NFL - NEWS & NOTES

And on the RBs.... Atlanta did keep veteran fullback Keith Smith. But as of now, the RB group is Mike Davis, Cordarelle Patterson and Wayne Gallman with Caleb Huntley on the practice squad. None of them were here last year. Kinda cool to see a team swap out an entire position group in one year like that.

They replace Todd Gurley, Ito Smith, Brian Hill, Qadree Ollison (who was released this week to sign Gallman) and practice squad speedster Tony Brooks-James (who just signed with Pittsburgh for the second time, following his second stint with Atlanta). Hill signed with the Titans in the offseason. I don't know what's going on with Smith, but he had the dubious distinction of being signed by two teams and released by both all in one month. He lasted nine days with Arizona and five days with Minnesota. So he, Ollison and Gurley are all available for any team needing to warm a bench.

 

Raiders signing former Buccaneers, Washington RB Peyton Barber

An eventful week for running back Peyton Barber will now see him land in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Raiders are signing Barber to their active roster and off of the Washington Football Team's practice squad, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday.

The move comes after Barber was cut by Washington on Tuesday and then signed to its practice squad.

A five-year NFL veteran, Barber played his first four seasons with the Buccaneers and the 2020 campaign in Washington, where he tallied 258 yards and four touchdowns on 94 rushes.

NFL.com

 

Interesting that the pick the Steelers gave up is 2023, not 2022.

 

He's another one that's worth another look, in spite of declining stats over the last few years. That's partly because he became known as a short yardage specialist.

He has experience, versatility, and is good in pass protection blocking in addition to grinding out those short yardage situations. Not a bad guy to have on the bench for depth. I would say WTF was WFT thinking letting him get away so easily, but it's not like a replacement depth RB will be hard to find.

 

Its almost surprising, Adrian Peterson hasnt got a flyer with somebody.

 

Hoping everyone that hangs here is having as good an early afternoon as I am.

 

I just said goodbye to a 4 and a 5 year old... as soon as they walked out the front door to go home, i became sad and popped the top on a can. Things are good... nice to hear from you Tim!

 

Change of venue, but more cold soup for lunch.

 

Cowboys see a major spike in players placed on COVID reserve



The Cowboys will be missing a Pro Bowl offensive lineman for Week One. The positive test generated by guard Zack Martin continues a troubling trend for America’s Team.

As noted by Michael Gehlen of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys have now had eight players on COVID reserve in the past 16 days. Last year, for the entire season, the Cowboys had only six.

It’s a stark reminder that, even though many football fans have moved on from the pandemic, the pandemic hasn’t moved on from football. And the problem for the league is that the relaxed protocols for vaccinated players have set the stage, given the fact that the Delta variant is breaking through the vaccines, for the league to experience even more positive cases than last year.

Last night, for example, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence sat in a suite at Bank of America Stadium for the Georgia-Clemson game, maskless and with plenty of other people around. As with so many of the crowd shots from the first weekend of college football, it was a scene that looked like every football season before the pandemic.

Lawrence presumably is vaccinated. He can still catch it. He can return a positive in his next (or in any) once-per-week test. If it happens, he’ll likely miss at least one game.

It’s unlikely that an uptick in positive tests will result in games being scrapped. However, for those paying close attention to the protocols and the trends, a far different vibe exists now than in early July. The league, determined to play all games, won’t be troubled by the reality that, here and there, key players won’t be available for one or more weeks. But it will definitely affect for some teams the outcome of games and, in some cases, the outcome of seasons.

in part from; PFT

 

49ers add Josh Norman



A week before they open the season with a game at the Lions, the 49ers have added a veteran presence in the secondary.

Via Jay Glazer of FOX, the 49ers have signed cornerback Josh Norman to a one-year deal.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the deal is worth “up to $2.5 million.”

A Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2015 with the Panthers, Norman had the franchise tag applied applied by Carolina in early 2016 before they rescinded it. He promptly signed a multi-year deal with Washington worth $15 million per year, playing there from 2016 through 2019. He played for the Bills in 2020, appearing in nine games with three starts.

Norman, 33, had been a free agent for most of the offseason.

The starters in San Francisco are Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley.

PFT

 

I'm vaccinated and I mask in public. My job still requires it. My policy is: If my masking lowers the chances of people around me from getting COVID19, even by a few percent points, then I'll do it.

This pandemic is not over. Sadly.

 

They listened to you and did. Ravens worked out Bell and Devonta Freeman.

 

Ravens, Mark Andrews agree to four-year extension



The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson still have not worked out a new deal. The Ravens and tight end Mark Andrews have.

Per multiple reports, the Ravens and Andrews agreed to terms on a four-year extension.

Andrews was due to make $3.384 million in 2021, the final year of his rookie deal. The four-year, $56 million extension makes it a five-year, $11.87 million deal.

We’ll post the full breakdown as soon as we get our hands on it.

A 2019 Pro Bowler, Andrews has 156 receptions for 2,105 yards and 20 touchdowns in three seasons with the Ravens. He has been one of Jackson’s most reliable targets.

It remains to be seen whether the Ravens and Jackson work out a deal before Week One. He’s under contract for two more years, thanks to the fifth-year option that applies to first-round picks. If he’d been selected one spot later, he’d be entering the final season of his rookie contract.

PFT

 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams are expected to play Sunday



The Chiefs expect running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams to play Sunday.

“They practiced this past week and did a nice job with it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday, via Matt McMullen of the team website. “I think we’ll be OK there.”

Edwards-Helaire sprained his ankle in the Aug. 20 preseason game against the Cardinals, and Williams was diagnosed with a concussion in the same game.

Edwards-Helaire had 217 touches for 1,100 yards and five touchdowns last season as a rookie. He is expected to take on a bigger role in the passing game this season..

Williams had 57 touches for 285 yards and a touchdown last season in 280 offensive snaps.

Jerick McKinnon is the team’s third back.

PFT

 

Duane Brown back at practice for Seahawks ahead of opener

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — After more than a month as a spectator, left tackle Duane Brown was on the field as a participant as game week finally arrived for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday.

Brown may not have received exactly what he wanted during his month of watching practice. But the Seahawks appear to have the blindside protector of Russell Wilson satisfied enough for the start of the regular season.

“He’s ready to go and we’re pleased to have him,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “In the camp that he was able to put forth he did all the learning. He’s really healthy. He’s really healthy right now and I’m really thrilled about that for him. It was one of the things realized about the process of it that we would not wear him down at all during camp, like any player. So he’s got fresh legs to come in.”

Brown “held-in” throughout training camp, opting not to participate in practice while seeking more security. Brown’s current contract expires at the end of the season. Seattle has chosen not to engage on anything beyond this season with the 36-year-old veteran, although reports surfaced Monday that there could be adjustments made to Brown’s deal for this season.

Brown took part in walk-throughs and meetings during training camp, but until Monday had not stepped foot on the field as a participant in practice.

Asked if there had been adjustments to Brown’s contract, Carroll sidestepped the question.

“We’re really ready to play football right now. That’s where we are,” Carroll said. “Everything that needed to be taken care of is taken care of. Away we go.”

Brown’s presence is vital for Seattle because there is no clear replacement plan. Jamarco Jones played the position during preseason when Brown was watching. Cedric Ogbuehi filled in last season at left tackle, but is currently on injured reserve because of a biceps injury.

Brown wasn’t the only veteran that returned to practice. Safety Quandre Diggs also practiced after briefly sitting out practice in the past week while having some future assurances settled. Diggs reportedly wanted an insurance policy against injury finalized before the start of the season, his final one under contract with Seattle.

Safety Ryan Neal was also back at practice after missing time during training camp because of an oblique injury.

NOTES: Carroll said TE Colby Parkinson (foot) and CB Tre Brown (knee) will not play in the opener. Carroll said for now neither need to be placed on injured reserve but will not be ready against Indianapolis. ... Carroll said after all the roster decisions and moves the team has two players on the roster and practice squad that have not received a COVID-19 vaccine. “I’ve been really pleased with everybody’s contribution,” Carroll said. ... QB Russell Wilson (offense), LB Bobby Wagner (defense) and FB/LB Nick Bellore (special teams) were voted team captains.

 

So last year when the it looked like the NFL was sticking it to the broncos forcing them to start a wr at QB they probably were. Seem the Broncos qbs were trying to get around the covid protocols you can read the full article over on yahoo.

Broncos QBs tried to fool COVID system in 2020 but were caught on surveillance

 

Ravens signing Le’Veon Bell to practice squad



Le'Veon Bell faced the Ravens many times while he was a member of the Steelers and he may get a chance to play for his former AFC North rivals soon.

Bell worked out for the Ravens on Monday and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Ravens are signing him to their practice squad. Schefter adds that Bell is expected to be moved to the active roster “when ready,” although that plan could change if things don’t go as hoped during upcoming practices.

The Ravens lost J.K. Dobbins to a torn ACL in their final preseason game and Justice Hill to a torn Achilles in a recent practice. Gus Edwards and Ty'Son Williams are the other backs on the roster and there currently is not a back on the practice squad.

Bell opened last season with the Jets and hurt his hamstring in Week One. After a stint on injured reserve, he returned for one game and then got released after appearing to air his desire for a trade on social media. He signed with the Chiefs and ran 63 times for 254 yards and two touchdowns before falling out of the lineup in the final weeks of the season.

PFT

 

Texans work out Danny Amendola



Free agent receiver Danny Amendola‘s name hasn’t come up much since last season. He became a free agent in March.

The Texans, who have former Patriots executive Nick Caserio as their General Manager, worked out Amendola on Tuesday. Amendola spent the past two seasons playing in Detroit under former Patriots staffers Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia.

PFT

 

Saints release veteran RB Latavius Murray

New Orleans is bidding its second running back adieu.

The Saints released Latavius Murray on Tuesday, according to the league's transaction wire.

With the Saints up against the salary cap (owning roughly $2 million in free space prior to Murray's release, per Over The Cap) and signing veteran corner Desmond Trufant, New Orleans opted to cut Murray just days before the team's season opener against Green Bay at Jacksonville's TIAA Bank Stadium. The release will save $3.17 million in immediate space, giving the Saints a little bit of financial breathing room in case they need to make future moves during the season. The Trufant signing was finalized with Tuesday's wire.

Murray is coming off the best season of his career in terms of yards per carry (minimum 100 carries), averaging 4.5 yards on 146 attempts last season for the Saints. He scored five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) while serving as a spell back to Alvin Kamara, and found the end zone 11 times in his two seasons as a Saint.

NFL.com

 

Buccaneers add WR Chris Godwin (quad) to injury report

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added Chris Godwin to the injury report ahead of Thursday night's season opener versus the Dallas Cowboys.

The club listed the receiver as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice due to a quad injury. Godwin wasn't on the injury report Monday.

It's unclear whether it's an issue the 25-year-old wideout could play through. We'll have a better indication after his participation level Wednesday when the game status report is announced.

The Buccaneers have depth at wideout, including rookie Jaelon Darden and Tyler Johnson behind its top quartet, but it would be a big blow to the Super Bowl champs if Godwin cannot play in the opener.

NFL.com