Raheem Mostert

NFC Notes: Bucs, Byrd, Brooks

After taking a peek at a few AFC notes this morning, let’s have a look at some NFC links in advance of today’s flurry of waiver claims and practice squad news:

  • The Buccaneers are first in line to claim players waived by the 31 other teams in the league, and Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times says one position where the Bucs will likely add a player is defensive end. After placing Larry English on injured reserve and cutting backups Lawrence Sidbury and rookie Ryan Delaire, Tampa Bay currently has only three defensive ends on its roster.
  • We learned yesterday that Saints safety Jairus Byrd had avoided the regular season PUP list, meaning that he is eligible to play immediately when he is medically ready. As Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune observes, it is still unclear as to exactly when Byrd will be back, but the fact that he is on the 53-man roster indicates that he could be ready to go soon.
  • Ahmad Brooks will remain on the 49ers‘ 53-man roster as the league continues to monitor his criminal case, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. Head coach Jim Tomsula said he expects Brooks to play next week’s season opener, and the NFL issued a statement stating that it was not appropriate to place Brooks on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at this time.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com takes a closer look at some of the fallout from the Robert Griffin III drama in Washington. Keim notes that not everyone in the organization believes in Kirk Cousins, and Griffin’s biggest fan is team owner Dan Snyder. If Cousins gives Snyder a reason to believe in him, then Griffin may be traded or released. But if Cousins struggles, and there is plenty of reason to believe he will, the possible tension between ownership and the rest of Washington’s brass may be further illuminated.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com looks at five Washington starting jobs that could change hands this season, including quarterback (obviously), left guard, and strong safety.
  • If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Eagles will definitely sign RB Raheem Mostert to their practice squad, according to Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
  • The Lions, meanwhile, plan to sign Andrew Peacock to their practice squad today, according to a tweet from Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. Peacock cleared waivers last week.

Eagles Reduce Roster To 52 Players

Their decision to cut Tim Tebow will make the biggest headlines today, but the Eagles have made many more roster moves, and have not only reduced their roster to the maximum 53 — they’ve gone one further, getting down to 52 players.

As Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, there’s a good chance that 53rd spot will be filled in the coming days with a quarterback. After having cut Tebow and traded Matt Barkley, the club is carrying just two signal-callers, and wouldn’t mind adding some insurance for the oft-injured Sam Bradford.

Here are the rest of the Eagles’ cuts, per a press release:

  • WR Rasheed Bailey
  • G Brett Boyko
  • G Malcolm Bunche
  • CB Randall Evans
  • TE Andrew Gleichert
  • LB Najee Goode
  • WR Jeff Maehl
  • WR Freddie Martino
  • DE Brian Mihalik
  • G John Moffitt
  • RB Raheem Mostert
  • WR Quron Pratt
  • S Chris Prosinski
  • DE Travis Raciti
  • S Ed Reynolds
  • LB Deontae Skinner
  • P Kip Smith
  • TE Eric Tomlinson
  • C/G Julian Vandervelde
  • LB Diaheem Watkins
  • CB Jaylen Watkins

Eagles To Sign 16 Undrafted Free Agents

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer provides a list of the 16 undrafted free agents that have agreed to sign with the Eagles (Twitter links):

  • Rasheed Bailey, WR, Delaware Valley University
  • Brett Boyko, OG, UNLV ($10K bonus, plus $10K guaranteed salary, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Malcom Bunche, OG, UCLA
  • Mike Coccia, C, New Hampshire
  • Devante Davis, WR, UNLV
  • Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo, LB, Duke
  • Andrew Gleichert, TE, Michigan State
  • John Harris, WR, Texas
  • Cole Manhart, OG, Nebraska (Kearney) ($5K bonus, plus $10K guaranteed salary, per Wilson)
  • B.J. McBryde, DE, UConn ($5K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Raheem Mostert, RB/KR, Purdue
  • Travis Raciti, DE, San Jose State ($7.5K bonus, plus $10K guaranteed salary, per Wilson)
  • Denzel Rice, DB, Coastal Carolina
  • Kip Smith, P, Oklahoma State
  • Eric Tomlinson, TE, UTEP
  • Justin Tukes, TE, UCF

 

Extra Points: Winston, Gregory, Suh

Potential No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston‘s off-field troubles persist, with the former Heisman Trophy winner being sued over a sexual assault allegation, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Matt Baker on Twitter.

The suit was filed by the same woman who accused Winston of rape in December 2012, citing claims of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and “intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape,” Baker reports.

Attorneys for the woman filed a civil suit against Florida State in January. The Tallahassee Police Department did not charge Winston.

Here are some additional news items from around the league on Thursday.

  • Randy Gregory will visit the Titans on Friday, reports the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt on Twitter. The Titans have already worked out pass-rushers Vic Beasley, Dante Fowler Jr., and Shane Ray.
  • The Lions hosted Florida offensive lineman D.J. Humphries and all-purpose runner, receiver and returner Marcus Murphy of Missouri on pre-draft visits, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Humphries is viewed as a probable first-round pick, while Murphy may be a late-rounder or an undrafted free agent.
  • Utah offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi has drawn interest from at least 15 NFL teams, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. According to Caplan (via Twitter) that Poutasi has visits with the Buccaneers, Colts, Eagles, and others, and workouts with the Panthers, Chargers, Raiders, Giants, Titans, and 49ers. Caplan adds (via Twitter) that most clubs project the Utah product as a right tackle or left guard in the NFL.
  • Colorado State-Pueblo pass-rusher Darius Allen‘s been busy in his quest for an NFL shot, despite hailing from a Division II school. The outside linebacker/defensive end has visited the Cardinals and Colts and worked out for the Seahawks and Cowboys in addition to doing so for the aforementioned franchises, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • Western Carolina safety Ace Clark has been invited to participate in the Ravens‘ local pro day on Tuesday, Wilson reports.
  • Also from Wilson: Purdue running back Raheem Mostert had a private workout for the Chiefs (Twitter link).
  • CBS Sports’ Joel Corry examined how the recent mega-contracts for Ben Roethlisberger and Ndamukong Suh will affect the upcoming quarterback market, including the 2012 draft class. The former agent said agents of yet-to-be extended quarterbacks will use the Suh extension to their advantage, given that the new Dolphins defensive tackle is being paid like a high-level signal-caller. Suh’s $59MM fully guaranteed cash is far more than top-market QBs Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees received in their recent extensions.
  • Hoping for clarity heading into the draft on suspended wideout Justin Blackmon, the Jaguars received none from the NFL, according to Ryan O’Halloran from the Florida Times-Union on Twitter. The league office reportedly gave the NFL Players Association no timetable. Blackmon’s been suspended since November 2013.

Luke Adams contributed to this report