darby, Robey-Coleman graded out as the Bills’ best cornerback, per Pro Football Focus, in 2016. In 573 snaps, PFF slotted Buffalo’s slot man as its No. 33 overall corner. A former USC standout, Robey-Coleman intercepted two passes last season, forced a fumble and scored a defensive touchdown. As a result of this release, the Bills could well be without their Nos. 1 and 3 corners from 2016. Gilmore is expected to move on in free agency.

Sanborn spent eight seasons in Buffalo and was one of the team’s longest-tenured performers. The 31-year-old played his entire career up to this point with the Bills. Buffalo signed Reid Ferguson to a reserve/futures contract after the season, and it appears the team will go with a younger cog as its long snapper. He played in 128 straight games for the Bills dating back to the 2009 season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/21/16

June 21st, 2016 at 4:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL…

  • Bills safety Phillip Thomas reverted to injured reserve after being waived-injured and clearing waivers, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • The Lions have waived offensive tackle Dominick Jackson, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Detroit signed Jackson on June 1 as a UDFA out of Alabama, but he wound up lasting less than a month with the team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/17/16

June 17th, 2016 at 4:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL. We’ll make sure to keep this updated as more moves come in…

  • The Bills have signed offensive tackle Justin Renfrow and waived/injured safety Phillip Thomas, per Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links). Renfrow, who tried out for the Bills during their minicamp, will now join his fifth NFL team since going undrafted from Miami in 2014. The Bills are the third organization for Thomas, who was the Redskins’ fourth-round pick in 2013. Thomas’ only action in the league came when he appeared in eight games (four starts) as a member of the 2014 Redskins.
  • The Lions have waived wideout Corey Washington from the injured reserve, tweets ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. The former undrafted free agent out of Newberry College tweaked his hamstring during OTAs, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The 24-year-old has five career catches for 52 yards and one touchdown.
  • The Jets have signed receiver Kyle Williams, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. To make room on the roster, the team cut wideout Quenton Bundrage. Williams, who auditioned for the Jets during minicamp, has 47 career catches, although he hasn’t seen the field since the 2013 season. The 27-year-old ruptured his achilles last season while playing for the Broncos, although he stuck around long enough to win a Super Bowl ring. Bundrage was an undrafted rookie out of Iowa State.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/16

January 4th, 2016 at 7:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that the 2015 regular season is in the books, teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts, adding those players to their 90-man offseason rosters. Generally, these players finished the season on a team’s practice squad, though some were free agents at season’s end.

Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:

Atlanta Falcons signed four players (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)

Baltimore Ravens signed seven players (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun):

  • Brennen Beyer, LB
  • Leon Brown, G
  • Nordly Capi, DE
  • Blaine Clausell, T
  • Chuck Jacobs, WR
  • Nick Perry, S
  • Harold Spears, TE

Buffalo Bills signed seven players (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)

Chicago Bears signed nine players (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune):

Cleveland Browns signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Dallas Cowboys signed eight players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Denver Broncos signed four players (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9NEWS)

Detroit Lions signed five players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Jacksonville Jaguars signed nine players (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union):

Miami Dolphins signed one player (link)

  • Tyler Davis, WR

New Orleans Saints signed five players (link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune):

New York Giants signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Philadelphia Eagles signed seven players (Twitter link via team):

San Diego Chargers signed six players (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)

Seattle Seahawks signed three players (Twitter link via Wilson)

  • Andrew East, LS
  • Ronnie Shields, TE
  • Phillip Sims, QB

Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed nine players (link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times):

  • Josh Allen, G
  • Andre Davis, WR
  • Antoine Everett, G
  • Ben Gottschalk, C
  • Gerod Holliman, S
  • Martin Ifedi, DE
  • Derrick Lott, DT
  • C.J. Roberts, CB
  • Joel Ross, CB

Tennessee Titans signed five players (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com):

  • David Fluellen, RB
  • Kevin Greene, TE
  • Nick Harwell, WR
  • Josue Matias, G
  • Will Poehls, T

Washington signs three players (link via team):

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/30/15

December 30th, 2015 at 9:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: DE/OLB Xzavier Dickson (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: G Leon Brown (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun)

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Diego Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: DT Justin Hamilton (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: S Gerod Holliman, CB C.J. Roberts, CB Joel Ross (press release via team)

Workout Notes: 12/16/15

December 16th, 2015 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy last couple of days around the NFL, with teams still looking to fill up their squads for the rest of the season. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweeted a whole bunch of workout notes this afternoon, which we’ve compiled for you below…

Arizona Cardinals

  • CB Mitchell White (link)

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Read more

Workout Notes: Steelers, Bucs, Colts, Browns

December 9th, 2015 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

British rugby player Tom Burgess has continued his wave of tryouts for NFL clubs, per Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that Burgess worked out for the Steelers today. Burgess, who’s also auditioned for the Giants, Jets, and Bills, could be line for a futures contract at the end of the season, following in the footsteps of fellow international star Jarryd Hayne.

Here’s at look at the rest of today’s workouts as clubs seek to get a feel for available free agents and update their emergency lists:

  • The Buccaneers worked out several players today, including linebacker Willie Jefferson, cornerback Garry Peters, defensive end Nordly Capi, and cornerback De’Vante Bausby, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Peters, a Clemson alum, was a favorite UDFA of several draftniks this spring.
  • Running back Daniel Thomas is searching for new opportunity after being released by the Bears earlier in the year, and he earned a tryout with the Colts today, per Wilson (on Twitter). Thomas, whose most notable time came with the Dolphins, could be an option for Indianapolis, who is looking to replace the injured Ahmad Bradshaw.
  • The Browns brought in three players for an audition, says Wilson (via Twitter), who reports that receivers R.J. Harris and Marcus Lucas, plus safety Phillip Thomas, worked out for Cleveland. A fourth player involved in the tryout — defensive back Tim Scott — was signed to the club’s practice squad yesterday.
  • A large group of receivers worked out for the Seahawks, including Rashaad Carter, Desmond Lawrence, Jordan Leslie, Colin Lockett, and Larry Pinkard, in addition to quarterback Dustin Vaughan, per Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Bears visited with receiver Kyle Prater, who was a Saints UDFA out of Northwestern earlier this year, according to Wilson (Twitter link). Prater, 23, was named the No. 1 receiver of the 2010 recruiting class.

East Notes: Cameron, Washington, Bills

November 10th, 2015 at 6:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron wants a bigger role in the team’s offense, but he won’t demand it either, as Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald writes. Cameron came to Miami as a free agent this offseason and signed a two-year, $15MM pact with $5MM fully guaranteed. However, midway through his first season in Miami, he has just 20 catches and 263 receiving yards with 43 total targets. When asked if he’s gone to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor to demand a bigger role, he didn’t offer up a direct answer.

“All I know is, not that I do what I’m told, but in football, you’re asked to do different things and your role may change,” Cameron said. “Some weeks they throw you the ball. Some weeks they don’t. It’s one of those things that you’ve got to be mentally prepared for. It’s a tough adjustment, but I’ve been in the NFL long enough. It’s about being a pro and being professional about the role you’re given.”

Cameron is under contract through 2016 and his cap number jumps from $4.6MM this year to $9.5MM next year. However, the Dolphins would be on the hook for just $2MM of that if they cut him.

Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC East:

  • Washington tried out running backs Cyrus Gray and Storm Johnson, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Gray, who turns 26 in a little over a week, appeared in 35 games with the Chiefs from 2012 through 2014. Johnson, 23, had some hype in his rookie season but never took control of the running game as some expected him to. The former seventh-round pick was dropped by the Jags on Sept. 5th.
  • The Bills tried out defensive backs Jonathan Dowling and Phillip Thomas over the weekend, Wilson tweets.
  • Linebacker Jasper Brinkley could prove to be a key signing as the Giants make their playoff push, James Kratch of The Star-Ledger writes. Brinkley fell to the Giants when the Cowboys cut him at the end of training camp, despite having given him a two-year, $2MM guaranteed deal in the offseason. Brinkley got off to a slow start, but he had a strong showing against the Bucs over the weekend.

Workout Notes: Brown, Cadet, Jets

October 6th, 2015 at 7:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Could two notable free agent running backs find an NFL home soon? The Colts auditioned Bryce Brown and the Jets worked out running back Travaris Cadet, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

Brown, 24, has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was unable to stick with the Bills this year. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a grand total of 126 yards off of 36 carries.

Cadet, 26, was signed by the Pats as a free agent in March of this year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder spent the last three seasons with the Saints and saw time in only one Pats game this year before his release in late September.

Here’s a look at today’s workouts..

  • The Jets worked out defensive tackle Davon Coleman, linebacker Julian Stanford, and defensive back Phillip Thomas, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Giants worked out four tight ends on Tuesday, including their former fourth-round pick Adrien Robinson, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Packers worked out former Illinois tight end Matt LaCosse today, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
  • Kicker Marvin Kloss worked out for the Buccaneers, Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports tweets. Of course, the Bucs wound up going with Connor Barth as their new placekicker.

Tryout Notes: Chiefs, Browns, Patriots

September 26th, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted tryout notes from around the NFL…

  • The Chiefs worked out a trio of players this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): defensive tackle Jimmy Staten, quarterback Cole Stoudt and wideout Rasheed Bailey (as had been previously reported). Staten, a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2014, has already spent time with the Giants and Patriots this season. Stoudt, a former standout at Clemson, had previously spent time on the Chargers practice squad.
  • In addition to working out Jerry Rice Jr., Wilson reports (via Twitter) that the Browns also auditioned receivers Rannell Hall and Uzoma Nwachukwu and safeties Robert Lester, Phillip Thomas and Tyrequek Zimmerman.
  • Tight end Brian Leonhardt worked out for the Patriots earlier this week, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN (via Twitter). An undrafted free agent in 2013, Leonhardt compiled six catches for 35 yards and a touchdown with the Raiders in 2014. The 25-year-old has previously auditioned with the Vikings, Jets and Eagles.
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