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Vontaze Burfict

Bengals Reduce Roster To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Ben Levine

After having waived defensive tackle Devon Still earlier today, the Bengals have trimmed their roster down to 53 players. The team announced the corresponding moves via Twitter.

Waived:

Released:

Waived/injured:

Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform:

Burfict is the most notable of the moves, as the former Pro Bowler will leave a hole in the Bengals’ defense. The former undrafted free agent played only five games last heason, compiling 29 tackles and one forced fumble.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Forsett, Burfict

January 26th, 2015 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Reports last week indicated that the Raiders may ultimately look to the college ranks as their search for a defensive coordinator continues. While no specific names were mentioned at the time, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington has one for us today, tweeting that Oakland is interested in Louisville DC Todd Grantham. According to Russini (via Twitter), the Raiders have lined up a meeting with Grantham, who is considered a favorite for the position.

As we enter the final week of the NFL season, let’s round up a few more notes from around the AFC….

  • The Colts and running backs coach David Walker have “mutually” agreed to part ways, the team announced today (Twitter link via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). Per Football Outsiders, Indianapolis placed just 17th in offensive DVOA this season, in large part due to the team’s rushing rank (27th).
  • “I want to have a home and stay there. That’s the plan,” running back Justin Forsett said about the possibility of re-signing with the Ravens. Forsett added that new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict underwent microfracture surgery on his knee, but the surgeon who performed the procedure is optimistic that Burfict could be back to full strength for training camp, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • With new head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman expected to install a power running game in Buffalo, the Bills should be careful not to overpay for free-agent-to-be C.J. Spiller, who may not be an ideal fit, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker expects Spiller to land a deal in the range of the ones signed by backs like Ben Tate, Knowshon Moreno, and Darren McFadden a year ago — those players inked short-term deals for $3-4MM per season.
  • The Dolphins should do what they can to re-sign defensive tackle Jared Odrick, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap in his preview of Miami’s offseason cap decisions. Fitzgerald views Odrick as a potential $5.5-$6.5MM per year player.

Bengals Put Burfict On IR, Activate McCarron

December 9th, 2014 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bengals have placed linebacker Vontaze Burfict on the injured reserve list, ending his season, the team announced today (Twitter link). Taking Burfict’s place on the 53-man roster will be quarterback A.J. McCarron, whom Cincinnati activated from the reserve/non-football injury list.

Burfict, who has had concussion injuries in the past, and earlier this season, underwent a procedure on his knee, which will keep him sidelined for the rest of the year. Losing the 24-year-old will be a significant blow to the Bengals’ defense as the club looks to secure a playoff spot in the AFC. Burfict is coming off a Pro Bowl sophomore season, and is one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball in Cincinnati, but was limited to just a handful of games in his third year after racking up 177 tackles in 2013.

As for McCarron, the rookie is extremely unlikely to play a role down the stretch for Cincinnati, but activating him will allow him to remain on the practice field with the team for the rest of the season. He’ll slide in behind Andy Dalton and Jason Campbell on the depth chart.

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 19th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Rory Parks

Several big names who have been contending with injuries are expected to suit up for their Week 7 matchups today. Be sure to check back here when the games begin to keep an eye on any significant injuries that may arise over the course of today’s action:

  • Falcons‘ offensive lineman Peter Konz will have an MRI tomorrow, but a source has said that the injury is considered to be severe and will cost him the trip to London if not more, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Bills‘ running back Fred Jackson‘s injury is thought to keep him out of the lineup for a maximum of four weeks, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He notes that four weeks is the worst-case scenario.

Earlier Updates:

  • Fred Jackson suffered a groin injury during today’s game, and he will miss at least two weeks, per La Canfora (on Twitter). The Bills have a bye during Week 9, so it’s possible the veteran running back could return for Week 10.
  • Bears first-round cornerback Kyle Fuller has suffered a broken hand in addition to a hip pointer, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). There’s no word on how long the rookie will be sidelined, but as La Canfora notes, “it’s hard to play corner [with one] hand.”
  • In an unfortunate turn of events, Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman broke his foot during warmups, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Terry Blount of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had already been dealing with concussion issues during recent weeks, and now head coach Marvin Lewis tells reporters, including Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link), that Burfict has a “cervical neck strain.”
  • Having recovered from a minor groin injury, Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers was forced from today’s game against the Chiefs with a concussion, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
  • Ravens long-snapper Morgan Cox tore his ACL, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Harbaugh confirms the team will immediately begin looking for a new LS.
  • Saints center Jonathan Goodwin had to be helped off the field during Sunday’s loss to the Lions, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Tim Lelito is Goodwin’s direct backup.
  • Also per Sessler, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo suffered a pectoral injury today, and will undergo an MRI tomorrow. A significant injury to Orakpo could mean more playing time for rookie Trent Murphy.
  • ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Bengals WR A.J. Green will not play against the Colts.
  • Saints TE Jimmy Graham is expected to take the field against the Lions today, but he wants to test his shoulder prior to the game before officially declaring himself ready, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter adds (via Twitter) that even if Graham does play, he is not expected to start, and NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that he expects the Saints to use Graham in red-zone packages as they have done when he has been banged up in the past.
  • NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin, who has been dealing with a concussion, has been cleared to play against the Packers this afternoon.

AFC Notes: Burfict, Hoyer, Jets, Patriots

October 13th, 2014 at 10:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL will review film of Sunday’s game between the Bengals and Panthers and look for evidence that Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict tried to intentionally injure Carolina players, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As detailed by David Newton of ESPN.com earlier today, Panthers tight end Greg Olsen complained that Burfict is something of a head-hunter. “At some point, if the NFL wants to really say they care about guys’ safety, they’ve got to start putting guys out for weeks,” said Olsen. “Me and Cam (Newton) are lucky we aren’t out for weeks, or Kelvin (Benjamin) isn’t out for weeks. If you’re going to start putting guys on other teams out, then the ramifications need to equal that.” One play that will probably be analyzed can be viewed here. For his part, Burfict suffered another concussion on Sunday, so he will probably be out of action for some time, regardless of any disciplinary action.

Let’s close out the night with more from the AFC:

  •  In response to speculation that Brian Hoyer wouldn’t be interested in an extension with the Browns unless Johnny Manziel was no longer on the roster, Hoyer’s agent, Joe Linta, told Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald: “No talks at this time, and Johnny Manziel’s presence will have no impact on any talks that we might have.”
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at some questions Jets owner Woody Johnson might be facing this offseason, including whether John Idzik and Rex Ryan are the right men for their respective jobs. It’s fair to assume something of an overhaul will occur in New York once the season concludes, and Fitzgerald’s piece raises some valid points.
  • More Jets: In the wake of several injuries sustained in yesterday’s contest, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes Phillip Adams and Darrin Walls will act as Gang Green’s starting corners going forward, while Oday Aboushi will make his first career start in place of Brian Winters at left guard.
  • Now that Stevan Ridley is out for the rest of the season, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe wonders (via Twitter) if Bill Belichick and the Patriots regret letting LeGarrette Blount walk in free agency. There’s obviously no way New England could have predicted the loss of Ridley, but Blount would fit in nicely as the power back in the Pats’ offense right now.
  • Despite investing nearly $30MM in their O-line this season, the Titans are in the middle of the pack in rushing and are 29th in sacks per pass play, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. While those are simple measures, they show that the Titans are getting the worst bang for their buck on the offensive line in the NFL. The Titans last two first-round picks (Taylor Lewan and Chance Warmack) were offensive linemen and Andy Levitre and Michael Oher were signed to significant free agent deals.
  • As our Luke Adams recently noted, Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden is among the players on IR-DTR who can resume practicing this week. Per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), that’s the plan with Hayden, as Oakland head coach Tony Sparano says all systems are go for the second-year player.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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.

AFC Notes: Burfict, Allen, Dolphins, Wright

September 3rd, 2014 at 10:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) has the details on Vontaze Burfict‘s new $19MM, three-year deal with the Bengals. Burfict gets a $3.1MM signing bonus, a $3.8MM roster bonus on Aug. 30th, and a $3.15MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of 2015 year. Burfict has non-guaranteed base salaries of $700K, $1.05MM, $2.85MM and $3.75MM with cap figures of $5.279MM, $5.175MM, $3.825MM, $4.725MM. More out of the AFC..

  • The Steelers will cut off contract negotiations with all their players come Sunday, which means time is ticking on a new deal with Cortez Allen, writes Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. It wouldn’t be unprecedented for PIttsburgh to get something done at the 11th hour, however. Troy Polamalu signed an extension in 2011 at the airport on the Saturday before the start of the season as the team was about to depart for Baltimore.
  • The Dolphins gave tryouts to five linebackers, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter). Miami worked out Zac Diles, Brandon Hepburn, Terrell Manning, Etienne Sabino, and Kelvin Sheppard.
  • New Patriots tight end Tim Wright is making a solid impression on offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, writes NFL.com’s Chris Wesselling. “We just got him, and he was able to come in here and learn enough to be able to go out there and play for us in a preseason game for 40-some snaps or whatever it was,” McDaniels said. “He’s working hard, certainly a bright kid and has some talent that hopefully we can utilize, and he just seems to fit in good and has a good attitude and work ethic. I’m just excited about seeing what we can do going forward.”

AFC North Notes: Burfict, Rice, Burleson, Steelers

August 29th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Vontaze Burfict is barely into his second NFL contract, but he wants the Bengals to know that he already has deal No. 3 on his mind, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. “I told Troy [Blackburn] I’ll be back in 2016,” Burfict said. “Obviously they trust me, and like I’ve said, I want to be a leader of the defense. We have great things to come for the next three years while I’m here.” If Burfict continues to perform at a high level, that next contract will be hefty, whether it comes from Cincinnati or someone else. More AFC North news:

  • If Ravens running back Ray Rice were to have another domestic violence incident, it’s unclear whether he would face a lifetime ban under the league’s new policy, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Of course, the policy was put in place after (and in response to) Rice’s incident this offseason.
  • With an impressive route and catch last night, veteran Nate Burleson may have sewn up his spot on the Browns‘ roster, writes Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
  • It is possible the Steelers could carry as many as six wide receivers, though it is not likely, which means the players who don’t make the cut will probably be former Penn State teammates Justin Brown and Derrick Moye, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Darrius Heyward-Bey projects to be Pittsburgh’s fifth and final receiver.
  • After the way Isaiah Crowell ran against the Bears, the Browns will probably have to give him a roster spot since they’d never get him back on the practice squad, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.

Bengals Sign Vontaze Burfict To Extension

August 27th, 2014 at 2:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

2:37pm: The deal, which has now also been announced by the Bengals, has been slightly adjusted since the initial agreement, according to Adam Caplan, who says Burfict will earn $10.75MM in salary and bonuses in the first six months, and $12MM in the first two years of the pact (Twitter link).

AUGUST 27, 2:07pm: Burfict and the Bengals finalized the linebacker’s new deal today, according to agent Audie A. Attar of Paradigm Sports Management (via Twitter).

AUGUST 20, 4:38pm: The Bengals have agreed to a contract extension with Vontaze Burfict, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).

According to Caplan, Burfict will earn $9.75MM in salary and bonuses by March of 2015, and is set to take in $11MM over the first two years of the deal (via Twitter).

Caplan’s colleague at ESPN, Adam Schefter, reports that that contract is a three-year extension, keeping Burfict with the team through 2017. His total contract is now a four-year, $20MM deal that will pay him a salary of $7.6MM in 2014 (via Twitter).

Burfict was once considered an early first-round talent, but issues on and off the field contributed to a drop in his stock prior to the 2012 NFL Draft. He ran poorly at the combine and tested positive for marijuana, which contributed to him going undrafted and signing with the Bengals as a rookie-free agent.

The troubled linebacker has since turned his career around, becoming the star player he was once thought of. He led the NFL in tackles in 2013, and was the only member of the vaunted Bengal defense selected to the Pro Bowl.

AFC Notes: Burfict, Watt, Howell, Patriots

August 22nd, 2014 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Typically, when contract agreements are first reported, it takes just a matter of hours before those deals become official. But linebacker Vontaze Burfict, whose extension with the Bengals was reported on Wednesday, has yet to finalize his new contract with the club and has been missing from practice for the last three days with a stomach virus. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, it’s probably just a matter of time until the deal gets formally announced (link via Richard Skinner of Cincinnati.com).

“As you know how we believe it here, until the club and the player have signed off, it’s not signed off,” Lewis said. “I would guess we expect him to sign. Obviously the agent believes he has a deal, so, we didn’t release it.”

As we wait for official word on Burfict’s reported extension, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the AFC….

  • Joel Corry of the National Football Post breaks down the numbers on the Burfict extension, explaining why the Bengals had leverage in negotiations and why the linebacker made out pretty well.
  • In a separate piece for CBSSports.com, Corry takes a look at another extension candidate, J.J. Watt, writing that if Watt and the Texans are going to reach an agreement before the season gets underway, it will probably require the star defender – rather than the team – to relent a little.
  • Colts safety Delano Howell has suffered another neck injury, but it shouldn’t be career-ending, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells, who says Howell spent part of the week in Minnesota meeting with a specialist.
  • The Patriots would benefit if Isaac Sopoaga earns a spot on the Cardinals’ regular season roster, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com, noting that the offsets in Sopoaga’s contract would allow New England to free up $855K in cap space.
  • The NFL’s changes to practice squad eligibility criteria mean that a few more Titans are candidates for spots on the squad, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. I outlined the rules relating to practice squads earlier today.
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