Tag: Matt Cole

Predicting Commanders’ first 5 cuts ahead of Tuesday’s deadline

The Commanders have to trim their roster to 85 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. These 5 players could be their first cuts of the summer.

The first preseason game is in the books, and that means it’s decision time for all 32 NFL teams. Per the NFL rules, every team must cut five players by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to trim their roster from 90 players down to 85.

The Washington Commanders opened the preseason with a 23-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Several young Commanders made their NFL debuts in the loss, including rookie quarterback Sam Howell, who almost led Washington to a comeback win.

With multiple injuries in training camp, there will be tough decisions to make for head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew.

Here are five players we predict the Commanders to release ahead of the first cut deadline.

Seahawks shuffle practice squad with two moves for special teams depth

Seahawks shuffle practice squad with two moves for special teams depth

The Seattle Seahawks have made a couple of practice squad moves over the last two days as they begin preparing for their Week 15 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.

Yesterday, the team announced they’d signed wide receiver Matt Cole to the practice squad. Cole (5-foot-10, 200 pounds) is from Chicago and played college ball at Division II school McKendree University. He went undrafted in 2020 and first signed with the Dolphins, then the 49ers. He appeared in one game last season with the Niners and another with Carolina this year, putting in 34 special teams snaps total. Cole gives more depth on speical teams following Gavin Heslop’s season-ending leg injury and surgery.

Seattle is also calling up a defender to the active roster. According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, linebacker Tanner Muse is being signed off the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

Muse was one of many recent draft blunders by the Raiders. After they picked him in the third round of the 2020 draft he was released before the season began. He had been elevated from the practice squad twice already this year, so he needed to be signed in order to play. He’s been on the field for 29 snaps, exclusively on special teams.

[lawrence-related id=79312]

[listicle id=79254]

Report: Giants will sign LB Omari Cobb to practice squad

The New York Giants have terminated the contracts of three practice squad players and are expected to sign LB Omari Cobb to the unit.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx61yex5whq8aq player_id=none image=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The New York Giants are once again making several changes to their practice squad and it will begin with the signing of linebacker Omari Cobb.

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News was the first to report that pending transaction.

The 24-year-old Cobb signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out or Marshall in 2020. He spent most of the past two seasons on their practice squad but did appear in one game last season, recording one tackle on 10 defensive snaps (also took one special teams snap).

The Chiefs released Cobb earlier this month.

With the upcoming addition of the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Cobb, the Giants had to make some additional moves.

Per the NFL’s transaction wire, New York also terminated the contracts of wide receiver Matt Cole, defensive tackle Willie Henry and offensive lineman Foster Sarell.

The Giants now have two open spots remaining on the practice squad.

[lawrence-related id=675697,675693,675679]

Giants fall to Browns in Week 2 of preseason: 6 takeaways

Here are six takeaways from the New York Giants’ Week 2 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns.

The New York Giants fell to the Cleveland Browns, 17-13, in their Week 2 preseason game in Cleveland on Sunday.

Here are six takeaways from the game.

Brett Heggie, Quincy Wilson were highest-graded Giants vs. Browns

New York Giants OL Brett Heggie and DB Quincy Wilson earned the team’s highest Pro Football Focus grades in Week 2 of the preseason.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx61yex5whq8aq player_id=none image=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The New York Giants rested the majority of their starters on Sunday afternoon against the Cleveland Browns, giving way to reserves and back-end of the depth guys.

The result was a mixed bag — as it usually is — but there were more positives than negatives this week. Several players showed up in big ways and displayed impressively unique versatility.

[listicle id=673233]

Pro Football Focus didn’t necessarily see it that way, however.

PFF gave wide receiver Matt Cole, who got thrust into action at cornerback, a grade of just 54.9 on offense and 47.5 on defense despite not allowing a reception (two targets) and making one stop to force a field goal.

Cole did fare better on special teams, earning the team’s second-highest unit grade at 76.2. Unsurprisingly, linebacker Cam Brown topped that list (82.3).

Offensively, backup center Brett Heggie led the way with a grade of 82.8. He was followed by running back Devontae Booker (77.1) and fullback Eli Penny (75.6).

Other noteworthy offensive grades include offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison (70.7), wide receiver David Sills (68.6) and tight end Kaden Smith (67.2).

On the defensive side of the ball, safety Quincy Wilson led the way with a grade of 81.7. Just behind him were linebacker Oshane Ximines (80.2) and safety Julian Love (73.1).

Rookie cornerback Rodarius Williams also took a step in the right direction with a 64.4.

The lowest-graded players on the Giants were defensive lineman Willie Henry (27.1), linebacker Trent Harris (35.3) and linebacker Cam Brown (37.3). Wide receiver Alex Bachman earned the team’s lowest offensive grade at 43.8.

[vertical-gallery id=673268]

Giants’ Matt Cole earns respect, new nickname after gutty performance vs. Browns

New York Giants WR Matt Cole made an unexpected switch to cornerback on Sunday and earned the respect of his entire team in the process.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx61yex5whq8aq player_id=none image=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

On Saturday morning, New York Giants head coach Joe Judge informed wide receiver Matt Cole that he’d likely be taking some snaps at cornerback against the Cleveland Browns.

Cole thought Judge was joking.

“I actually got the news [on Saturday],” Cole told reporters after the game. “Coach asked me about playing corner, and in my mind I was like, ‘I already play corner on punt return.’ He said, ‘I am talking about defense.’ I said, ‘It is too early to be playing games. You can’t be for real.’ Coach said, ‘I am serious. We might need you.’ I just stayed ready, and I have history of playing defense back in high school.”

[listicle id=673233]

Judge wasn’t kidding and Cole realized that in short order. And then, without taking a single practice snap, the 24-year-old was put into the game at cornerback. In fact, he ended up seeing more time on defense than he did on offense — 20 defensive snaps to five offensive snaps.

Cole also took nine snaps on special teams for good measure.

“Because of the way Matt competed,” Judge said when asked why Cole played cornerback on Sunday. “He has been the guy since he got here. Whether special teams, offense or defense, he just says ‘yes sir’ and goes out there and plays 100 percent. We were sitting there and looking at the amount of guys we were going to play yesterday. We knew the depth of some was going to be an issue. We knew it was going to be a hot day and playing a lot of snaps. We just turned around and said, ‘let’s let Matt go out there. This guy competes on punt returns against a gunner. Let’s see what he’s got.’

“To be honest with you, I’ve had experience with receivers in training camp and guys that have stuck around. One thing that impressed us was that he didn’t blink. He went out there. He got the ball thrown to him a couple times. He made a nice tackle. He stopped them short right there and forced a field goal. Obviously, the calls were a little new to him. He got a crash course last night on our defense and some meanings, but he went out there to compete.”

And compete Cole did. He played far better than many expected him to and he was certainly feeling confident after the game.

“They did target my area. I do not want to toot my own horn, but I do not think a receiver caught the ball on my side of the field – Cole World,” Cole said with a laugh. “I think I did pretty good. I just stepped up and just filled in a spot. My coaches helped on the side that are sure about the defenses that they run. I would just charge.”

What the future holds for Cole is unclear, but a Troy Brown role might be in store. Either way, he earned the respect of his teammates and coaches for a fearless performance.

“Have you ever seen Big Fat Greek Wedding – the dad always used to put Windex on everything? We will say Matt Cole is Windex,” defensive back Julian Love said with a chuckle.

[vertical-gallery id=673268]

Giants-Browns preseason Week 2: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The New York Giants lost their Week 2 preseason game against the Browns. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The New York Giants fell to the Cleveland Browns, 17-13, on Sunday afternoon following a week of joint practices between the two teams.

Starters on both sides were held out of the game, giving way to reserve and depth players — some of whom will soon be cut as roster trimming continues across the NFL.

[listicle id=673233]

There were some positives and there were some negatives, all of which will be broken downs in the coming days.

Here’s a look at the snap counts that attributed to the Giants’ second loss of the new year.

Offensive snaps: 63
Defensive snaps: 65
Special teams snaps: 21

Wide receiver Matt Cole took more snaps on defense than he did on offense, which was an interesting development. Meanwhile, several depth guys got a heavy workload as evaluations continue.

[vertical-gallery id=673268]

Giants dropped by Browns, 17-13: Instant analysis

Instant analysis of the New York Giants’ 17-13 Week 2 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The New York Giants faced off against the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon in their second game of the 2021 NFL Preseason.

Kickoff temperature was a sunny 81 degrees and perfect for football. It was another game in which the reserves did most — if not all — of the heavy lifting for Big Blue.

[listicle id=673233]

The Giants game-day captains were safety Julian Love, long snapper Casey Kreiter and tight end Kaden Smith.

The offensive line got a respite in this game after a tough couple of days of scrimmages with the Browns. With five more roster cuts due this week, the Giants wanted to get a long look at the reserves. Jackson Barton started at left tackle with Kenny Wiggins at left guard, Jonotthan Harrison at center, Ted Larsen at right guard and Chad Slade at right tackle. Mike Glennon opened the game at quarterback.

The starting defense was as such: Raymond Johnson, David Moa and B.J. Hill up front with Ryan Anderson, Oshane Ximines, Reggie Ragland and Devante Downs at linebacker with rookie Rodarius Williams and Madre Harper at the corners and Xavier McKinney and Love at safety.

Harper was picked on twice in the red zone on the Brown’s first drive. The first play he broke up a touchdown grab against Rashard Higgins but gave up a touchdowns two player later to KhaDarel Hodge. The Browns’ drive, led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum, went for 81 yards on 10 plays. The Giants’ defense was very lax, especially when it came to containing the edge on running plays.

The Giants charged right back with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive of their own, highlighted by a 24-yard completion from Glennon to Rysen John and the rushing and receiving of free agent running back Devontae Booker, who scored on one yard dive to complete the scoring drive.

On the Browns’ next possession, Quincy Wilson picked off Keenum in the end zone to stop a scoring drive. The first half ended with the score tied 7-7.

The Giants allowed 94 yards on the ground in the first half, 7.8 yards per attempt. To be fair, 32 of those yards came an a last-second scramble by former Giant backup quarterback Kyle Lauletta against a prevent defense.

The second half featured the bottom rungs of each team’s depth charts. Brian Lewerke, signed this week by the Giants, played the second half at quarterback leading a scoring drive that ended in a touchdown pass but was followed by a failed two-point try. For a player who has been with the team for a week, he appeared to be quite poised.

The final was Browns 17, Giants 13 with onlookers champing at the bit for the regular season to begin.

Notes

  • When backups are playing backups, it’s difficult to get excited about standout players but several Giants flashed. Booker looked like a No. 1 back, rushing for 27 yards on six attempts and caught both targets for 13 yards.
  • Glennon completed 10 of 13 paces for 86 yards. Wide receiver David Sills had another strong game catching thereof four targets for 31 yards, including a contested catch in the end zone for a score.
  • TE/WR Rysen John had three receptions with one going for 24 yards and another for 29. Unfortunately, he injured his lower leg late in the game, coming lame in what appeared to be a non-contact injury. He walked off underlies own power.
  • Coughlin is still a tad spotty in pass coverage but is without a doubt a solid pass rusher, especially coming up the middle. He had four tackles including a sack in the first half.
  • Harper, who was a ‘bubble’ player entering the game, left the game in the third quarter with a groin injury.
  • Wilson left with an ankle injury, leaving the Giants a bit short at corner.
  • Special team ace Matt Cole was trotted out on defense to fill in and looked fairly comfortable in the role.
  • The Giants went 2-for-2 in the red zone. Cleveland went 2-3.

[vertical-gallery id=673268]

Giants fall to Jets: Winners, losers and those in between

Here are the winners, losers and those in between from the New York Giants’ preseason Week 1 loss to the New York Jets.

The New York Giants opened the 2021 preseason on Saturday night with an embarrassing 12-7 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It was an ugly game for both teams from the jump, but the Giants appeared lightyears behind where they should be. The saving grace is that the vast majority of their starters didn’t play or played very little.

Here’s a quick look at our immediate winners and losers (and those in between) from Week 1 of the preseason.

Jets sign LB Edmond Robinson, waive WR Matt Cole

The Jets signed veteran linebacker Edmond Robinson and waived wide receiver Matt Cole on Friday, reuniting Robinson with Jeff Ulbrich.

The Jets bolstered their linebacker room with a familiar face on Friday, signing Edmond Robinson to his second stint with the team.

In order to make room for Robinson on the 90-man roster, New York released wide receiver Matt Cole.

Robinson, 29, spent last season playing under Jeff Ulbrich with the Falcons, giving him familiarity with the Jets’ new defensive scheme. Prior to his time in Atlanta, Robinson played for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020, Arizona Hotshots of the AAF in 2019, the Cardinals and the Jets in 2017 and the Vikings from 2015-16 after Minnesota selected him in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft out of Division II Newberry.

In 35 career NFL games, Robinson has totaled 28 tackles, including a career-high 15 in 2020.

New York claimed Cole off waivers from the 49ers in May. Cole went undrafted out of McKendree in 2020 before being signed by the Dolphins. He didn’t make Miami’s 53-man roster, but he was signed to their practice squad. Cole was signed off the Dolphins practice squad to a two-year deal by the 49ers in December 2020.

Cole played in one game for San Francisco last season, recording two tackles on special teams.