Tag: Alex Armah

Rivera, Mayhew give insight into the future of a pair of released veterans

Don’t be surprised if two released veterans are soon back with the Commanders.

If there was a surprise during the Washington Commanders’ final cuts Tuesday, it was the release of veteran center Tyler Larsen.

Larsen, entering his 10th NFL season in 2023, has been with Washington since 2021, and it’s actually his second stint with the franchise. Before signing with Washington in March 2021, Larsen spent five seasons with the Carolina Panthers, where he played for current Washington coach Ron Rivera.

Larsen has appeared in 18 games, with 11 starts, over the last two seasons due to injuries to Chase Roullier. Unfortunately, Larsen would end each of his previous two seasons on IR with leg injuries after playing well for the Commanders.

Washington re-signed Larsen to a one-year deal in March after releasing Roullier and signing Nick Gates in free agency. The Commanders also drafted their future center, Ricky Stromberg, in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Still, Washington loves what Larsen offers and does not want to be shorthanded at center again in 2023.

So, his release came as a bit of a surprise. However, his exit and the release of fullback/tight end Alex Armah could be temporary.

Both are vested veterans, and when asked about them Tuesday, Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew offered a clue about their immediate futures.

“Well, I think the biggest thing, more anything else, is we like the position flex that the young man gives us,” Rivera said when asked about his confidence in Stromberg. He’s a solid, stout guy who we feel really good about right now.”

But check out how Rivera finished his answer to the question:

“And as Martin stated to the question, this is fluid right now, and we’re not done with anything potentially.”

Larsen will be back.

As for Armah, today’s NFL doesn’t feature a lot of fullbacks. Washington offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy does use a fullback, and Armah is a good, versatile player who can also help out at tight end.

Mayhew offered insight into Armah.

“Well, Alex has been a good player for us over the last couple of years,” Mayhew said. “We’ve had good conversations about him. There is value with having a fullback, and again, very fluid situation right now for where we are. I think we’re carrying four tight ends right now. We’ll see how that all plays out.”

Much like Rivera’s comment about Larsen, Mayhew gave a pretty clear indication that we haven’t seen the last of Armah.

Again, that’s why Tuesday’s roster is called the “initial” 53-man roster.

Washington signs a fullback to the practice squad

Washington added an experienced fullback to the practice squad on Thursday.

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Remember when they tried to tell you the fullback position was dead? Don’t tell that to San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan, who perfectly employs fullback Kyle Juszczyk in his offense, is one of the few NFL coaches who still uses a fullback.

While some other teams use fullbacks, Juszczyk is the face of the position around the NFL.

You can now add Washington to the list of teams who employ a fullback — well, sort of. On Thursday, Washington signed fullback Alex Armah to the practice squad, and, depending on what happens with J.D. McKissic Sunday, he could find a role on the active roster soon.

McKissic, injured in Monday’s win over the Seahawks, missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a concussion. His status for Sunday appears in doubt, which means Antonio Gibson and Jaret Patterson will carry the load for Washington. However, the team would add a third running back for the game, which likely will be Wendell Smallwood, who is also on the practice squad.

Washington, which has been one of the NFL’s best rushing teams over the last three weeks, could also choose to activate Armah, giving Gibson and Patterson a lead blocker, and add another dangerous element to the running game.

Armah, 27, entered the NFL in 2017 out of West Georgia. He was a sixth-round pick by, you guessed it, the Carolina Panthers, where he spent the first four seasons of his NFL career. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Armah signed with the Saints in the offseason and was released earlier this week.

Offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s father, Norv, loved using the fullback over the years. Perhaps the younger Turner is intrigued about adding another element to Washington’s offense in 2021.

Armah may never see action with Washington, but it’s noteworthy the team added a fullback for the first time in years.

Washington Football Team signs ex-Saints fullback Alex Armah Jr.

Washington Football Team signs ex-Saints fullback Alex Armah Jr. to practice squad

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It didn’t take long for Alex Armah Jr. to land on his feet. After clearing waivers upon being released by the New Orleans Saints, the veteran fullback reunited with the coach that drafted him — Ron Rivera, the former Carolina Panthers coach now managing a surging Washington Football Team, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Armah will initially catch on with the Washington practice squad before being promoted to the active roster.

Armah played more often on special teams (96 snaps) than on offense (72) across nine games with the Saints this season, and was recently replaced by Adam Prentice, a rookie called up from the practice squad. Maybe he’ll perform better in Washington with a coach better familiar with him.

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How are 15 notable Saints free agent pickups faring after first 5 games?

How are 15 notable Saints free agent pickups faring after first 5 games?

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It’s no secret that the New Orleans Saints were not big spenders in free agency. They had to race to reach salary cap compliance from a $100 million deficit, leaving them with little resources to commit to improving their squad. Of the players they did sign only a select few joined the black and gold for more than a minimum salary.

Still, the Saints were able to add a number of new faces despite those financial limitations. Some of them (Tanoh Kpassagnon and Bradley Roby) made a greater impression than others (Austin Reiter and Prince Amukamara), who were only around long enough to get a cup of coffee. Here are how the top 15 Saints pickups have fared at the bye week:

Saints claim ex-Broncos FB Adam Prentice off waivers, sign Sutton Smith to practice squad

The New Orleans Saints claimed ex-Broncos FB Adam Prentice off waivers after roster cuts, also re-signing Sutton Smith to the practice squad:

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It didn’t take long for the New Orleans Saints to pounce on the waiver wire; they claimed former Denver Broncos fullback Adam Prentice, a rookie out of South Carolina (as a graduate transfer from Colorado State). The Saints waived backup fullback Sutton Smith a week ago before releasing their projected starter Alex Armah during Tuesday’s roster cuts, so this is quite a surprise. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported Wednesday that Smith returned to the practice squad.

Prentice, 24, has rarely seen many touches go his way as a runner or receiver while making a name for himself as a blocker — though his former offensive coordinator Mike Bobo described him as, “a little bit more than a sixth lineman. He could do a lot of stuff. He could play wing for us, he could insert, he can catch the ball.” Maybe he has some position flexibility that Sean Payton hopes to put to use.

It’s not immediately clear who the Saints will waive to open a spot for Prentice, so keep an eye out. Their roster is in flux and will continue to change in the days ahead as players are brought in, sent out, and occasionally re-signed to the practice squad. We’ll have all the updates here at Saints Wire.

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Report: Panthers were tipped off about Saints wanting WR Terrace Marshall in the draft

That’s a nice victory for the Panthers over the Saints, who have won four straight and eight of the last nine meetings between these teams.

The Panthers and the Saints have shown interest in many of the same players this last year and a half since Joe Brady was hired as offensive coordinator. Brady previously served as an assistant for Sean Payton and runs a similar scheme, so it’s natural that their interests collide – and they certainly have.

Last year there was the whole Tommy Stevens saga. Additionally, the Panthers have brought in a number of former Saints players like Tommylee Lewis, Keith Kirkwood and Teddy Bridgewater. A couple months ago the Saints poached long-time Panthers fullback Alex Armah, signing him to a one-year deal.

The intrigue continued in the 2021 NFL draft, where apparently both teams had their eye on LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall. According to Darin Gantt at the team website, the Panthers were tipped off via phone call that New Orleans was targetting Marshall with the No. 60 overall pick. The Panthers changed course and decided to snag Marshall one spot earlier.

“(BYU left tackle Brady Christensen) was probably going to be the guy at 59, and there was a deal cooking that could have moved them back on the clock within a few spots to take LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.. Marshall was quickly becoming one of those guys whose name was beginning to stick out on the board, with not much space above him, but a lot of space below at his position. He was becoming a value guy. Then someone got a call that the Saints were about to take Marshall 60th overall, and the Panthers shifted gears, taking Marshall in the 59th spot instead.”

That’s a nice victory for the Panthers over the Saints, who have won four straight and eight of the last nine meetings between these teams.

As for Marshall, we’re projecting he will be the WR3 on the roster behind D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. During his college career, Marshall lined up both outside and in the slot. Tight end Dan Arnold should offer competition, but it’s not hard to imagine Marshall becoming Sam Darnold’s go-to option in the red zone once he’s up to speed.

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Panthers sign 2 DL and a FB

Panthers sign 2 DL and a FB

Well, that workout must’ve went rather nicely, huh?

Just hours after David Newton of ESPN reported that the Carolina Panthers were working out fullback Mikey Daniel on Tuesday, a deal between the two sides has been reached. The signing of the South Dakota State Jackrabbit and 2020 training camp body for the Atlanta Falcons was first noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

With the departure of Alex Armah to the New Orleans Saints, Daniel will officially be the lone fullback on the Carolina roster. The six-foot, 235-pounder averaged 4.7 per carry and scored 30 touchdowns over his four-year collegiate career.

The team also, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic, added defensive linemen Frank Herron and P.J. Johnson on Tuesday evening.

Herron, 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots in 2018. The LSU Tiger, after additional stints in Seattle, Miami, Tennessee and Detroit, has played in seven games between 2019 and 2020 for the Lions.

Johnson, another former Lion, was a seventh-round pick by Detroit in 2019. The 6-foot-4, 335-pounder has bounced around to the Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle and Arizona as well, having yet to log a regular-season snap.

Panthers working out former Falcons FB Mikey Daniel today

According to a report by David Newton at ESPN, today the team is working out former Atlanta fullback/running back Mikey Daniel, who played his college football at South Dakota State.

The Panthers have lost a couple of backfield contributors to division rivals this offseason. Fullback Alex Armah has signed with the Saints, while backup running back Mike Davis joined the Falcons on a two-year, $5.5 million deal.

Carolina might be looking to return the favor. According to a report by David Newton at ESPN, today the team is working out former Atlanta fullback/running back Mikey Daniel, who played his college football at South Dakota State.

Daniel (six-foot, 235 pounds) racked up 30 touchdowns from scrimage with the Jackrabbits and then went undrafted. He spent training camp with the Falcons but did not appear in a game in 2020.

Christian McCaffrey’s spot is guaranteed at the top of the team’s depth chart at running back, so if Daniel does wind up signing with the Panthers, he’ll be competing for snaps with the likes of Reggie Bonnafon, Rodney Smith, Trenton Cannon and the recently-signed Darius Clark.

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Getting the scoop on Saints free agent signings from behind enemy lines

The New Orleans Saints invested in several 2021 free agents like Tanoh Kpassagnon, Nick Vannett, and Alex Armah, so what’s the scoop?

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The New Orleans Saints haven’t made many splashes in free agency, but now that they’ve become more active in signing new players it’s time to learn a bit more about the new faces on the team.

To that end, I reached out to our colleagues over at Chiefs Wire, Broncos Wire, and Panthers Wire for a quick summary of what the Saints have added in their free agent pickups:

Chiefs to sign former Saints fullback Michael Burton

The Chiefs found their Anthony Sherman replacement by signing former New Orleans Saints fullback Michael Burton, an unrestricted free agent.

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The Kansas City Star’s Herbie Teope reported Tuesday that former New Orleans Saints fullback Michael Burton signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Burton was an unrestricted free agent after his one-year deal with New Orleans expired after the 2020 season. He was presumed to depart after the Saints signed former Carolina Panthers fullback Alex Armah to a one-year contract earlier this offseason.

A fifth-round pick out of Rutgers in the 2015 NFL draft, Burton spent two years with the Detroit Lions before he was claimed off of waivers by the Chicago Bears. After joining the Saints for training camp in 2019, he returned to New Orleans after a year with the Washington Football Team to replace the retired Zack Line. The fullback is viewed as a dying breed around the NFL, but Sean Payton is one of a handful of play callers who has shown a propensity for them on his roster.

While primarily a special teams player, on the field for 29% of snaps in the kicking game compared to 19% of the offensive snaps, Burton shined with his blocking skills. He saw just four targets in 2020 but was a cornerstone in the New Orleans rushing attack, which ranked sixth in the league; the trio of Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and Taysom Hill averaged over 141 yards per game on the ground.

The salary terms are not yet known, but it’s likely the Chiefs offered a veteran minimum contract similar to what the Saints signed him to last season. That would not qualify for a compensatory draft pick in 2022. In such an underused role, any production on the part of Burton is a positive for Kansas City, particularly in the upward trajectory of young running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire as a key lead blocker. But if Burton hits the ground running, he could hang around: he’s replacing longtime Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman, who retired after eight years with the team.

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