Tag: Lance Lenoir

Eagles announce three roster moves as team gets down to the 85-player limit

Philadelphia Eagles waive Lance Lenoir, Jimmy Moreland, and Jared Mayden as the team trims down to 85 players

The Philadelphia Eagles announced three roster moves on Tuesday as the team prepares for a Wednesday flight to Cleveland for two days of joint practices and a preseason matchup against the Browns on Sunday.

Philadelphia waived/injured wide receiver Lance Lenoir, safety Jared Mayden, and cornerback Jimmy Moreland just days after the team moved on from Ali Fayad and William Dunkle.

The Eagles had to get to 85 players by the 4:00 PM est deadline, and they’ll need to be down to 80 players by next Tuesday afternoon.

WR Lance Lenoir, RB Mike Weber among former Cowboys with second chance in USFL

USFL exec VP “Moose” Johnston says the league is a second chance for players; several of those players got their first chance as Cowboys. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Daryl “Moose” Johnston paved the way hundreds of times for the NFL’s all-time leading rusher over the course of his storied career as a fullback for the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s. Now he’s helping pave the way for hundreds of young players to continue their dream of playing football at the professional level.

Johnston is the executive vice president of football operations for the new iteration of the USFL, the resurrected developmental league set to kick off in mid-April. Eight teams will play a ten-game schedule, with all contests being staged in one of two stadiums in Birmingham, Alabama. The championship will be played in Canton, Ohio’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

The entire season will wrap up by mid-June, attempting not to compete with the NFL, but to fill the gap left by its offseason. And in that way, the USFL allows its players a narrow but legitimate pathway to wearing the shield.

“There are a ton of guys who things just didn’t quite work out for,” Johnston told Fox Sports. “Football is an unpredictable game and there are a lot of things beyond your control. Just as it goes smoothly for some guys, for others it doesn’t.”

The USFL aims to offer them a second chance.

“They have chased this dream for a long time, but now the dream is almost dead,” Johnston continued. “This is a chance to keep it alive, either by elevating their status in the USFL and rejoining an NFL team, or just the chance to keep playing football and getting paid for it.”

The eight teams of the USFL held their inaugural draft this week, with several familiar names (at least to Cowboys fans) getting the call.

Todd Haley may be the most recognizable to the Cowboys faithful. After coaching the Dallas wide receivers from 2004 to 2006, Haley went on offensive coordinator and head coaching stops at four other NFL clubs. He’ll be the Tampa Bay Bandits’ head coach.

Several wide receivers who spent time in Dallas also found their way to USFL rosters. Lance Lenoir has the most experience; he spent three seasons with the Cowboys and saw action in eight games. He was drafted by the Michigan Panthers. Osirus Mitchell was a practice squadder for most of 2021; he’ll suit up for the Birmingham Stallions. Johnnie Dixon was in training camp in 2021; he’ll play for the New Orleans Breakers. Brennan Eagles was an early cut in 2021’s camp, but he’ll get another shot with the Philadelphia Stars.

Quarterback Clayton Thorson served on the Cowboys practice squad for the 2019 campaign and was in 2020’s camp. He was the fifth overall draft pick by the Houston Gamblers on Tuesday night.

Running back Mike Weber is a former seventh-round draft pick by the Cowboys. After taking over Ohio State’s backfield when Ezekiel Elliott went pro, the two were reunited in Dallas in 2019. Weber failed to make the team in Dallas, but stayed on with the practice squad that season. After stints with the Chiefs, Packers, and Giants, he’ll now tote the rock for the New Jersey Generals.

Several other players who had a moment with the Cowboys will get a new opportunity in the USFL, too, including defensive tackle Shahir Soto (Breakers), safety Tyree Robinson (Stallions), and tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty (Bandits).

It’s a long shot for them all. But in speaking of the planned trajectory of the USFL as a whole, Johnston said the goal of season one is simply to hit the field, season two is to get better, and to be great by season three.

A handful of former Cowboys are now a step closer to meeting that first goal for themselves.

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Seahawks sign wide receiver Lance Lenoir back to practice squad

The Seattle Seahawks have signed wide receiver Lance Lenoir back to practice squad ahead of the Week-3 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Seattle Seahawks have now filled one of their two empty spots on the team’s practice squad, signing wide receiver Lance Lenoir back to the unit.

Lenoir was with Seattle during training camp but was cut during the initial trim-down and added to the original practice squad roster the next day. He was released last week when Demarcus Christmas was signed to the squad.

Adding another wide receiver to the group makes sense now that wideout Phillip Dorsett II has been placed on the injured reserve.

Lenoir spent time with the Cowboys, who Seattle will face on Sunday afternoon at CenturyLink Field.

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Seahawks cut Lance Lenoir from practice squad, sign Demarcus Christmas

Seattle executed a couple of roster moves on Thursday – the Seahawks cut Lance Lenoir from the practice squad and signed Demarcus Christmas.

The Seattle Seahawks announced a couple of practice squad roster moves on Thursday. Seattle has released wide receiver Lance Lenoir and signed defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas.

Both players were with the Seahawks in training camp but were waived during the initial 53-man roster cuts. Lenoir was added back to the practice squad the next day.

Christmas now takes his place on the practice squad roster.

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Seahawks sign receiver Lance Lenoir, waive/injured RB Patrick Carr

The Seattle Seahawks added their second receiver in three days to add depth to their unit, which has struggled with injuries this offseason.

The Seattle Seahawks aren’t done making moves, even with final roster cuts looming at the end of this week. On Monday, the team announced that they have signed wide receiver Lance Lenoir and waived/injured running back Patrick Carr.

Lenoir spent each of the past three seasons with the Cowboys organization after going undrafted despite a record-setting career at Western Illinois University (3,796 yards, 31 touchdowns). He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad before finally seeing the field at the end of the 2017 season, followed by a year in a special-teams role before a knee injury sent him to the injured reserve for all of 2019.

The move brings some depth to the Seahawks’ wide receiver unit, which has incurred injuries to Phillip Dorsett II, John Ursua, and Cody Thompson (although coach Pete Carroll has indicated that he expects the return of all three players very soon). On Saturday, the Seahawks also welcomed Paul Richardson back to the team, presumably to fill that need for depth.

Carr, who went undrafted this year out of the University of Houston, was previously waived by the Seahawks on July 26 before re-signing with the team on Aug. 14. He stopped practicing last week with an undisclosed injury and will land on the injured reserve if he clears waivers.

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Report: Seahawks bring in QB Kyle Sloter and 2 WRs for workouts

ESPN NFL insider Field Yates reported that the Seattle Seahawks brought in Kyle Sloter, Justin Hardy, and Lance Lenoir for workouts.

ESPN’s Field Yates reported Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks recently brought in quarterback Kyle Sloter and wide receivers Lance Lenoir and Justin Hardy for workouts.

Sloter was originally signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2017, but the team waived him before the start of the regular season despite a strong preseason. He spent time with the Vikings and Cardinals, had a brief stint with the Lions, and had a workout with the Bears in mid-August.

Justin Hardy spent his first five seasons with the Falcons, tallying minor production every year before the team let him walk in free agency in 2020. With his exception of seven games in his rookie season, Hardy has never missed a game in his five-year NFL career.

Lance Lenoir is a former Cowboy who has only played eight games in his career and has no offensive stats whatsoever.

None of these players will be expected to be game-changing contributors, but they could be signed for depth purposes. Time will tell if any of them will be wearing blue and green for the 2020 season.

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News: Cowboys consider QB in 2020 draft, Jerry talks Jamal Adams

The final 2020 mock drafts, a flashback to the Johnny Manziel-to-Dallas near miss, and the trade value chart started by Jimmy Johnson.

NFL Draft Eve brought no shortage of eleventh-hour revelations and rumblings in Cowboys Nation. But it is the final opportunity for all the mock drafters to call their shots. What Jerry Jones and Company will do with the their seven picks is anybody’s guess, but there’s intel that suggests all of it is fair game, from secondary to linebacker… to, even, quarterback.

From ironing out last-minute technical issues to the all-important last press conference that may reveal the front office’s strategy, the Cowboys’ draft table is basically set. The club even cleared two more places with a pair of day-before cuts. Flashback to the draft that almost brought Johnny Football to Big D, and check out the pricing system that revolutionized how every team now approaches draft-pick trades, courtesy of Jimmy Johnson. And after all that draft-day appetite-whetting, find out why one business icon ultimately thinks the NFL won’t be getting down to business on the field any time soon.

Cowboys open to drafting quarterback in 2020, but it would have nothing to do with Dak Prescott :: CBS Sports

It’s no secret that the Cowboys have had communications with quarterback Jalen Hurts ahead of the the 2020 NFL Draft. Patrik Walker breaks down how this has nothing to do with QB1… and everything to do with QB2.

Cowboys pre-draft press conference glitchy, but telling :: Cowboys Wire

The annual pre-draft press conference with the Dallas Cowboys front office is usually an important sneak peek behind the curtain. Find out their philosophy and thoughts headed into the 2020 NFL Draft, including Jerry Jones’s own take on the chances of trading the team’s first-round pick for a veteran free agent.

Film room: 4 best-case scenarios for the Dallas Cowboys in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL draft :: The Dallas Morning News

John Owning takes a very deep look into some of the possible bigger scores of the first round for the Cowboys. Trade back? Premier corner? Multiple possibilities will be available to Dallas at 17.

Updates: Cowboys waive kicker Vizcaino :: The Mothership

And then there were two. The team has waived Tristan Vizcaino, who was signed to a futures deal in January. Since then, the club has signed veteran Greg Zuerlein and retained the services of Kai Forbath, setting up a two-man positional battle once camp begins.

Final 2020 Dallas Cowboys 7-round Mock Draft Prediction :: Inside The Star

The experts are making their final predictions for the 2020 NFL Draft and the Cowboys. Here, Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun is selected with pick number 17.

Cowboys to need return-man solution in draft after releasing WR :: Cowboys Wire

The Dallas wide receiver room is a little less populated with the club cutting Lance Lenoir. The 2017 undrafted free agent never really caught on with the Cowboys, with special teams play seeming to offer his most likely route to a gameday role. Clearly, the front office is now looking elsewhere for 2020.

NFL Draft trade value chart: What each 2020 pick is worth based on the Jimmy Johnson model :: Sporting News

It was revolutionary when the Cowboys coach came up with the idea, but now every team in the league uses (more or less) his system of assigning numerical values- price tags, almost- to draft picks. Here’s the cheat sheet for what every pick in 2020’s draft is worth, making putting together (or grading) trades a matter of basic math.

Cowboys feel like they have tackled the NFL draft challenges head-on :: ESPN

Amidst a world in flux, the Cowboys have adjusted admirably and taken care of plenty of needs headed into draft weekend. Take a look back at some of the big moves made, along with final preparations for the 2020 Draft.

Unforgettable NFL draft experiences, from Manning to Manziel :: NFL.com

NFL.com’s Judy Battista recounts the tense moments in 2014’s green room as Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel waited for his name to be called. Jerry Jones had wanted him at 16, and, depending on the version of the story, it took son Stephen actually snatching the card out of his father’s hand for the club to select Zack Martin instead.

B/R Staff’s Bold Predictions for 2020 NFL Draft :: Bleacher Report

Everybody likes predictions. But everybody loves bold predictions! Bleacher Report calls their shots: Jordan Love will go before Justin Herbert, Derek Carr will become a draft day trade victim, and wide receiver Tee Higgins will be the steal of the draft.

Bill Gates explains why most sports are going to be gone a lot longer than fans realize :: Insider

This weekend’s draft will be a nice appetizer, but fans may be waiting a while for the main meal when it comes to the NFL season. Microsoft’s co-founder says sporting events will be the last of the societal norms to return due to the high risk of close-range contagion.

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Cowboys certain to need return-man solution in draft after releasing WR

The Cowboys released wide receiver Lance Lenoir. In just three seasons with the team, his role was limited to primarily special teams

The Dallas Cowboys have done a good job of filling most of their holes through free agency, freeing their hands for Thursday’s kickoff of the NFL draft. One area they don’t quite know which direction they will be going is at the punt returner position. Tavon Austin is still unsigned, but it doesn’t appear he’s in Dallas’ plans and now, just two days before the 2020 NFL Draft the Cowboys released a candidate to fill that role, WR Lance Lenoir.

Lenoir wasn’t a leading candidate, but the club had previously tried to instill confidence in him for the return role in the preseason, only for him to literally fumble away the opportunity. Him being back on the roster after being on IR in 2019 seemed to indicate a chance to redeem himself there, but after reviewing film it seems the new coaching staff is uninterested.

 

In 2017, Lenoir was signed as a free agent after going undrafted. He played in just one game his rookie year and logged five snaps on special teams only. The following year, Lenoir found himself on the field in seven of the Cowboys 16 regular season games as well as a playoff game appearance but was only able to contribute on a total of eight snaps on offense. In 2019 his season was cut short before it even got off the ground when he injured his knee during the pre-season and was placed on injured reserve.

In his first two seasons with the Cowboys, Lenoir was able to log just one tackle while playing special teams. There were a few attempts made by the team in the 2018 pre-season to make him the punt returner but after a few miscues, it did not pan out for the Western Illinois product.

With Lenoir being released, this now leaves the Cowboys wide receiver depth chart even thinner.

The corps is headlined by the freshly re-signed Amari Cooper, second year man Michael Gallup, followed by Cedric Wilson, Devin Smith and Ventell Bryant. In addition, the Cowboys have made themselves thinner on the special teams. Last season, Austin and Randal Cobb handled most of the punt return game and neither of those two players are with the team in 2020. The Cowboys did not have one punt return or kick off return touchdown in 2019. Tony Pollard is assumed to be the primary kick returner, but new head coach Mike McCarthy along side new special teams coach John “Bones” Fassel plan on improving the entire return game this season.

The need for a wide receiver may be addressed in the 2020 NFL Draft or an attempt to sign a veteran shortly after.  Either way, the releasing of Lenoir pushes the need ever-so-slightly up the priority list.

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