William Moore - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons Rule Out Re-Signing William Moore

August 26th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent safety William Moore would like to re-sign with the Falcons, the only team he’s played for during his NFL career and the club that released him earlier this year after seven seasons. “Absolutely I’d come back,” Moore told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “It’s home.” But according to head coach Dan Quinn, Atlanta isn’t interested in a reunion with Moore at this time.

“I just stay ready,” said Moore. “This is my first time going through this process. Everything happens for a reason, but nothing has changed for me. My health is great. I haven’t had absolutely any issues working out and staying in shape. You look at my past injuries, it’s ankles and stuff that heal up. I’m blessed that I’ve never had any serious issues like blown knees.”

The Falcons currently have a dire need at safety, as first-round pick (and projected starter) Keanu Neal will be sidelined for the next three-to-four weeks with a knee injury, meaning he’ll miss regular season action. Neal’s backup, Kemal Ishmael, is dealing with a shoulder ailment, and the next man on the depth chart, veteran Sergio Brown, was signed only days ago.

Moore, 31, appeared in 76 games with Atlanta after being selected in the second round of the 2009 draft. In 72 starts, Moore picked 277 tackles, 16 interceptions, 37 passes defensed, and 11 forced fumbles before being cut in a cost-saving move this spring. This offseason, the only known interest Moore has drawn has been from the Patriots, who worked him out in May.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots Audition William Moore

May 18th, 2016 at 3:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent safety William Moore recently worked out for the Patriots, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The former long-time starter for the Falcons was cut loose shortly after the Super Bowl and has been seeking NFL employment ever since.

Moore, a former Pro Bowler, was a starting safety for Atlanta, racking up 51 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games in 2015. Unfortunately, injuries held him back and his campaign formally ended on December 15th when he was placed on IR. In total, Moore spent seven seasons in Atlanta, playing in 76 games with 72 starts and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2012. Moore amassed 481 tackles (319 solo) with 16 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 38 passes defensed during his time with the Falcons.

The day after Moore was released, agent Andy Ross claimed that his client had already received “a few calls” from teams inquiring about his client. As far as we know, that supposed interest did not materialize in a workout with any club until this week’s New England audition. The Patriots seem pretty set at safety, so it’s not clear how interested they might be in signing Moore at this time.

Earlier today, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down the best remaining free agents on defense. Moore did not make the cut.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

South Notes: Tillman, Norman, Browner

February 9th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of former Pro Bowl safeties were released this week, and both William Moore and Michael Griffin have already drawn some interest from teams around the NFL, according to reports.

Andy Ross, the agent for Moore, tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he has received “a few calls” from teams inquiring about his client, who was cut by the Falcons on Monday. As for Griffin, he was just released hours ago by the Titans, but during an appearance today on The Midday 180 in Nashville, he said he had already received text messages from a couple coaches he used to play for, telling him to give them a call (link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).

With a month to go until the 2016 free agent period begins, both Moore and Griffin should have plenty of time to explore the market to find the best possible fits before the rest of this year’s class can sign with new teams.

Let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s South divisions….

Cornerback Charles Tillman told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer today that he wants to continue his NFL career, but only if he can keep playing for the Panthers. Tillman is a pending free agent.
Asked today about cornerback Josh Norman, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said “you can’t sign everybody,” but acknowledged that he would consider the franchise tag for Norman, if necessary (link via David Newton of ESPN.com). A weekend report indicated Carolina is likely to franchise Norman.
The Saints are expected to cut Brandon Browner, but don’t expect it to happen before March, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, who tweets that Browner’s cap numbers may force the club to wait until the new league year begins.
The Colts have hired former Morgan State coach Lee Hull as a wide receivers coach, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Falcons Release Justin Durant, William Moore

February 8th, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons announced that they have cut linebacker Justin Durant and William Moore. Today is the first day that teams are allowed to release players and the Falcons wasted little time in dropping two of their veterans.

“We want to thank both of these guys for their commitment and work ethic,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “They battled through injuries to give everything they had for their teammates this season and I will always be appreciative of that.”

Durant, 31 in September, inked a three-year deal with a base value of $10.8MM less than one year ago. Durant got big bucks from Atlanta but he did not deliver the kind of production they were hoping for. In 13 games (12 starts), Durant tallied 81 tackles and three pass deflections. Durant has not played a 16 game season since 2013 and he was not able to snap that streak in 2015. Now, he’ll be spending 2016 elsewhere.

Moore, a former Pro Bowler, was a starting safety for Atlanta, racking up 51 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games last season. Unfortunately, injuries held him back and his season formally ended on December 15th when he was placed on IR. In total, Moore spent seven seasons in Atlanta, playing in 76 games with 72 starts and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2012. Moore amassed 481 tackles (319 solo) with 16 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 38 passes defensed during his time with the Falcons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Falcons Cut Hankerson, Place Moore On IR

December 15th, 2015 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

3:54pm: The Falcons have made Hankerson’s release official, and have confirmed two more roster moves, announcing in a press release that they’ve moved safety William Moore to IR and promoted guard Ben Garland from the practice squad.

Moore, a former Pro Bowler, had been a starting safety for Atlanta once again this year, racking up 51 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games.

12:05pm: The Falcons are cutting wide receiver Leonard Hankerson from their injured reserve list, according to Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. The move will allow other teams to place a claim on Hankerson — if he clears waivers, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.

Hankerson, who turns 27 next month, totaled 26 receptions for 327 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons. He was placed on injured reserve earlier this month after aggravating a hamstring injury, and it seemed at the time that he had played his last game in Atlanta, since his contract was set to expire at season’s end.

The fact that the Falcons are releasing Hankerson from IR without an injury settlement suggests that he should be healthy going forward, so we could see him draw interest from a contending team short on wide receivers down the stretch.

Falcons Promote Baker, Put Moore On IR

December 23rd, 2014 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have made some changes to their roster and practice squad today, placing safety William Moore on the injured reserve list and promoting fellow safety Sean Baker to take his spot on the active roster, according to a team release. Atlanta also filled Baker’s spot on the practice squad by adding running back Ronnie Wingo.

For Moore, it’s his second time being placed on the IR list this season — earlier in the year, he received the designation to return due to a shoulder injury and missed eight weeks, and it’s his shoulder again that will keep him out of the team’s final regular season contest, as well as any playoff games. A starter when he’s healthy, Moore remains under contract for next season, so he’ll likely be back in Atlanta.

Baker, 26, spent four weeks on the Falcons’ 53-man roster earlier this season, but didn’t see any action on defense, and was waived in late October when the club signed signed veteran Charles Godfrey.

Falcons Waive Cameron Bradfield, Activate William Moore

November 28th, 2014 at 1:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons will welcome back one player today, but they’re also parting ways with another. ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports (via Twitter) that the team has activated safety William Moore from the injured reserve-designated for return list. To make the necessary space, Atlanta waived veteran offensive lineman Cameron Bradfield.

It’s been a tumultuous 2014 for Bradfield, who re-signed with the Jaguars in March after having spent his first three seasons in Jacksonville. He started the first two games this season, and while Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) did not rate him favorably, he wasn’t the weakest lineman on the squad. Regardless, the tackle was cut in mid-September, and he was picked up by the Falcons two weeks later. The 27-year-old did not play a single snap for Atlanta.

Moore was placed on the short-term IR in September and was subsequently replaced in the lineup by Kemal Ishmael. The veteran safety led the Falcons defense in snaps last season, and PFR consistently ranked him among the better defenders on Atlanta. The 29-year-old signed a five-year contract worth $32MM in early 2013.

Falcons Sign Three Players, Put Three On IR

September 30th, 2014 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Three Falcons players are headed to injured reserve, the team announced today (Twitter links). Starting center Joe Hawley and right tackle Lamar Holmes have been placed on season-ending IR with ACL and foot injuries, respectively. Safety William Moore was also placed on injured reserve, though he received the designation to return, so he’ll be eligible to return from his shoulder injury after eight weeks.

Atlanta has filled two of its three newly-opened roster spots by promoting a pair of players from its practice squad, according to the team (Twitter link). Guard Harland Gunn and safety Sean Baker are two of the newest additions to the Falcons’ 53-man roster. Per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (via Twitter), that final open roster spot will be filled by veteran tackle Cameron Bradfield, who was cut by the Jaguars earlier this month.

Hawley and Holmes hadn’t been playing exceptionally well in the early going — both players had negative grades, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, they were adding some stability to a unit that is missing veteran Sam Baker and has seen rookie Jake Matthews get a little banged up as well.

With Hawley and Holmes now out of the mix, the club worked out a handful of offensive linemen today, including Leroy Harris, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). It appears for now though that Atlanta will try to get by with Gunn and Bradfield providing depth, as Peter Konz and Gabe Carimi appear likely to assume starting roles.

Safety Kimario McFadden and guard Adam Replogle have filled the two newly-opened spots on the Falcons’ practice squad, reports Ledbetter (via Twitter). Both players were cut by the team at the end of the preseason.

Injury Updates: Sunday

September 28th, 2014 at 5:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

Chargers‘ starting cornerback Shareece Wright left the matchup against the Jaguars with a knee injury, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego. The team believes Wright may have sprained his MCL, but hopes no damage has been done to his ACL. He will have an MRI on Monday to confirm the injury.

Gehlken notes that Wright is in the final year of his rookie contract, which could hurt his free agency if he misses a huge chunk of the season. 2014 first-round pick Jason Verrett was inactive for the game.

Here are some other injury-related news to look out for:

Bills‘ defensive tackle Kyle Williams was not with the team in the locker room after the game, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has reported that he suffered a knee injury in the loss against the Texans.
Falcons‘ safety William Moore was forced to leave the game against the Vikings with a shoulder injury, and will not be able to return, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
The 49ers have already suffered a number of injuries in their matchup against the Eagles. Two of the most notable are the losses of Anthony Davis and Vernon Davis. Anthony has been ruled out for the game with a knee injury, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter) and Vernon will not return with a back injury, reports Can Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
Texans‘ receiver Andre Johnson had to leave the win over the Bills early due to an ankle injury, but says the injury is not serious, according to Adam Wexler of CSNHouston.com (via Twitter).
Raiders‘ quarterback Derek Carr left the loss to the Dolphins in London with knee and ankle injuries, reports Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com. The team is reaching its bye, and does not have a game next week.

Byrd Notes: Falcons, Browns, Jets, Bills

March 3rd, 2014 at 8:58pm CST by Peter Sowards

The deadline for teams to apply their franchise and transition tags has come and gone, and the Bills announced earlier today they would not tag three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd.

Now it’s time for beat writers from safety-needy teams to look at whether the former Oregon product who played the 2013 season on a franchise tender would be worth his hefty price tag.

When D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ranked his five free agent targets for the Falcons, he ranked Byrd No. 1. Atlanta will be $26.7MM beneath the salary cap once Tony Gonzalez‘s $7MM slot is removed, and Ledbetter cites the potential upgrade Byrd would present over incumbent free safety Thomas DeCoud, whom the Falcons are expected to release, as justification.

But, there’s only so much money you can invest in one position, as ESPN Atlanta Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure points out. Strong safety William Moore enters year two of a five-year, $29.51M contract, and Byrd figures to command a substantially larger deal.

Other Byrd notes from around the league…

When the Browns placed the transition tag on center Alex Mack earlier today, they gave up their exclusive rights of T.J. Ward, another top-tier safety hitting free agency. ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon looks at the potential for a Byrd/Ward swap of sorts, reuniting Byrd with Cleveland head coach and former Buffalo defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
The Jets haven’t paid top dollar for a safety since Kerry Rhodes‘ $33.5MM deal in 2008, ESPNNewYork.com reporter Rich Cimini notes, but Byrd is worth investigating. Cimini’s gut tells him the team will likely look again to Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen in 2014, but with 22 interceptions since 2009 and six against the Jets, Byrd should draw the organization’s eye.
Aaron Williams, a second-round pick in 2011, tops the list of likely replacements for Byrd in Buffalo, with younger players Duke Williams, Jonathan Meeks and Jujuan Harley as long shots, per ESPN Bills reporter Mike Rodak.