HEADLINES

Zackary Bowman

AFC East Notes: Gronkowski, Pats, Bills

December 1st, 2015 at 7:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the AFC East:

  • The Patriots issued a statement regarding the status of injured tight end Rob Gronkowski (Twitter link via CBSSports.com’s Will Brinson): “During Sunday night’s game, Rob Gronkowski sustained a bone bruise/sprain of his right knee. His status will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis and listed accordingly on the practice participation and injury reports. There is no timetable for his readiness to return, which will be determined in the days or hours prior to the appropriate game. Any timetable reported prior to that final determination would be speculative.”
  • The Patriots had veteran defensive back Zackary Bowman in for a workout, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Reiss adds that the Pats are keeping their emergency lists fresh, so it doesn’t sound like we should expect a deal to happen this week.
  • Rex Ryan’s honeymoon with Bills fans appears to be over, but players still stand behind the first-year coach, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes. In a sampling of player opinions, on and off the record, Carucci found that the support for Ryan is unwavering.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/24/15

November 24th, 2015 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Tuesday’s minor signings and cuts from around the NFL:

  • The Seahawks are bringing back running back Bryce Brown, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Brown will give Seattle additional depth at the position given Marshawn Lynch‘s uncertain status. Head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Lynch was unlikely to go this week, so Brown’s return is not an indication of whether Lynch will undergo surgery.
  • The Seahawks also signed wide receiver B.J. Daniels to the active roster, as Brady Henderson of ESPN Seattle tweets.
  • The Raiders cut linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Armstrong got in hot water earlier this month for taunting a police dog in Pittsburgh.
  • The Eagles signed wide receiver Jonathan Krause from the practice squad and released linebacker Emmanuel Acho, as Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
  • The Jets announced that they have signed outside linebacker Josh Martin off the Colts‘ practice squad to their active roster. Martin got his start as a UDFA with Kansas City in 2013 before moving on to the Bucs this season. After he was waived/injured by Tampa Bay, the Colts scooped him up soon after. For his career Martin has played in 21 games (one start) with a half-sack, a forced fumble and 28 tackles, all with the Chiefs.
  • The Dolphins have waived cornerback Zackary Bowman, as Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel tweets.
  • The Seahawks have waived defensive lineman A.J. Francis, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC East

September 6th, 2015 at 5:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, and Jets are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

  • Claimed off waivers:
  • Cut:
  • Signed to practice squad:

New York Jets

  • Signed:
  • Claimed off waivers:
  • Cut:
  • Signed to practice squad (press release):
    • LB Deion Barnes
    • FB Julian Howsare
    • LB Taiwan Jones
    • CB Keon Lyn
    • WR Walter Powell
    • TE Wes Saxton
    • T Wesley Johnson (Twitter link via Adam Caplan)
    • DL Jordan Williams

Extra Points: Attaochu, Bowman, Bridgewater

July 5th, 2015 at 8:20pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today, Rory Parks gave us a roundup of some notes from some early Sunday NFL news, including an update on Chris Borland‘s post-NFL life, Marcus Mariota’s potential holdout, and a couple of notes on the Saints, Browns, and Broncos.

Now, for anyone who was too busy watching the USA defeat Japan 5-2 in the World Cup, here are a couple more pieces of NFL news that trickled across the landscape this evening:

  • Second-year pass rusher Jeremiah Attaochu only had two sacks in limited snaps as a rookie, but is focused on improving that number in 2015, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. He writes that Attaochu trained in combine-related drills for much of last offseason, but is focused on football-specific drills and getting reps in practice to prepare him for an increased role with the Chargers this year.
  • The Dolphins signed Zackary Bowman this offseason to compete for the starting cornerback job across from Brent Grimes, but right now the leader for that spot is Jamar Taylor, writes James Walker of ESPN. Bowman hasn’t stood out in minicamps, and Walker writes he has about a 50 percent chance of making the final roster, depending on how many cornerbacks the team keeps on the depth chart.
  • The Vikings are excited about Teddy Bridgewater and how he got stronger as the season went on in 2014, especially offensive coordinator Norv Turner, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today in his offseason report. With Adrian Peterson, Kyle Rudolph, Matt Kalil, and Brandon Fusco all back healthy on available, and Mike Wallace added to the fold, Bridgewater is ready to break out as leader of the offense.
  • Detroit Lions’ beat writer Dave Birkett addressed a number of issues on a Q&A with Ste Hoare of TheRouteTree.com. Birkett believes that Ameer Abdullah will begin the season as a complement to Joique Bell in the role Reggie Bush filled, but expects him to eventually emerge as the feature back. He also addresses the concern that first-round pick Laken Tomlinson’s interest in the medical field could leave him to an early retirement in the vain of Borland, but Birkett does not believe the team is worried and writes that the Lions encourage his interests off-the-field.

Contract Details: Crabtree, Ridley, Casey

April 15th, 2015 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

The details for a few of the more notable recent free agent signings are in, so let’s take a look at some specifics, starting with the newest wide receiver in Oakland….

  • Michael Crabtree, WR (Raiders): One year, $3.2MM base value. $1.4MM base salary. $1.3Mm signing bonus. $250K workout bonus. $250K in per-game roster bonuses. $1.8MM in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives — $400K for Pro Bowl and $1.4MM based on catches or receiving yards. Lowest incentive threshold is $400K for 70 catches or 900 yards. Can max out at $1.4MM by exceeding 100 catches or 1,400 yards (three Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
  • Stevan Ridley, RB (Jets): One year, $1.25MM base value. $750K base salary. $80K signing bonus. $50K workout bonus. $20K first-game roster bonus. $350K in per-game roster bonuses. Has injury waiver, which voids if he’s on 53-man roster in Week 1 (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • James Casey, TE (Broncos): One year, $1.25MM base value. $750K base salary. $500K roster bonus. Has injury waiver, split salary (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Joe Mays, LB (Jets): One year, minimum salary benefit. $870K base salary. $20K first-game roster bonus. $60K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • John Kuhn, FB (Packers): One year, minimum salary benefit. $870K base salary. $25K workout bonus. $25K Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Zackary Bowman, CB (Dolphins): One year, minimum salary benefit. $745K base salary. $80K signing bonus. Has injury waiver (Twitter link via Wilson).

Dolphins Sign Zackary Bowman

April 13th, 2015 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

1:38pm: Bowman’s deal is for one year, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

1:20pm: After bringing him in for a visit this morning, the Dolphins didn’t waste any time reaching a contract agreement with free agent cornerback Zackary Bowman. According to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), Bowman signed with the team today. The club has since confirmed the move (Twitter link).

Bowman, 30, joined the Giants last year after spending the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Bears. The former fifth-round pick started five games for New York in 2014, and earned 458 overall defensive snaps.

According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), of the 108 qualified cornerbacks in the league last season, no player held opposing quarterbacks to a lower completion percentage on passes into his coverage than Bowman (36.1%). However, four of the 13 completions he did allow went for touchdowns.

The Dolphins notably added Ndamukong Suh to help fortify their defense earlier this offseason, but haven’t been quite as aggressive addressing the back end of the unit — cornerback Brice McCain is the only other free agent defensive back to join the club this offseason. Even with McCain and Bowman now in the mix, cornerback may be an area of focus for Miami in the upcoming draft.

FA Notes: Bell, Titans, Bowman, Dolphins

April 13th, 2015 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on the latest updates on a pair of unrestricted free agents searching for jobs, as well as a pair of restricted free agents who will soon find out where they’ll be playing next season….

  • Offensive tackle Byron Bell, who recently worked out for the Chiefs, is now receiving consideration from another AFC team, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. According to Wyatt, Bell is visiting the Titans today. The Titans saw longtime tackle Michael Roos retire this offseason, and release Michael Oher, so the club is in the market for a tackle to complement Taylor Lewan, and brought in Joe Barksdale for a visit last week. If Tennessee were to sign Bell, the team would essentially be swapping tackles with the Panthers, with Bell’s old team having signed Oher.
  • Free agent cornerback Zackary Bowman is visiting the Dolphins today, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that there’s a “pretty good chance” Bowman ends up signing with Miami. I didn’t mention Bowman when I examined the notable defensive free agents still on the market over the weekend, but the former Giant did play 458 defensive snaps last season, starting five games for New York.
  • Safety Sean Richardson was in Green Bay for a visit and a physical on Sunday, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link), who notes that could be a sign that the Packers will match the Raiders‘ offer sheet for the restricted free agent. Green Bay’s decision is due today.
  • The Lions‘ decision on whether or not to match the Buccaneers‘ offer sheet for RFA defensive end George Johnson is also due today. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press points out (via Twitter), that Johnson has already signed eight contracts with Tampa Bay, having frequently been shuttled on and off the team’s roster and practice squad earlier in his playing career.

NFC Notes: Wharton, Rudolph, Lions, Bowman

April 2nd, 2014 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few afternoon items from around the NFC….

  • The Panthers‘ offseason offensive line exodus may not be done yet. Veteran free agent guard Travelle Wharton suggests to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) that he’s leaning toward retirement, though he hasn’t made a final decision yet. Over the last few weeks, Jordan Gross and Geoff Hangartner have also decided to retire, leaving the Panthers with some holes in their line.
  • We heard last month that locking up Kyle Rudolph long-term is a “big priority” for the Vikings, and it sounds like the tight end is fully on board with the idea too. “I want to stay here,” Rudolph told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). “Hopefully, [an extension] is something we can get done this offseason.”
  • With less than $2MM in cap space remaining even before today’s deal with Dan Orlovsky, the Lions may have to restructure multiple contracts in order to fill out their roster, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
  • According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago (via Twitter), Zackary Bowman‘s new minimum-salary contract with the Giants includes a $65K signing bonus.

Giants Sign Zack Bowman

April 1st, 2014 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 9:53am: It’s a minimum salary contract for Bowman, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

MONDAY, 12:05pm: Bowman’s deal with the Giants is indeed for one year, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

12:00pm: After reportedly being close to signing with the Giants 10 days ago, Zackary Bowman appears to have finally reached an agreement with the team, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Dickerson reports (via Twitter) that the free agent cornerback will sign with the Giants. While terms of the deal aren’t known, Dickerson’s original story from a week and a half ago indicated it would be a one-year contract.

Bowman, 29, was an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the Bears. After starting 12 of 16 games for the team in 2009, Bowman has mostly played a part-time role since then, though he did see seven more starts in 2013. The former fifth-round pick recorded 48 tackles and three interceptions in 2013, and received a slightly negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in large part due to a poor showing against the run. Bowman’s -3.6 grade as a run stopper ranked in the bottom 10 among qualified cornerbacks.

For the Giants, Bowman will almost certainly return to a reserve role, assuming he makes the team. The club has already re-signed Trumaine McBride and added Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond in free agency this month.

Zack Bowman, Giants Close To One-Year Deal

March 21st, 2014 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Giants are close to agreeing to terms with free agent cornerback Zackary Bowman on a one-year deal, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Despite a limited amount of leftover cap space, the Giants continue to be active in free agency, having already signed offensive lineman John Jerry today.

Bowman, 29, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the Bears. After starting 12 of 16 games for the team in 2009, Bowman has mostly played a part-time role since then, though he did see seven more starts in 2013. The former fifth-round pick recorded 48 tackles and three interceptions in 2013, and received a slightly negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in large part due to a poor showing against the run. Bowman’s -3.6 grade as a run stopper ranked in the bottom 10 among qualified cornerbacks.

For the Giants, Bowman will almost certainly return to a reserve role, considering the club has already re-signed Trumaine McBride and added Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond in free agency this month.

According to Dickerson, the Bears are believed to have expressed some interest in bringing Bowman back.