Ross Cockrell - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/22/16

January 22nd, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.

The Steelers signed cornerback Ross Cockrell to a one-year extension, Teresa Varley of Steelers.com reports. An exclusive-rights free agent, Cockrell will return to the Steelers for a second season after signing in Pittsburgh in 2015. The 24-year-old corner started in seven Steelers games this season after the 2014 fourth-round pick was a non-factor with the Bills as a rookie. Cockrell snared two interceptions and deflected 11 passes this season.
The Patriots promoted linebacker Kevin Snyder to their active roster, Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal tweets. The 23-year-old UDFA hasn’t played in an NFL game yet. Jerod Mayo landed on IR earlier this week, and Snyder’s promotion fills that roster spot. New England also listed 16 players — including linebackers Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Jonathan Freeny and Darius Fleming — as questionable for its AFC championship matchup in Denver this week.

Steelers Trim Roster To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have become the NFL’s first team to formally announce its roster moves to get down to 53 players in advance of this afternoon’s deadline. According to a team release, Pittsburgh has made the following moves:

Cut:

RB Jawon Chisholm
DL Matt Conrath
S Jordan Dangerfield
S Alden Darby
OL Reese Dismukes
OL B.J. Finney
CB Kevin Fogg
LB L.J. Fort
LB Shayon Green
RB Josh Harris
DL Ethan Hemer
S Gerod Holliman
LB Howard Jones
OL Doug Legursky
WR Shakim Phillips
DL Mike Thornton
CB B.W. Webb
WR Jarrod West

Waived/injured:

OL Kelvin Palmer
OL Mitchell Van Dyk

Those 20 cuts would get the Steelers down to 54 players from 75, since the team also traded punter Brad Wing yesterday. The club has also officially signed cornerback Ross Cockrell, bringing the roster count to 55. The final two moves will be to add running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant to the reserve/suspended list to start the year.

Bills Release Fred Jackson, 11 Others

August 31st, 2015 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

9:58am: In addition to Jackson and the three other players noted below, eight other players have been cut by the Bills, getting the team’s roster count down to 77 players. Here are today’s other cuts in Buffalo, per a team release:

Michael Buchanan, DE
Justin Hamilton, DT
Ellis Lankster, CB
Kenny Ladler, S
Wes Miller, S
D.J. Morrell, G
Cedric Reed, DE
Ricky Seale, RB

9:15am: The Bills’ first series of roster cuts this week includes a bit of a shocker, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has released veteran running back Fred Jackson. While Buffalo had a crowded depth chart at the position, it was expected to be a younger back, rather than Jackson, who became a casualty of the roster crunch.

Jackson, who debuted with the Bills in 2007 and had been with the team since then, is the league’s oldest running back, at age 34. Despite his age, Jackson doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his legs, since he started his career late and has split carries with other backs throughout his tenure with the Bills. Over the course of his eight-year career, Jackson has compiled 5,646 rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns on 1,279 carries. He’s also a capable receiver out of the backfield, setting a career high in 2014 with 90 targets.

While Jackson was slowed by a hamstring injury earlier in the training camp this year, he looked good in his preseason debut this weekend, carrying the ball five times for 48 yards. But rather than playing out the final year of his contract with the Bills, Jackson will be looking for a new team. Had he remained on Buffalo’s roster, he would have been due a base salary of $2.35MM, so the team saves a little money by releasing him. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Jackson wasn’t asked to take a pay cut before he was released.

Following the Bills’ acquisition of LeSean McCoy in March, multiple reports indicated that Jackson would remain on the roster, but it seems the team had a change of heart after assessing its options this summer. With Jackson no longer in the picture, McCoy will be backed up by Karlos Williams, Boobie Dixon, and Bryce Brown.

Jackson won’t have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent, so he’ll have the chance to sign with a new team immediately. He figures to draw some interest from teams in need of a veteran back around the NFL — the Browns come to mind as one logical suitor.

The Bills figure to announce their full list of cuts down to 75 players either today or tomorrow, but some other names have started to trickle out as well. Agent Brett Tessler tweets that edge defender Andrew Hudson has been cut by the Bills, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the team has also waived offensive lineman Terren Jones. Last year’s fourth-round pick, cornerback Ross Cockrell, has been waived too, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Signings: Bills, Colts, Jets, Seahawks

May 15th, 2014 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After a handful of draft picks agreed to terms with their respective teams this morning, several more have done so this afternoon. You can check out our tracker to keep tabs on which players have signed. Here’s the latest:

Fourth-round Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell was one of three Bills to sign his contract with the club today, according to the team. Seventh-round picks Randell Johnson and Seantrel Henderson have also inked their deals.
The last of five Colts picks, seventh-round offensive tackle Ulrick John, has signed with Indianapolis, per Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). John should receive a signing bonus of about $58K on a four-year contract worth $2.278MM, as Jason Fitzgerald’s numbers at OverTheCap.com show.
The Jets continue to put a dent into their draft class of 12 players, signing sixth-rounders Quincy Enunwa and IK Enemkpali today, according to a pair of press releases. Having been chosen back to back at Nos. 209 and 210, Enunwa and Enemkpali should be on identical four-year contracts, which include signing bonuses of about $79K (link via Fitzgerald).
7 Sports Group, the agency for former San Diego State safety Eric Pinkins announced today (via Twitter) that their client has agreed to terms with the Seahawks on his rookie deal. The sixth-rounder will be in line for a signing bonus of about $88K, according to Fitzgerald.

AFC North Notes: Burfict, McCarron, Steelers

April 22nd, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

When longtime Bengals defensive leader Domata Peko spoke yesterday about the teammates he hopes the team locks up to long-term deals, he identified Vontaze Burfict in addition Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. As important as Dalton and Green are to Cincinnati’s offense, you could make a strong case that Burfict is just as integral on the other side of the ball. Last season, the 23-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl nod, racking up an impressive 177 tackles to go along with three sacks, two fumbles, and an interception.

Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Bengals are indeed engaged in extension talks with Burfict, who is in line for a $570K salary in 2014. The Arizona State product is eligible for restricted free agency after the ’14 season, which means the Bengals would still be in the driver’s seat for re-signing him, but presumably the club would prefer not to let it get to that point.

Let’s check out a few other items from out of the AFC North….

Following A.J. McCarron’s visit with the Browns today, the Alabama quarterback will continue a mini-AFC North tour by heading to Baltimore to see the Ravens on Wednesday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that McCarron would privately work out for the Rams next week.
The Steelers are hosting Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell for a pre-draft visit today, according to ESPN.com’s Scott Brown (via Twitter). Cockrell projects as a likely mid- to late-round pick.
Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, the brother of Shane Vereen, has met with a number of teams in advance of the draft, including the Steelers and Bengals, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Falcons, Vikings, Colts, Panthers and Jaguars have also met with the younger Vereen.

Draft Notes: Savage, Lions, Bills, Falcons

April 3rd, 2014 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2014 NFL draft now just five weeks away, you can expect at least one round of draft updates per day from us, and often it’ll be more. Here’s Thursday’s afternoon updates on a few prospects and the NFL teams that are eyeing them:

The stock of Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage is on the rise, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com, who says Savage has had workouts with nine NFL teams so far and has another seven scheduled for this month (Twitter links).
Martavis Bryant certainly isn’t the biggest name among the Clemson receivers in this year’s draft class, but he seems to be drawing some interest from the Lions, who hosted him for a pre-draft visit today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
The Bills announced two more pre-draft visits today, revealing that Clemson defensive back Bashaud Breeland and Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell were in town on Thursday.
Speaking of Breeland, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears that the Falcons are high on the Clemson DB. Pauline adds that the team is at Liberty University today, working out cornerbacks Walt Aikens and Kevin Fogg.
Kansas State safety Ty Zimmerman recently met with Falcons defensive backs coach Joe Danna, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Middle Tennessee State defensive tackle Jimmy Staten will visit the Chargers next week, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
The cousin of Cardinals running back Andre Ellington, South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, has a pre-draft visit scheduled with the Cards, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.