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Ryan Taylor

NFC Notes: Panthers, Vikings, Saints, Falcons

June 15th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

Panthers coach Ron Rivera admits that Fletcher Cox‘s massive new deal with the Eagles doesn’t help the Panthers’ cause in trying to lock up Kawann Short, Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review writes.

“This is the hard part right now is what’s going on in the league,” Rivera said. “I think some of these contracts are unbelievable as far as what I’m seeing and hearing.”

Word is that the Panthers may not be willing to go above $15MM/year for their standout defensive tackle. Cox, meanwhile, will average nearly $17.2MM per season on his new deal with a great deal in the way of guarantees early on in the pact.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • The Vikings can’t seem to find the right counterpart for Harrison Smith at safety, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who lists Michael Griffin, Andrew Sendejo, Anthony Harris, Antone Exum, and Jayron Kearse as contenders for the job. Right now, there’s no word as to whether the Vikings could look out-of-house to help bolster the group. Griffin, 31, is the most experienced of the bunch by far, and given that he excels in coverage, he might be the favorite to line up opposite Smith. “One thing I try not to do, especially in OTAs where we’re not in pads, is try to jump to some kind of conclusion of who should be the starter,” said head coach Mike Zimmer of the competition. “I’ll kind of let that play out in camp.”
  • Veteran defensive end Darryl Tapp tried out for the Saints on Tuesday, as Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune tweets.
  • The Falcons are trying out wide receiver Donatella Luckett, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • UDFA tight end Ben Braunecker has a real good shot to make the Bears‘ roster, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Braunecker was seen working with Chicago’s second-team offense during OTAs.
  • The Bears are trying out tight end Ryan Taylor and defensive lineman Marquise Jackson, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Bears Working Out Tony Moeaki

June 9th, 2016 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are looking to shore up the tight end position and their auditions today included a familiar name. Chicago is taking a look at a group of TEs, including Tony Moeaki, a source tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Undrafted free agent Terenn Houk (BYU) and former Packers tight end Ryan Taylor are also being auditioned by Chicago. The other tight ends in the workout are not known at this point. Tony Moeaki (vertical)

Moeaki, 29, appeared in 11 games with the Falcons last season. The veteran first burst on the scene in 2010 when he caught 47 passes for 556 yards and three touchdowns. After losing his 2011 season to a torn ACL, Moeaki rebounded in 2012 to catch 33 passes for 453 yards and one score. The former third-round pick has also had stints with the Bills and Seahawks.

Houk played wide receiver in college, but Biggs says the Bears asked him to add some weight and focus on his blocking after rookie minicamp so that he could transition to wide receiver. Across the last two seasons at BYU, Houk recorded 58 receptions for 731 yards and four touchdowns. Taylor, 28, played for Green Bay from 2011 until fall of 2014 and appeared in 50 games during that span. Taylor hooked on with the Browns and Ravens in 2014, but he has not been in the NFL since.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Workout Notes: Patriots, Texans, Chargers

November 3rd, 2015 at 6:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest workouts from around the NFL:

Chiefs Deal Kelcie McCray To Seahawks, Set Roster

September 5th, 2015 at 4:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chiefs announced 22 roster moves today, and one of them was of particular interest — according to a team release, the club sent safety Kelcie McCray to the Seahawks in a trade for an undisclosed draft pick. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com fills in the details, tweeting that Kansas City gets a fifth-rounder in the deal.

Recent reports had suggested that Seattle was seeking depth at its safety position, with Kam Chancellor still holding out and Earl Thomas returning from a serious injury. In McCray, the Seahawks get a solid backup who primarily served as a special-teamer last season for the Chiefs.

Here are Kansas City’s 21 other moves that get the tea down from a 75-man roster to just 53 players:

Cut:

  • WR Da’Ron Brown
  • DE Mike Catapano
  • S Sanders Commings
  • LB Ja’Gared Davis
  • DT Hebron Fangupo
  • C Garrett Frye
  • DL David Irving
  • LB James-Michael Johnson
  • C Eric Kush
  • WR Donatella Luckett
  • C Daniel Munyer
  • DB Deji Olatoye
  • G Jarrod Pughsley
  • RB Darrin Reaves
  • DB Kevin Short
  • T Derek Sherrod
  • TE Ryan Taylor
  • FB Spencer Ware
  • WR Fred Williams

Placed on injured reserve:

  • TE Richard Gordon

Reserve/suspended:

  • CB Sean Smith

Minor Moves: Thursday

May 21st, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves..

  • The Raiders announced that they have signed fifth-round draft pick Neiron Ball, as the staff at CSNBayArea.com writes. The linebacker was selected 161st overall by the Raiders after starting four seasons at Florida.
  • The Chiefs released Ricky Henry and signed tight end Ryan Taylor, according to the league’s transaction report, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. Taylor, 28 in November, appeared in 45 games for the Packers from 2011 through 2013.
  • The Colts announced that they have waived tackle Demarco Cox. Cox, who four years of college basketball at Ole Miss (2010-14) before transferring to Georgia Tech (2014-15) for his final season of eligibility, just signed with the club on Tuesday.
  • The Packers announced that they have signed cornerback Travis Manning. Manning, 24, was a standout at Division II Northwest Missouri State. He previously participated in camps with the Cowboys and Chiefs.
  • The Saints placed wide receiver Andy Tanner on the IR after he cleared waivers today, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune tweets.

Minor Moves: Monday

May 11th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest minor moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Lions signed three tryout players – safety Nathan Lindsey and receivers Erik Lora and Jarred Haggins – and released wideout Desmond Lawrence, Tim Twentyman of the team’s website writes.
  • Washington has signed undrafted receiver Quinton Dunbar, formerly of Florida, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
  • The Dolphins signed one tight end – Tim Semisch, undrafted out of Northern Illinois – and released another in Ryan Taylor, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Taylor, a Packers seventh-round pick in 2011, has eight career catches.
  • The Cardinals have signed three tryout players – a quarterback (Phillip Sims) and two safeties (Brandon Person and Harold Jones-Quartey) – per their official website. To make room, they released tackle Kelvin Palmer, wide receiver Travis Harvey, and cornerback Ross Weaver.
  • The Bears signed quarterback Pat Devlin, defensive tackle Terry Williams, and linebacker Kyle Woestmann, tweets Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. They also waived linebacker Khaseem Greene and cut fellow LB Austen Lane.
  • The Buccaneers have cut safety Shelton Johnson, wide receivers Chandler Jones and Josh Reese, offensive lineman Matt Patchan, and linebacker Michael Reynolds (Twitter: Roy Cummings, Tampa Tribune).
  • The Packers will release defensive lineman Luther Robinson, according to Bill Huber of Packer Report. Robinson appeared in five games last year.
  • The Bills signed undrafted free agent safety Wes Miller, formerly of UTEP, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).
  • The Raiders signed ex-Auburn running back Michael Dyer, who tried out for them over the weekend, tweets Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Twitter link). They also signed Emporia state wideout Austin Willis, the player told Rick Peterson Jr. of the Topeka Capital-Journal. Additionally, running back Terrance Cobb wrote on Instagram that the team released him.
  • The Vikings waived wide receiver Kain Colter and guard Jesse Somsel, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. Colter was on the Vikings’ practice squad last year, while they recently signed Somsel as an undrafted free agent.
  • The Giants released three players – running back Chris Ogbonnaya, linebacker James Davidson, and defensive back Thomas Gordon – according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano (Twitter link).
  • The Buccaneers signed linebacker Jared Koster, who tried out at their rookie minicamp, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
  • The Steelers signed tryout players Cameron Stingily (running back) and Mike Thornton (defensive line) to their 90-man roster, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). To make room, they cut punter Richie Leone, defensive tackle Nigel Crawford-Kinney, defensive end Brandon Prate, long snapper Brandon Hartson, wide receiver Brelan Chancellor, and guard Collin Rahrig (Twitter).
  • The Broncos waived guard Jon Halapio, whom they signed to their practice squad last December, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Additionally, the team waived wide receiver Matt Miller after signing him as an undrafted free agent earlier this month (Twitter link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
  • The Buccaneers have signed three tryout players from rookie camp, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. The team agreed to deals with wide receivers Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries and offensive tackle Edawn Coughman.
  • Offensive tackle Antonio Richardson, whom the Vikings waived last week, has retired because of knee issues, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Richardson signed with the Vikings last year as an undrafted free agent from Tennessee and saw some action in the preseason.
  • The Panthers have cut defensive tackle Darious Cummings, reports ESPN’s Joe Person (via Twitter). Cummings signed with the Panthers last week as an undrafted free agent from Florida.
  • The Buccaneers will cut return man Solomon Patton today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Patton, who went undrafted out of Florida last year, appeared in seven games for the Bucs as a rookie. He has had two stints with Tampa and one with the Cardinals during his short career.
  • Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Andy Phillips signed with the Packers, the player tweeted. Phillips earned a spot with the Pack after impressing team brass as a tryout player at rookie minicamp over the weekend.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

February 10th, 2015 at 6:48pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll use this space to round up Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, starting with a former third-round pick finding a new home. Any additional updates will be listed at the top of the page throughout the evening. Here’s the latest:

  • The Dolphins announced that they have signed free agent tight end Ryan Taylor, according to ESPN.com’s James Walker (on Twitter). Taylor was waived by the Browns in December.
  • Free agent cornerback Curtis Brown, who entered the league in 2011 as a Steelers third-round pick, has signed with the Jets, the team announced today in a press release. Although Brown saw a good chunk of playing time on defense in 2012 as the nickel corner in Pittsburgh, he was relegated primarily to special teams duty in 2013 before an ACL injury sidelined him and led to his release. We heard last week that the 26-year-old had a workout scheduled for today with the Jets, so presumably that audition went well.
  • Washington has signed a pair of offensive lineman, announcing in a press release that Tyler Larsen and Ty Nsekhe have been added to the team’s offseason roster. Larsen, a former Utah State center, spent time with the Dolphins last summer, while Nsekhe was removed from the Saints’ injured reserve list back in September.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Saturday

December 27th, 2014 at 5:41pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves right here, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list…

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets have placed safety Rontez Miles on the injured reserve, tweets Aaron Wilson. The team will promote wideout Quincy Enunwa to take his place.
  • Connor Shaw will start at quarterback for the Browns this weekend, and the team promoted him to the active roster this morning, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The team also promoted rookie offensive lineman Jamie Meder. To make room on the roster, the Browns waived linebacker Eric Martin and tight end Ryan Taylor.
  • The Lions have promoted center Darren Keyton to the active roster, reports Tim Twentyman (via Twitter). The lineman will replace Dominic Raiola, who was suspended for this weekend’s game.
  • As expected, the Chargers finally placed punter Mike Scifres on the injured reserve, according to U-T San Diego’s Michael Gehlken (via Twitter). Center Jeff Baca was promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.

Minor Moves: Friday

December 26th, 2014 at 4:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are some minor transactions from today. Additional roster activity will be logged here, added to the top as usual:

  • The Seahawks have released defensive tackle Travian Robertson, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). The team has not announced a corresponding roster move yet, but is expected to make that announcement on Saturday.
  • The Browns waived two players Friday, tight end Ryan Taylor and linebacker Eric Martin, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).

Browns Place John Hughes On IR-DTR

October 27th, 2014 at 5:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Browns did manage a 23-13 victory against the Raiders yesterday, and in doing so, kept pace with the rest of a highly competitive AFC North, it’s not all good news coming out of Cleveland. Per Terry Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the team has placed defensive end John Hughes on injured reserve/designated to return after he suffered an MCL injury in Sunday’s contest. The Browns filled the open space on their 53-man roster by claiming tight end Ryan Taylor off waivers from the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

Now that’s he been slapped with the IR-DTR tag, Hughes can resume practicing in six weeks, and return to game action in eight. Therefore, Hughes will only be able be to play in Cleveland’s Week 17 game against the Steelers, as well as the playoffs (if Cleveland makes the postseason). A Cincinnati product, Hughes has played in 35 games since being selected in the third round of the 2012 draft. He’s started two games this season, and graded out as the league’s 15th-best 3-4 defensive end among 49 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The loss of Hughes won’t help a Browns defense that already ranks 25th in DVOA, but perhaps former first-round pick Phil Taylor, who will presumably see more snaps in Hughes’ absence, can help fill the void.

Taylor, 26, was a seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2011. After being waived by Green Bay in early October, he was picked up by Baltimore; he was waived once again on October 25. Taylor has been more of a special teams contributor during his career, as he’s caught only eight passes for 45 yards. The fact that the Browns claimed him is interesting, as it could signify that Jordan Cameron won’t be available for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers after suffering a concussion yesterday.

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