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Xavius Boyd

Bills Cut Brian Moorman, Jordan Palmer, Others

August 29th, 2014 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have announced the first wave of their final roster cuts, and the list of released players includes some familiar names, including punter Brian Moorman, who has been with the team for nearly his entire career since 2001 and wrote an open letter to Bills fans following his release. Via Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 (Twitter link), here’s the list of Bills moves:

Waived/released:

Placed on injured reserve:

Minor Moves: Saints, Rams, Browns, Bills

July 22nd, 2014 at 7:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s transactions wire is picking up as we approach the end of July, with notable players like Joel Dreessen and Larry English involved in roster moves today. Several teams have finalized a series of more under-the-radar moves as well, which we’ll round up right here:

  • The Buccaneers have signed linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). To help make room for the duo, the Bucs released cornerback D.J. Moore.
  • Former Ravens linebacker Adrian Hamilton has signed with the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
  • The Saints have signed nose tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson, clearing roster spots for the new additions by cutting nose tackle Moses McCray and waiving outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu with a failed physical designation. The team has the details on its newest signees in a press release.
  • The Rams completed a series of roster moves today, signing four players – linebacker Pat Schiller, linebacker Lawrence Wilson, offensive tackle D.J. Morrell, and offensive tackle R.J. Dill – and cutting four others — offensive lineman Abasi Salimu, wideout Dionte Spencer, linebacker Caleb McSurdy, and linebacker Tavarius Wilson (Twitter links via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
  • A day after being cut by the Chargers, center Nick McDonald has been claimed off waivers by the Browns, tweets Brian McIntyre. Cleveland had an opening on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for the offensive lineman.
  • One linebacker has been swapped for another in Buffalo, where the Bills signed Western Kentucky product Xavius Boyd to a contract after having waived-injured Darrin Kitchens, who is dealing with a lower body injury (Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
  • The Texans have waived fullback Brad Smelley and defensive end Tim Jackson, and also signed tight end Chris Coyle, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). As ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets, Jackson received the “failure to disclose physical condition” designation when he was cut.
  • That “failure to disclose physical condition” designation is rarely used, but linebacker Billy Boyko also received it when he was waived by the Panthers, according to Caplan (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also tweets that former Broncos safety Eric Hagg has officially been placed on the team’s reserve/retired list. We heard yesterday that Hagg had decided to retire.

North Links: Peterson, Browns, Ravens

June 26th, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

NFL football doesn’t take a back seat to other sports too often in America, but all eyes this afternoon figures to be on what the rest of the world knows as football, as the U.S. men’s national soccer team faces Germany in Brazil. While you’re looking forward to that game, here are a few morning odds and ends from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Vikings running back Adrian Peterson tells Dan Pompei of Sports on Earth that he wants to “beat down the things they are saying about the running back position.” While no running backs have been drafted in the right round for two consecutive years, Peterson thinks that will change when the right players are draft-eligible: “We haven’t had a good back, a must-have guy, come out of college in a couple years. That’s what’s missing. You get a guy who comes out who is like Marshawn Lynch… you’ll definitely want to bring that guy in.”
  • Ben Tate was one running back who felt the effects of a depressed free agent market this offseason, signing a modest two-year pact with the Browns. In the view of Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap though, Tate’s deal is Cleveland’s best contract, heading into the 2014 season. On the other end of the spectrum, Paul Kruger ranks as the Browns’ worst deal, according to Fitzgerald, who had Kruger’s contract in that spot in 2013 as well.
  • The Ravens have removed linebacker Xavius Boyd from their injured reserve list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Per Wilson, the Ravens didn’t work out an injury settlement with Boyd, who expects to be healthy soon after suffering a hamstring injury in spring workouts.
  • Our Offseason in Review series has kicked off this week, with Zach Links examining the offseason moves made by the Browns and Steelers.

Minor Moves: Waivers, Ravens, Saints

June 23rd, 2014 at 5:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Even as the NFL enters something of a quiet period before training camps begin, teams will continue to manipulate their rosters, mostly through low-key transactions involving lesser-known players. We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here, with the latest updates being added to the top of the list.

  • The following players have cleared waivers, making them free agents (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post): cornerback Avery Patterson, safety Dexter Moody, quarterback Jerrod Johnson, tight end Fendi Onobun, tight end Terrence Miller, and running back Johnathan Franklin. Franklin is expected to retire following a neck injury.
  • In a full article, Wilson adds that Ravens rookie linebacker Xavius Boyd has reverted back to the team’s injured reserve after clearing waivers following a failed physical designation.
  • The Saints have signed linebacker Todd Davis, who went undrafted out of Sacramento State in 2013, the team announced in a press release. We had heard this afternoon that a union between the two parties was likely. In a corresponding move, the team waived cornerback A.J. Davis (no relation) with a failed physical designation.

Ravens Finalize Series Of Roster Moves

June 20th, 2014 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have officially finalized a series of roster moves that includes five signings and three cuts, according to multiple reports from the Baltimore Sun. According to Aaron Wilson, the team has parted ways with undrafted rookies Dexter Moody (S), Xavius Boyd (LB) and Avery Patterson (CB). With the newly-created openings, plus the two other open roster spots, the club has confirmed the signings of cornerbacks Aaron Ross and Dominique Franks, linebackers Nick DiMarco and Austin Spitler and wideout Mike Willie, per Jeff Zrebiec (via Twitter).

Of those five signings, four had been reported yesterday, so only the addition of Willie is new. The Arizona State alum, who went undrafted in 2012, has spent time with the Chargers in past years, though he has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game.

As for the trio of players who were cut, all three were part of Baltimore’s undrafted free agent class back in May. Patterson received a signing bonus of $3K from the team, while Boyd received $1.5K to sign, but neither bonus was enough for the club to keep them on the roster into training camp.

The Ravens now have a full 90-man roster.

Ravens Sign 18 Undrafted Free Agents

May 13th, 2014 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 9:56am: The Ravens have announced an 18th UDFA signing, adding Montana Tech linebacker Ryan Jones to the list (Twitter link). Jones got a signing bonus of $1K, per Aaron Wilson (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 2:38pm: The Ravens have signed 17 players who went undrafted over the weekend, the team announced today in a press release. Here’s the complete list of rookie free agents Baltimore has added to its roster:

  • Xavius Boyd, LB, Western Kentucky ($1.5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Levi Brown, DT, Temple
  • Jeremy Butler, WR, Tennessee-Martin ($4K bonus)
  • Jace Davis, WR, Northern Colorado ($4K bonus)
  • Parker Graham, OT, Oklahoma State ($9K bonus)
  • Derrick Hopkins, DT, Virginia Tech ($10K bonus)
  • James Hurst, OT, North Carolina ($9K bonus)
  • Tramain Jacobs, CB, Texas A&M ($4.5K bonus)
  • Richie Leone, P, Houston
  • Jamie Meder, DT, Ashland ($3.5K bonus)
  • Dexter Moody, S, Albany State
  • Deji Olatoye, CB, North Carolina A&T ($6K bonus)
  • Zachary Orr, LB, North Texas ($3K bonus)
  • A.J. Pataiali’i, DT, Utah State ($1K bonus)
  • Avery Patterson, CB, Oregon ($3K bonus)
  • Sammy Seamster, CB, Middle Tennessee State ($8K bonus)
  • Brett Van Sloten, OT, Iowa ($6K bonus)