Tag: Breeland Speaks

49ers roster moves: DL Breeland Speaks signs, CB Anthony Averett placed on IR

The 49ers added another defensive end before Friday’s practice.

The 49ers on Friday before their joint practice with the Raiders announced the addition of defensive lineman Breeland Speaks. San Francisco opened a roster spot by placing cornerback Anthony Averett on IR.

Speaks was a second-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2018 draft. He played in 16 games with four starts as a rookie, but hasn’t played in an NFL game since. Speaks has spent time with the Raiders, Cowboys, Giants and Bills practice squads. Last year in the USFL he played for the Michigan Panthers and posted a league-best 9.0 sacks in 11 games.

Averett was signed by the 49ers in early August when another CB, Terrance Mitchell, was placed on IR. Unless Averett reaches an injury settlement and is released by the 49ers, his season is over.

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Broncos worked out 4 players this week

The Broncos worked out four players on Thursday and signed Austin Ajiake after placing Jonas Griffith on injured reserve.

After losing inside linebacker Jonas Griffith to a season-ending torn ACL, the Denver Broncos worked out four players on Thursday.

The Broncos worked out Austin Ajiake, Chris Garrett, Breeland Speaks and “Olasunkanmi,” according to Aaron Wilson and Mike Klis. “Olasunkanmi” is presumably how Ola Adeniyi’s name showed up on the NFL’s transaction wire.

Denver ended up signing Ajiake. The Broncos had an open spot for Ajiake on the 90-man offseason roster after officially placing Griffith on injured reserve on Thursday.

“We liked him,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Ajiake. “We felt like he had good athletic traits. We felt like he could help us in the kicking game. We brought him back for a workout with the other guys, and we thought he did pretty well.”

Meanwhile, wide receiver Tim Patrick (Achilles) underwent successful surgery on Thursday. Patrick is now facing a six-month recovery timeline. If all goes well, the veteran will be able to return before training camp in 2024.

Former Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks candidate for USFL Defensive Player of the Year

Former #Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks is picking up steam as a candidate for the USFL Defensive Player of the Year award as he leads the league in sacks through five weeks.

Former Kansas City Chiefs draft pick Breeland Speaks is dominating in his first season with the USFL’s Michigan Panthers. At the season’s halfway point, he’s already earning consideration for the USFL’s Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Speaks is the USFL’s sack leader through Week 5 with 6.5 sacks for the Panthers. He earned the league’s Defensive Player of the Week honors twice in that span, most recently after recording 2.5 sacks in Michigan’s loss to the Pittsburgh Maulers. While his team only has a 2-3 overall record through five games, Speaks has been a big-time bright spot for the spring football league.

A second-round pick out of Ole Miss in the 2018 NFL draft, Speaks played all 16 games as a rookie in Kansas City, recording 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He spent the entire 2019 season on injured reserve and was released during final roster cuts ahead of the 2020 NFL season.

His performance in the USFL could certainly be his path back to the NFL, with his potential as a professional finally being realized. You can watch Speaks in action this weekend on FOX at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 20, when the Panthers take on Birmingham Stallions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

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WATCH: Former Chiefs draft pick Breeland Speaks dominates USFL debut

Former #Chiefs second-round pick Breeland Speaks dominated his USFL debut with the Michigan Panthers.

Former Kansas City Chiefs second-round draft pick Breeland Speaks made his USFL debut on Sunday.

After flaming out in the NFL, Speaks is getting his second chance at football with the Michigan Panthers in the USFL’s second season. As it turned out, his first outing with his new squad was a smashing success.

Speaks posted a dominant performance in their 29-13 win over the Houston Gamblers, where he was practically unblockable. He finished the game with seven total tackles, two tackles for loss, three sacks (a league-high through one week) and a forced fumble which was recovered by his Michigan teammates.

For those who are keeping score, that’s double the number of sacks he had in his entire career with the Chiefs. He started four games as a rookie in 2018 and appeared in all 16 games, recording 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Speaks spent the entire 2019 NFL season on injured reserve and he was waived during final roster cuts in September of 2020.

Pending a crazy performance in the Pittsburgh Maulers – New Orleans Breakers game on Sunday evening, Speaks is likely set to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors in his USFL debut. You can check out some highlights of the performance at the top of the page.

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2022 NFL draft: Every player taken with 46th overall pick in last 10 years

What will the Vikings do with their first second-round draft pick in two years?

For the first time in two years, the Minnesota Vikings will finally be selecting a player in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Of course, that’s assuming general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn’t green light a trade that sends the pick to another team.

The Vikings haven’t had a second-round draft pick since taking offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland with the No. 58 overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft. Since being kicked to guard, Cleveland has been solid in his role along the offensive front.

So former general manager Rick Spielman must be commended for rebounding with that pick after biting the dust on cornerback Jeff Gladney in the first round.

There’s a ton of value to be had on Friday for the Vikings with the No. 46 overall pick. Whether Adofo-Mensah can find it or not remains to be seen.

Today, we’re listing the last 10 players taken with the No. 46 pick over the last decade.

Giants waive DE Breeland Speaks

The New York Giants have waived defensive end Breeland Speaks, who had signed a reserve/futures deal in January.

The New York Giants have waived defensive end Breeland Speaks, who had signed a reserve/futures contract with the team in late January.

Speaks was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 NFL draft and spent his first two seasons in K.C. before spitting time between the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys in 2020.

In 16 career games, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Speaks has recorded 24 tackles (three for a loss), one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, eight QB hits and 1.5 sacks.

In addition to waiving Speaks, the Giants also announced the signings of three 2021 NFL draft picks, including Azeez Ojulari, as well as three undrafted rookie free agents.

Former Giants news: The New York Jets have claimed running back Austin Walter off of waivers from the San Francisco 49ers.

Giants waive DE Breeland Speaks

The New York Giants have waived defensive end Breeland Speaks, who had signed a reserve/futures deal in January.

The New York Giants have waived defensive end Breeland Speaks, who had signed a reserve/futures contract with the team in late January.

Speaks was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 NFL draft and spent his first two seasons in K.C. before spitting time between the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys in 2020.

In 16 career games, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Speaks has recorded 24 tackles (three for a loss), one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, eight QB hits and 1.5 sacks.

In addition to waiving Speaks, the Giants also announced the signings of three 2021 NFL draft picks, including Azeez Ojulari, as well as three undrafted rookie free agents.

Former Giants news: The New York Jets have claimed running back Austin Walter off of waivers from the San Francisco 49ers.

Roster Churn: Cowboys move Diggs to IR, shuffle PS, prep for Knight

Trevon Diggs heads to IR. Cowboys add to practice squad with Breeland Speaks and Robinson. Brandon Knight begins 21-day practice window.

The Dallas Cowboys have been busy making a lot of roster moves just days ahead of their matchup with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Unfortunately, one of those moves isn’t a positive one as promising rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs will be placed on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot vs the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9.

Diggs began to hit his stride in the last five games. He registered 22 tackles, eight passes defended, and two interceptions over that span (both vs the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8). There’s no telling if Diggs will come back later in the season, but for now, the talented rookie is on the shelf.

The Cowboys also added a few pieces to the practice squad roster with defensive end Breeland Speaks and cornerback Rashard Robinson.

Speaks was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018. He would play in all 16 games as a rookie with four starts. He produced 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. After multiple stints on injured reserve, and a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s old substance-abuse policy, Speaks didn’t see the field in 2019 and was released on September 5 during final roster cuts.

Speaks would be signed to the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad on October 2 only to be released on November 3.

Robinson was signed to the Cowboys practice squad on September 15 but was placed on the practice squad/injured list on October 24 with an undisclosed injury.

The Cowboys offensive line got some much-needed good news as well on Wednesday with the potenital return of tackle Brandon Knight. He suffered a knee injury in October against the Arizona Cardinals and underwent surgery just days later that would keep him out multiple weeks. Knight has played in six games with four starts this season in place of Tyron Smith. He’s struggled for the most part but did have one solid game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.

Knight now begins his 21-day practice window, giving the Cowboys three weeks to evaluate him before adding him back to the active roster.

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Roster Churn: Marquette King tryout, Cowboys elevate from PS for Steelers, Dez Bryant could play for Ravens

The Cowboys are set top work out four players at three positions.Dez Bryant is set to make his debut without a star on his helmet.

The Dallas Cowboys are about to enter their bye week in Week 10, and the team will be using that time to workout a number of new players. With Punter Chris Jones going to the IR, the Cowboys activated P Hunter Niswander to handle duties Sunday against Pittsburgh. Dallas doesn’t seem content at the position however, as they are set to workout veteran Colton Schmidt and former All-Pro Marquette King.

Schmidt and King’s last NFL stints came in 2018 with the Bills and Broncos, respectively, and both were in the XFL a season ago. Along with the two punters, the Cowboys will be working out two defenders as well; defensive end Breeland Speaks and DT Greg Gilmore.

Speaks was the No. 46 overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, but was released in the final cuts before the 2020 season. The 24-year old could be a low-risk signing with some long-term upside.

Gilmore was last on the Carolina Panthers and is listed at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds. The workout of Gilmore, and last week’s trade for DT Eli Ankou are  showing Dallas is trying to get more size in the interior of their defensive line after releasing Dontari Poe prior to Week 8.

That action is for Week 10, but the team made a handful of moves for Week 9’s game as well.

In addition to elevating Niswander, the team once again is elevating defensive back Saivion Smith. Corner Chidobe Awuzie still isn’t ready to return from his hamstring injury and Smith replaced QB Andy Dalton who moved to the COVID-19 list. Temporarily elevated for the game were RB Sewo Olonilua in case Ezekiel Elliott (hamstring) can’t go, and QB Cooper Rush to backup Gilbert.

Dez Bryant

Cowboys fans are just getting over the strange sight of Jason Witten in a Raiders uniform, and tomorrow another Dallas legend will don his second ever NFL uniform, as Dez Bryant was activated to the Baltimore Ravens active squad ahead of Sunday’s game.

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Former Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks signed to Raiders practice squad

The former Chiefs draft pick has a new team after being released ahead of the 2020 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs might get a chance to play against one of their former players later in the 2020 NFL season.

Former Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks has signed to the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad according to the NFL’s official transaction report. Speaks, the former No. 46 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was released by Kansas City in final roster cuts ahead of the 2020 NFL season. Chiefs GM Brett Veach claimed that Speaks’ release was due to a combination of factors, from the depth of the position group to Speaks showing up out of shape for training camp back in 2018.

Speaks has bounced around, visiting a bunch of teams since his release including the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings. He hadn’t signed with any teams since his release back in September despite visiting a few teams. His most recent visit was with the Raiders and it seems to have gone well, resulting in this practice squad contract.

Speaks played two games against the Raiders in 2018, notching a tackle in each game. His lone career sack came against an AFC West opponent, the Denver Broncos, bringing down Case Keenum in Week 8.

You have to think that the prospect of playing the Chiefs twice a year made the Raiders an appealing option for Speaks. He could possibly have a chance to prove his old team wrong if he were to be called up to the active roster. Las Vegas, like many teams around the league, has been struck by the injury bug. Most recently their first-round draft pick, CB Damon Arnette, was placed on injured reserve today with a thumb injury and is expected out anywhere from 6-8 weeks.

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