Arizona Cardinals
Thursday: Released FS Antrel Rolle.
Friday: Traded WR Anquan Boldin and a fifth-round pick in the 2010 draft to the
Baltimore Ravens for third- and fourth-round picks in the 2010 draft.
Saturday: Acquired FS Kerry Rhodes from the New York Jets for a 2010
fourth-round pick and a 2011 seventh-round pick.
Comments:
Boldin was on the final year of his contract and the team didn't try to extend
his contract, so he became expendable to a degree. WR Steve Breaston, who is
slated to replace him in the lineup, is a restricted free agent. However, he got
a first-round tender, so it's likely no other team will try to sign him to an
offer sheet.
Rhodes will take over at free safety for Rolle.
Atlanta Falcons
Thursday: Re-signed CB Brian Williams, announced LS Mike Schneck retired.
Friday: Re-signed QB Chris Redman.
Comments: Williams is coming off of a serious knee injury, so it's not out of
the question that he gets moved to FS down the road. Some personnel evaluators
thought he would play at free safety at some point in his career because he's
willing to be physical.
Baltimore Ravens
Friday: Acquired WR Anquan Boldin and a fifth-round pick in the 2010 draft
from the Arizona Cardinals for third- and fourth-round picks in the 2010 draft,
re-signed DT Lamar Divens.
Comments: The Ravens have to do all that they can to help QB Joe Flacco. Boldin
will give the Ravens a badly needed physical nature at the receiver position,
but they still lack down field speed there.
Buffalo Bills
Tuesday: Signed DT Marlon Favorite.
Carolina Panthers
Friday: Released the following players: QB Jake Delhomme, DTs Maake Kemoeatu
(failed physical) and
Damione Lewis, LBs Na'il Diggs and Landon Johnson.
Comments: The Panthers will still owe Delhomme a significant amount of money
even if he finds another job. Matt Moore takes over as the starting QB.
Considering how many teams need a backup QB, Delhomme should be able to find
another job relatively soon,
Lewis and Kemoeatu were starters, so the Panthers will have to look at their
younger defensive tackles to replace them.
Dan Connor figures to replace Diggs. Johnson should find work as a backup with
another team.
Chicago Bears
Monday: Released OT Orlando Pace, waived G Tyler Reed, waived TE Fontel Mines.
Friday: Signed FB Chester Taylor, signed TE Brandon Manumaleuna, signed DE
Julius Peppers.
Comments: Chris Williams or Kevin Shaffer will move to LT to replace Pace.
Taylor will give the Bears an excellent fallback option should starting RB Matt
Forte get hurt or should he struggle with consistency as he did last season.
Manumaleuna is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL and is like having
an extra tackle on the field.
Peppers gives the Bears a proven pass rusher opposite veteran DE Alex Brown.
Cincinnati Bengals
Thursday: Released WR Laveranues Coles.
Comments: A source said Coles, for his one season with the Bengals, received
over $9 million. It's unclear who will replace him in the starting lineup at
this point.
Cleveland Browns
Wednesday: Released C Hank Fraley.
Friday: Traded DL Corey Williams and a 2010 seventh-round pick to the Detroit
Lions for a 2010 fifth-round pick.
Sunday: Signed OT Tony Pashos, signed LB Scott Fujita.
Comments: Fraley had one year left on his contract at a base salary of $1.630
million. But the reason why they may have released him is he had a $500,000
roster bonus due.
As Scout.com
noted
recently, Williams was totally out of sorts playing in a 3-4 scheme, so
he'll move to Detroit where they play a 4-3. He also get back to playing inside
where he's more comfortable.
Pashos should bring stability to the right side of Cleveland's offensive line.
Fujita should be playing inside this coming season in Cleveland's 3-4 defensive
scheme.
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Friday: Signed DT Justin Bannan, signed CB Nate Jones, signed RB J.J. Arrington,
re-signed OL Russ Hochstein, re-signed WR Brandon Lloyd.
Comments: Bannan will take over as the nose tackle for Denver. As Scout.com
noted recently, even at 31, he has plenty left in the tank.
Jones will compete for nickel job and will play on special teams.
Arrington was supposed to sign with Denver last year, missed 2009 with a knee
problem.
Detroit Lions
Friday: Released CB Phillip Buchanon, released DT Grady Jackson, acquired DT
Corey Williams and a 2010 seventh-round pick from the Cleveland Browns for a
2010 fifth-round pick.
Saturday: Signed DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, signed WR Nate Burleson.
Comments: Buchanon's release isn't surprising considering he was benched for a
bit with the Lions last season.
Jackson is a solid run-stopper, but is more of a rotational player at this point
in his career.
Burleson will fit in well the Lions because of his size and
versatility. It will be interesting to see how veteran WR Bryant Johnson fits in now that Burleson is in the fold.
Vanden Bosch's sack numbers have dipped the past few seasons, so there might be
a concern that he's starting to regress. However, he hasn't had much help on the
other side, either. If veteran DE Dewayne White is healthy, both veteran ends
could really form a solid pass-rushing tandem.
Green Bay Packers
Friday: Released DE Mike Montgomery, released S Matt Giordano.
Saturday: Re-signed OT Chad Clifton.
Comments: Good move for the Packers to bring back the venerable offensive
lineman,
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Friday: Released DL Raheem Brock, released QB Jim Sorgi, signed G Andy Alleman,
re-signed LB Gary Brackett.
Comments: Brock's versatility should land him a job before too long.
The Colts don't have a veteran to back up Peyton Manning with Sorgi out of the
picture.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Monday: Re-signed DT Montavious Stanley.
Thursday: Re-signed DT Atiyyah Ellison, re-signed G Kynan Forney.
Saturday: Signed WR Kassim Osgood.
Sunday: Signed DE Aaron Kampman.
Comments: Osgood, at the very least, upgrades their special teams coverage
units.
While signing Kampman might be a good move, he turns 31 in November and is
coming off of a torn ACL. So who knows where he'll be at physically this season
considering how he suffered the injury late last season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Wednesday: Waived RB Dantell Savage, released WR Devard Darling (failed
physical).
Thursday: Re-signed OLB Mike Vrabel.
Friday: Re-signed RB/FB Jackie Battle.
Saturday: Re-signed WR Terrance Copper.
Comments: The team is still looking for a receiver to play opposite Dwayne Bowe.
Miami Dolphins
Friday: Released S Gibril Wilson, released LB Akin Ayodele, released LB Joey
Porter.
Saturday: Signed LB Karlos Dansby.
Comments: Wilson has been cut by two teams in the past two seasons. The free
safety position now is open for the Dolphins.
Ayodele will be replaced by Dansby. Dansby will likely start inside, but look
for the coaching staff to move him around since he's a solid pass-rushing LB.
Porter had a roster bonus due, so the team decided not to pick it up. He'll look
for work with a team that runs a 3-4 scheme.
Minnesota Vikings
Friday: Re-signed WR Greg Lewis.
New England Patriots
Thursday: Released TE Chris Baker, re-signed OLB Tully Banta-Cain.
Comments: The Patriots have just two tight ends under contract and both are
undrafted free agents.
New Orleans Saints
Thursday: Released LB Mark Simoneau, released G Jamar Nesbit.
Friday: Released DE Charles Grant (failed physical), re-signed S Pierson
Prioleau.
Saturday: Re-signed C Nick Leckey.
Comments: Grant is coming back from a torn triceps injury, so it's not known
when he'll be fully recovered. The Saints are very thin on depth at end, so they
may address that position in the draft.
New York Giants
Saturday: Signed S Antrel Rolle, waived S Aaron Rouse, waived CB Londen Fryar.
Comments: Rolle will take over at free safety for Kenny Phillips who is dealing
with a major knee problem. While the team says he's making progress, it's clear
he'll either have to move to SS or be a backup for the team in the future.
New York Jets
Thursday: Released CB Lito Sheppard, acquired CB Antonio Cromartie from the San
Diego Chargers for a 2011 draft pick.
Friday: Released RB Thomas Jones, released CB Donald Strickland.
Saturday: Traded S Kerry Rhodes to Arizona Cardinals for a 2010 fourth-round
pick and 2011 seventh-round pick.
Comments: Cromartie will replace Sheppard in the starting lineup. The Jets'
defensive scheme will require Cromartie to be aggressive, so he'll have to be
more physical than in year's past.
Shonn Greene becomes the starting running back for the Jets now with Jones out
of the picture.
Oakland Raiders
Saturday: Released RB Justin Fargas (failed physical).
Comments: The Fargas release leaves the team with Michael Bush and Darren
McFadden as the top two backs on the roster.
Fargas could draw attention from the Seattle Seahawks where his former college
coach, Pete Carroll, is now the head coach.
Philadelphia Eagles
Friday: Re-signed FB Leonard Weaver, released LB Will Witherspoon, released RB
Brian Westbrook.
Comments: The Eagles made Weaver the highest paid fullback in the league with
his new deal. Weaver is not only a very good player, but he's an even better
person.
Witherspoon got off to a good start after his trade from the Rams, but he really
struggled down the stretch. He also was make $5 million in base salary for 2010.
It's not out of the question that the Eagles try to bring him back at a much
lower base salary.
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers
Thursday: Released RB Michael Bennett, released DT Jamal Williams, re-signed DT
Antonio Garay, traded CB Antonio Cromartie to the New York Jets for a 2011 draft
pick.
Friday: Re-signed DT Alfonso Boone, re-signed TE Kris Wilson.
Comments: Williams' release leaves a big hole inside the Chargers' front-three.
Former first-round pick Antoine Cason will take over for Cromartie in the
starting lineup.
San Francisco 49ers
Thursday: Re-signed ILB Matt Wilhelm.
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
Wednesday: Waived DT Claude Wroten from Reserve/Suspended List.
Thursday: Released DT LaJuan Ramsey, waived TE Derek Fine.
Saturday: Signed QB A.J. Feeley, re-signed S Craig Dahl.
Comments: Feeley could push veteran QB Marc Bulger off their 80-man roster
considering he's making $8.5 million in base salary for 2010.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thursday: Released Ps Dirk Johnson and Josh Bidwell, released CB Torrie Cox.
Comments: Sam Paulescu is the only punter that remains on Tampa Bay's roster.
Tennessee Titans
Thursday: Re-signed LS Ken Amato.
Washington Redskins
Friday: Released the following players: QB Todd Collins, RBs Ladell Betts
(failed physical) and
Rock Cartwright, WR Antwaan Randle El, G Randy Thomas, DT Cornelius Griffin, OT
Chris Samuels (failed physical), and
CB Fred Smoot. Waived the following players: RB Marcus Mason, FB Eddie Williams,
DE J.D. Skolnitsky, OT Chris Samuels announced retirement. Re-signed DE/OLB
Lorenzo Alexander, re-signed DE Phillip Daniels, re-signed OT Mike Williams.
Saturday: Signed OL Artis Hicks.
Comments: The cuts were made because the team could get out of the contracts
easily since there's no salary cap for 2010. The team saved over $15 million in
base salary. The loss of Samuels is big considering they don't really have a
proven replacement for him. Samuels announced his retirement this week.
The Redskins don't have a veteran backup QB to provide depth should starter
Jason Campbell get hurt.
With Betts and Cartwright gone, that leaves the team with no quality depth at
the running back position.
Hicks could wind up replacing Thomas or he could take over at LT for Samuels.
Griffin will likely be replaced by Kedric Golston.
For transactions from last week,
click here.