HEADLINES

Vince Biegel

Packers Down To 53

September 2nd, 2017 at 5:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers’ 53-man roster is set…for now. Here’s a look at the players that were cut to allow the team to get down to the limit.

Cut:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/Injured

The Packers surprised some by releasing Yancey, a fifth-round pick, and Dupre, a seventh-round pick. Both could be candidates for the practice squad if they clear waivers.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Haden, Cowboys

August 30th, 2017 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite earlier reports to the contrary, an Eagles source tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) that the team was not in on Joe Haden. The Eagles, the source claims, are content with their young cornerbacks.

It’s quite possible that the Eagles were interested in Haden but were not among the finalists for him, making this all a matter of semantics. In any case, the Eagles were unwilling to approach, match, or exceed the $7MM guarantee that Haden secured in his new three-year deal with the Steelers.

The Eagles will be starting a pair of 23-year-old corners in Jalen Mills and the newly-acquired Ronald Darby. Behind them, they have only one player outside of his 20s in veteran Patrick Robinson. Eventually, rookie Sidney Jones could join the active roster and provide help, but that doesn’t help to boost the group’s experience level.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • Tests show that Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens, who suffered a tibial plateau fracture recently, suffered no ligament damage, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That means that no surgery will be needed and that, in theory, could help to speed up recovery. In a press release, the Cowboys indicated that Hitchens likely will not go on IR. The latest projections have Hitchens missing total eight weeks of action.
  • Doctors say that Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith only suffered ACL and MCL damage and did not injure any other major ligaments in his knee, Rapoport tweets. Meredith is done for the year, but he could be back in time for next year’s OTAs.
  • Now that the Packers have added Ahmad Brooks to the fold, they can be more patient with rookie Vince Biegel‘s recovery, Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette tweets. A source tells Wood that he’ll “probably” start the season on the PUP list, meaning that he won’t count against the initial 53-man limit.
  • Former Saints defensive end Royce LaFrance signed with the CFL’s Roughriders, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/31/17

May 31st, 2017 at 7:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s draft pick signings:

  • The Packers have signed fourth-round linebacker Vince Biegel, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Biegel, a Wisconsin product, has already been hit by the injury bug during his short NFL tenure. After being sidelined by a hand injury during rookie minicamp, Biegel later suffered a broken foot and may not be available for the start of training camp. Nevertheless, NFL clubs are required to negotiate in good faith, meaning Biegel’s injuries won’t affect his contract status. Biegel, who posted four sacks during his senior season, will attempt to augment a Green Bay pass rush that already ranked sixth in adjusted sack rate a year ago. Third-round defensive tackle Montravius Adams and fourth-round running back Jamaal Williams are now the only unsigned Packers rookies.

NFC Notes: Saints, Cards, Seahawks, Packers

May 15th, 2017 at 8:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With just one year and $3.5MM guaranteed on his Saints contract, Adrian Peterson is far removed from those lavish salaries he collected in his final years with the Vikings. However, the relocated running back can collect some additional cash via incentives — some of which being attached to reasonable figures. The future Hall of Fame back has $2.75MM in incentives tied to various milestones in each of the next two years, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. The 32-year-old running back can collect incentive cash by rushing for 750 yards, scoring at least six touchdowns, or the Saints making the playoffs. Volin doesn’t specify how much each milestone would pay out, but these aren’t outrageous numbers. Peterson scored at least 10 touchdowns in all eight of his seasons that didn’t involve a major September setback. However, with Mark Ingram in the picture, there won’t be as many TD opportunities. Ingram has scored 25 touchdowns over the past three seasons.

Additionally, Volin notes a $750K roster bonus will be tied to Peterson’s 2018 New Orleans employment. That’s rather light compared to the massive $18MM option that was tied to the 2017 season on Peterson’s Vikings contract. But a Saints return in what would be Peterson’s age-33 season in ’18 likely hinges on the running back’s health.

Here’s the latest out of the NFC.

  • The Cardinals are following through with their idea to flip their starting tackles. Jared Veldheer will move to right tackle, while third-year man D.J. Humphries‘ future will be on the left side. Veldheer initially voiced opposition to the move, one broached by OC Harold Goodwin, immediately after the 2016 season concluded, Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com notes. But the career left tackle is on board now. Humphries played left tackle at Florida and parlayed that performance into a first-round Cardinals draft selection in 2015.
  • Packers rookie linebacker Vince Biegel broke his foot, and the ensuing surgery leaves him questionable to be ready by the start of training camp, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Rob Demovsky report. The intent of this operation, done last week, was to repair a Jones fracture that also plagued him last season at Wisconsin, Demovsky writes. The latest in a slew of mid-round Packers ‘backer picks, hasn’t had a smooth transition into the NFL. A hand injury briefly sidelined him at rookie camp last weekend.
  • Speaking of positioning, the Saints sound like they might be willing to try Stephone Anthony at middle linebacker again. The Saints moved their underwhelming 2015 first-rounder to the strong side last year, but new linebackers coach Mike Nolan said middle ‘backer suits Anthony best, Herbie Teope of NOLA.com notes. Anthony led the Saints in tackles as a rookie but was moved outside and then benched in 2016. And New Orleans added inside linebackers in Manti Te’o and A.J. Klein this offseason, complicating Anthony’s path back to playing time.
  • The Seahawks used a sixth-round pick on Cincinnati safety Mike Tyson, but those rooting for the menacingly named defender to double as a hard-hitting back-line option in the Legion of Boom may be disappointed. Tyson was practicing at cornerback during the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Although, the 6-foot-2 defensive back drew a Byron Maxwell comparison from Pete Carroll, so that’s a good start for a player who might be changing positions.
  • The Lions‘ second-round Teez Tabor investment came after GM Bob Quinn watched more film on the Florida corner than he has on any prospect during his 15-year evaluation career, Nate Atkins of MLive.com notes. The second-year Detroit GM estimated he watched about 14 Gators games with the primary purpose to see if Tabor played faster than his 4.62-second 40-yard dash clocking.

NFC Notes: Austin, Redskins, Pack, Panthers

May 6th, 2017 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tavon Austin will miss the Rams‘ offseason program after undergoing surgery to repair ligament damage in his left wrist, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. This is an arthroscopic procedure that will shelve the fifth-year player during Los Angeles’ OTAs/minicamp portion of the schedule, but Gonzalez notes Austin is expected to be ready for training camp. The slot receiver will be looking to bounce back from a down year, one that followed the $42MM extension signed last summer. Austin is expected to be a key component of Sean McVay‘s offense as he attempts to revive the league’s worst passing attack.

Here’s the latest from the NFC.

  • The Redskins are continuing to search for a GM to succeed Scot McCloughan, but team president Bruce Allen isn’t expediting this process. “As far as what we are going to do, it hasn’t changed since March. We are going to be in the process of looking to see what we need to add to our personnel department to enhance the people that are here,” Allen said on a Daniel Snyder-owned radio station (via the team’s website), adding the Redskins plan to take their time while conducting this search. “There is some good quality people out there that’s available that we are talking to.” A report emerged earlier this week indicating Washington submitted a proposal to the NFL to restructure its front office without a GM. Allen denied that rumor, saying “there is no submission to the league on a form or anything like that.”
  • Redskins exec Doug Williams saw an expanded role during the draft, and Jarrett Bell of USA Today makes a case the former Super Bowl MVP is a logical candidate for Allen to consider. A fourth-year staffer in the Redskins’ front office, Williams has not been interviewed for the job, Bell reports. Allen gave the 61-year-old Williams his first NFL executive job, doing so with the Buccaneers during the 2000s. Even if the Redskins opt to go without a GM, they must interview a minority candidate for the position to comply with the Rooney Rule, per Bell. Williams has served as a senior personnel executive in Washington. The former Redskins quarterback been mentioned as an internal candidate for this job and linked to promotion to another higher-level position with the Redskins. He served as the Bucs’ pro scouting coordinator from 2009-10 and was the Virginia Destroyers’ GM in the now-defunct United Football League following the Tampa Bay stay.
  • Packers fourth-round pick Vince Biegel suffered a hand injury during rookie minicamp Friday that induced him to return Saturday with a club on the injured hand. However, Biegel said — via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com — he did not break any bones and was wearing the cast-like bandage as a precaution.
  • The Panthers gave Olympic sprinter Marvin Bracy a tryout at their rookie minicamp, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. A 100-meter Olympian at the Rio Games and former United States 60-meter dash champion, the 23-year-old Bracy spent a year on the Florida State football team as a redshirt before leaving the program to focus on track. The latest in a line of recent Olympic sprinters or jumpers to be given NFL tryouts, joining Jeff Demps and Jeff Henderson in that regard, the 5-foot-9 Bracy has a 9.93-second 100-meter clocking to his credit.