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Stevan Ridley

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 12th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While we don’t cover every injury here at Pro Football Rumors, we will keep track of injuries to key players that could force teams to make important roster moves. We’ll update the following list throughout the day:

  • Giants nickel back Trumaine McBride told reporters tonight, including Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link), that he has a dislocated thumb, which figures to sideline him for multiple weeks.
  • Eagles running back Darren Sproles left tonight’s game against the Giants with a knee injury, and as Doug Farrar of SI.com tweets, NBC’s Michele Tafoya reported that the tests adminstered to Sproles’ MCL and ACL by the team left the running back “pretty unhappy.” We should have a clearer idea of the prognosis for Sproles on Monday.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets fear that starting right guard Brian Winters will be sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, a sources tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The team will conduct tests tomorrow morning to determine whether or not that’s the case.
  • Sam Shields believes he avoided a major knee injury today, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Losing Shields would’ve been a costly blow for the Packers, who re-signed the cornerback to a lucrative long-term deal during the offseason.
  • Milliner is believed to have torn his Achilles, tweets Rapoport; the second-year corner would obviously miss the remainder of the season if true.
  • The Browns believe Mack has suffered a significant leg injury, and expect him to “miss extended time,” reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Currently, the Browns have moved right guard John Greco to center, with Paul McQuistan taking over at RG. We’ll certainly have more on this situation as more news is relayed.
  • Patriots running back Stevan Ridley has been ruled out for the day with a knee injury. Per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter), Ridley’s “ankle bent in a way no one wants their ankle to bend.”
  • The Bengals linebacking unit has taken another hit, as Rey Maualuga had to be carted off the field with a leg injury, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of the the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Speaking on FOX, Jay Glazer provided an update on Broncos running Montee Ball, who will miss an additional 3-4 weeks with a groin injury.
  • The Browns excellent offensive line has taken a hit, as center Alex Mack had to be carted off the field with a left ankle injury, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. ESPN.com’s Tony Grossi adds (on Twitter) that an air cast was applied to Mack’s ankle, an indication that the injury could be serious.
  • Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo is out for the day after suffering a knee injury that forced him to be carted off the field, according to John Clayton of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • After suffering two concussions already this season, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict left today’s game after taking a hit to the head; another concussion could shelve Burfict for some time.
  • 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner is out for the rest of the Jets’ game against the Broncos after suffering a non-contact injury to his ankle.

Patriots Fear Stevan Ridley Has Torn ACL

October 12th, 2014 at 4:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Several notable players have gone down with injuries during today’s games — Alex Mack is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a leg injury, 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner likely tore his Achilles, and we’re still waiting for details on what looked like a serious injury to Jerod Mayo. In addition to Mayo, the Patriots have probably lost another key player, running back Stevan Ridley, to a torn ACL. Albert Breer of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Ridley will have an MRI tomorrow, but New England fears the 25-year-old has a significant knee injury, one that will likely knock him out for the rest of 2014. As further evidence, Mike Petraglia of WEEI posted an Instagram photo of Ridley leaving the stadium using a cane and wearing a large ACL brace on his right knee.

Ridley, a 2011 third-round pick out of LSU, has never missed a game due to injury. He was inactive for two contests last year, but those absences were due to Ridley’s infamous fumbling issues rather than an injury. Despite the fumbles, Ridley has had a largely successful career, mostly as a power back who offers little in the passing game. His best season came in 2012, when he rushed 290 times for 1,263 times and 12 touchdowns. Ridley is earning a tad under $800K this year as he plays under the final year of his rookie contract. It’s tough to speculate on financial matters right after a player suffers a serious injury, but it’s fair to wonder how this major injury will affect Ridley’s market come free agency.

Passing-game specialist Shane Vereen will likely take over as New England’s primary runner. The Pats also have Brandon Bolden and 2014 fourth-round pick James White on the roster, so it’s not as though the Pats lack internal options. I’d expect Vereen to get the majority of the carries going forward, with Bolden and White sprinkled in, especially near the goal line.

AFC East Rumors: Bills, Urbik, Patriots

August 29th, 2014 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that the Bills had been dangling wide receiver T.J. Graham as a trade chip for several months, but Graham apparently isn’t the only player Buffalo is willing to move. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Bills have also been gauging potential trade interest in offensive lineman Kraig Urbik, who is set to earn a $2.275MM base salary in 2014 and is seemingly falling out of favor with the team.

As we wait to see if the Bills can find a taker for Graham or Urbik, here are a couple more Bills notes, along with an update on one of their divisional rivals:

  • After having parted ways with Thad Lewis earlier in the week, the Bills are on the lookout for a No. 2 quarterback to back up E.J. Manuel, says ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Jordan Palmer was also cut by the team today, so it appears Jeff Tuel will head into the season as Manuel’s backup if Buffalo doesn’t make another move, but the team would prefer someone with more experience, according to Caplan, who identifies Kyle Orton as a possible target (Twitter link)
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explores the reported bids on the Bills, trying to deduce why the figures cited so far have ranged so significantly. One report, for instance, suggested Jon Bon Jovi‘s Toronto group had bid $809MM for the franchise, while another reported placed the bid between $1 and $1.1 billion.
  • According to Jason La Canfora (via Twitter), there have been “rumblings” that the Patriots may part with Stevan Ridley this week, or that the team may keep just two quarterbacks, which presumably would mean trading or cutting Ryan Mallett. La Canfora adds that he’d be “very surprised” if either of those actually happens, though as we saw with this week’s Logan Mankins deal, the Pats won’t shy away from making unexpected roster moves.

Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue

August 15th, 2014 at 12:11pm CST by Matt Feminis

Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.

Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:

      • Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
      • Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
      • Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
      • ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
      • Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
      • The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.

Extra Points: Ridley, Cameron, Freeney, Irsay

July 28th, 2014 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an up-and-down three years in New England for running back Stevan Ridley, who followed up a breakout 2012 season with a 2013 campaign in which he struggled with fumbles and ceded carries to LeGarrette Blount, among others. As he enters a contract year though, Ridley recognizes that he controls his fate and is looking forward to rebuilding his stock on the field, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Per Howe, no negotiations have taken place between Ridley and the Patriots, so the 25-year-old back appears likely to reach free agency in 2015 — how much he earns on his next deal will depend in large part on how he performs this year.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the NFL:

  • The Browns and tight end Jordan Cameron have discussed a possible contract extension, but aren’t close to getting anything done, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. As La Canfora observes, Kyle Rudolph‘s agreement with the Vikings could help bolster Cameron’s negotiating position.
  • As Alex Marvez details in a piece for FOX Sports, Dwight Freeney’s Chargers teammates weren’t sure he’d be back in 2014 after tearing his quadriceps last year, but the veteran pass rusher is healthy and ready to contribute in the last year of his contract.
  • Based on the buzz he’s hearing, Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (video link) expects Colts owner Jim Irsay to receive a longer suspension than the one doled out to Ray Rice, as well as a hefty fine.
  • Retirement decisions like Sidney Rice’s and Travelle Wharton’s carry a bit more weight this year, since the NFL likely won’t fight the inclusion of recently-retired players in the pending concussion settlement, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
  • There aren’t many team-friendly veteran contracts on the Panthers’ books, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, who reluctantly picks Nate Chandler as the club’s best deal, for its upside. Fitzgerald identifies Jonathan Stewart’s contract as Carolina’s worst.

AFC East Notes: Ridley, Bills, Vick

July 27th, 2014 at 7:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Patriots running back Stevan Ridley should have plenty of motivation heading into the season. After struggling with fumble issues for much of last year, the former third-rounder was replaced by veteran LeGarrette Blount towards the end of the regular season and playoffs. With Blount gone, Ridley has a great opportunity to reestablish himself as a premier back. The opportunity to regain his starting gig isn’t the 25-year-old’s only motivation, however – Ridley is also entering the final year of his contract.

The fourth-year player addressed the situation and acknowledged that a future contract is certainly on his mind (via Phil Perry of CSNNE.com)…

“I have to be honest about it, it’s there,” Ridley said. “But it’s not my first concern. My first concern is going out there and being the best player for this team. If I go out there and have a productive year and do what I need to do, the contract will take care of itself.

“I’m not really gonna put too much thought into it. As you guys know, if I start thinking about that, it can easily be a distraction. I can’t worry about that. I’m gonna have some good days, have some bad days, I’m just gonna keep working, keep grinding, keep my head in the dirt and keep grinding it out.”

As the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe tweets, the Patriots haven’t had any discussion with Ridley’s camp regarding a new contract. Howe doesn’t expect any type of action until after the season, “if at all.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…

  • The Bills lost another tight end to injury as starter Scott Chandler left the field on Sunday with a groin injury, writes Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550. The team was already without Tony Moeaki and Chris Gragg, but coach Doug Marrone indicated that the Bills would rely on their own players to fill the void. The only healthy tight ends on the roster are Lee Smith and Dominique Jones, and Buscaglia suggests that fullback Evan Rodriguez could get some reps.
  • Michael Vick had an impressive weekend at Jets training camp, but the veteran quarterback is aware of his position on the depth chart behind Geno Smith. “It’s a very fine line,” he said (via USA Today Sports’ Jarrett Bell). “I accept this role and I embrace it and I appreciate it. But I know this is not my football team. So that’s why I’m able to deal with it. At the same time, I feel like I’m one of the best quarterbacks in the league. That’s the way I feel.”
  • During the 2013 season, only one Jets starter (Demario Davis) played more than 29 percent of the team’s snaps on special teams. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes, that will certainly change in 2014 as the team looks to improve a lackluster unit. “We’re going to use a bunch of those guys on all of our special teams,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “We think we have to get better on ‘teams.’ We want to be one of the best special teams units in the league. It’s really all hands on deck, especially the punt team. We want to have a great punt team.”

Patriots Notes: Connolly, Ridley, Aiken

June 26th, 2014 at 5:51pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s tough for athletes to find work once their playing days are over. However, former Patriots offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka is proving otherwise. Earlier this week, Ring of Honor Wrestling (a second-tier pro wrestling promotion similar to WWE) announced that they have signed the 30-year-old.

Ojinnaka, or “Moose” as he’s known in the ring, was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2006 draft by the Falcons. He stuck around Atlanta for four seasons, appearing in 39 games. He spent 2010 with the Patriots before bouncing around to the Colts and Rams.

At the very least, we can be assured that the group of players still seeking a job for 2014 have a fallback plan.

Let’s take a look at some more Patriots notes from ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss…

  • If the team were to release a veteran, Reiss thinks it would be offensive lineman Dan Connolly. The 31-year-old is set to earn $3MM next season, and the writer thinks the team could turn to cheaper, younger players.
  • In regards to a “surprise” release, the writer points to Stevan Ridley. Reiss ultimately believes that Ridley will make the team, but things could get interesting if undrafted running back Stephen Houston impresses.
  • If Rob Gronkowski misses time, Reiss thinks we’ll see “a de-emphasis on the tight end position” in New England. However, the writer could still see the team making a move for a veteran such as Dustin Keller.
  • When asked which undrafted rookie could stick around, Reiss said long snapper Tyler Ott has the best shot. The player’s cheap, three-year commitment would allow the Patriots to move on from the more expensive Danny Aiken.

AFC Notes: Kirksey, Ridley, Pats, Gilreath

June 5th, 2014 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With few, if any, impact free agents left on the board and the draft behind us, most rosters around the league are starting to resemble what we’ll see during the 2014 regular season, at least once teams have made their cuts. But that doesn’t mean that those rosters aren’t without their holes. In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Tom Gower of Football Outsiders breaks down the AFC West, looking at the remaining needs for the Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders. Those most notable holes are on the offensive side of the ball for the Chiefs (pass-catcher) and Raiders (offensive lineman), and on defense for the Broncos (middle linebacker) and Chargers (cornerback).

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Browns have agreed to terms with third-round linebacker Christian Kirksey, the team confirmed today (via Twitter). The agreement, which includes a signing bonus worth about $663K was first reported by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • Patriots running back Stevan Ridley is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but he told reporters today, including Albert Breer of the NFL Network, that he’s focused on playing “mistake-free” football rather than on his contract situation (Twitter link).
  • Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com has the details on James Anderson‘s minimum salary benefit contract with the Patriots, which includes a $15K signing bonus and a $50K roster bonus if he makes the team.
  • The Raiders have signed former Wisconsin wideout David Gilreath, agent Sean Stellato tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Gilreath recorded his first and only career NFL reception during the 2012 season for the Steelers.

Patriots Notes: Mallett, RBs, Siliga, Jones

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney isn’t exactly buying Bill Belichick‘s answer when he was asked yesterday if he’d be interested in trading quarterback Ryan Mallett, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. “He was regarded highly enough as a quarterback coming out [in 2011], and I think the position creates interest in itself,” Hurney said of the Patriots signal caller. “I said this statement [from Belichick] is like if you ever go to dinner and a person says, ‘I don’t want dessert’ so you order a chocolate cake and a big piece of chocolate cake comes out and all of a sudden you look and the other person is eating half of it. I think, if the chocolate cake looks good enough for Bill Belichick, they would be interested in trading Ryan Mallett.”

Meanwhile, Doug Kyed of NESN.com answered roster questions as part of a mailbag. Among his answers:

  • The futures of running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, both free agents at year’s end, are dependent upon production, health (in the case of Vereen), ball security (in the case of Ridley) and the performance of rookie James White. As of now, Kyed believes Vereen has a higher chance of being retained.
  • Nose tackle Sealver Siliga played well in late-season duty, and if that continues through training camp, he’s the “perfect” backup for veteran Vince Wilfork.
  • Fourth-rounder Bryan Stork, who offers center/guard versatility, could compete for a starting job this season.
  • Meanwhile, the Pats have yet to add a legitimate No. 3 tight end, seemingly a position of need. Undrafted free agent Justin Jones out of East Carolina could be a sleeper, however, writes Karen Guregian in the Boston Herald. She talked to Jones’ college coach, Ruffin McNeil (who also coached Wes Welker and Danny Amendola in college), who had this to say: “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with him. He’ll catch on. He’ll work hard. Justin was taught the same concepts in our offense, as Danny and Wes had at Texas Tech. Plus, he’s got great hands, athleticism, and he’s got length. He was a mismatch any time in the red zone.” The 6-8, 277-pounder went undrafted after not playing in 2013 when he was academically ineligible.