Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Browns are down a cornerback
The Cleveland Browns are down a cornerback as Mike Ford has left the game against the Philadelphia Eagles for the defense with a shoulder injury. Cameron Mitchell entered the medical tent just before him but quickly came back onto the field.
Ford has shown some great reps from the slot in the preseason thus far through the preseason. He is known for his special teams prowess and sits with a fairly firm roster spot.
He will not return in this game.
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1362]
#Browns quarterback Josh Dobbs organized an unforgettable field trip for his teammates to take a break from Cleveland’s workouts at OTAs
[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]
The Cleveland Browns are in the midst of their organized team activities in Berea, Ohio, but backup quarterback Josh Dobbs isn’t letting the optional workouts get in the way of a good time after organizing a field trip to NASA’s Glenn Research Center on Wednesday.
Located next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Glenn Research Center designs and tests innovative technology to revolutionize air travel, advance space exploration, and improve life on Earth, according to their Twitter page.
Ready for takeoff!! 🚀@josh_dobbs1 organized a field trip to @NASAglenn for some of the guys yesterday!
📸: https://t.co/PlwIemMfDW pic.twitter.com/KbGjHmidJ6
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 2, 2023
11 Browns from both sides of the team’s roster were in attendance for the excursion, including cornerback Mike Ford, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, receiver Marquise Goodwin, and tight end Harrison Bryant, among others.
News about the trip broke on Twitter late on Thursday when the team posted a link to a slideshow with pictures of Cleveland’s finest football players having a blast at the NASA facility. They stood in the wind tunnel, took pictures with robots and airplanes, and seemed to have a great time as they bonded away from the Browns’ practice facilities.
They have Dobbs to thank for the much-needed break from the hard work the team has been putting in at practices, and if the photos of the event are any indication, everyone who participated is sure to have come away from the experience with plenty of great stories,
The Browns have added a key special teamer.
The Cleveland Browns continue to add new players on Monday as they signed slot cornerback and special teamer Michael Ford from the Falcons. With new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone on staff, the team looks to bring in more talent for him to turn around that unit.
Ford is primarily a special teams player but should also provide depth in a position of uncertainty in the slot corner role. Last year he had a 64.6 overall PFF grade as well as playing 361 special teams snaps for the Falcons. He will add speed and talent as Ventrone looks to put his stamp on a revamped special teams unit.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]
According to a report from Ian Rapoport, former #Falcons CB Mike Ford has agreed to a one-year deal with the Browns
The Atlanta Falcons brought back Cornell Armstrong on a one-year deal over the weekend, but it sounds like the team is losing another cornerback in free agency.
According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, CB Mike Ford has agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Cleveland Browns.
#Falcons CB Mike Ford, a special teams ace, is signing with the #Browns on a 1-year deal worth up to $2.25M, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2023
Ford signed with Atlanta last offseason and provided solid value when the team was decimated by injuries at the cornerback position. Playing primarily in the slot, Ford earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 70.1 and a tackling grade of 79.9 last season.
Atlanta lost nickel CB Isaiah Oliver to the 49ers but the team reportedly met with free-agent Mike Hughes over the weekend. The Falcons already landed safety Jessie Bates III on the opening day of the legal tampering period.
Stay up to date with each signing using our Falcons free agency tracker and make sure to check out our latest seven-round mock draft.
[lawrence-related id=111288,111411,111380,111388,111140,111350,111335]
#Falcons cut DB Mike Ford and S Dean Marlowe to make room for 2 players claimed off waivers Wednesday.
The Atlanta Falcons were awarded both of their waiver claims on Wednesday, signing defensive lineman Matt Dickerson and offensive tackle Chuma Edoga to the 53-man roster.
Unfortunately, that brought the team’s roster total up to 55, so the Falcons were forced to cut defensive back Mike Ford and safety Dean Marlowe, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson.
Falcons cut Mike Ford and Dean Marlowe
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 31, 2022
Ford stood out in training camp and many were happy to see him make the initial roster. Marlowe had been pretty quiet and was only expected to play a backup role this season.
Atlanta still has veteran Erik Harris to provide experience behind Jaylinn Hawkins and Richie Grant at safety.
[lawrence-related id=100294,100285,100283,100280]
[listicle id=100195]
The Atlanta Falcons have added more depth to their secondary, signing veteran cornerback Mike Ford to a one-year deal on Friday.
The Atlanta Falcons have added more depth to their secondary, signing veteran cornerback Mike Ford to a one-year deal on Friday.
Ford, 26, signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He spent three years in Detroit (2018-2020) before landing in Denver last season.
We have signed CB Mike Ford.
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 8, 2022
Ford has played in 44 NFL games over four seasons with seven starts, racking up 50 solo tackles and defending four passes. While he should primarily provide depth on special teams, Ford has experience playing both in the slot and on the outside.
It was also reported on Friday that Atlanta will meet with quarterbacks Matt Corral and Sam Howell next week as the team prepares for the 2022 NFL draft.
[lawrence-related id=93286,93262,93153,93223,93091]
[listicle id=93184]
Nepotism never goes out of style and coaches always like to bring in players who know their system.
The Seahawks are expected to hire Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. While he won’t be serving as the new defensive coordinator in Seattle, Donatell will have a “senior role” on Pete Carroll’s staff.
Much of Donatell’s previous experience in the NFL has come as a defensive backs/secondary coach. As it happens, Denver has several defensive backs who are about to become free agents. Nepotism never goes out of style and coaches always like to bring in players who already know their system. So, let’s take a look at five potential former Broncos DBs that the Seahawks could sign in March.
The Broncos made several roster moves Wednesday.
There’s good news and bad news on the cornerback front for the Denver Broncos today.
First, the bad news: Bryce Callahan was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Callahan is technically eligible to return to the active roster in as few as three weeks, but NFL Network’s James Palmer reported Wednesday that Callahan might be looking at an eight-week recovery.
With nine more weeks remaining this season, Callahan certainly won’t be guaranteed to return before Denver’s season concludes.
Now, the good news: Mike Ford has been designated to return from injured reserve and Essang Bassey and Duke Dawson have been designated to return from the physically unable to perform list.
All three cornerbacks are now permitted to return to practice and the Broncos have a 21-day window to decide if they will be activated to the 53-man roster. Denver can promote all three defensive backs to the active roster at any time within the next three weeks.
The Broncos also announced Wednesday that tight end Caleb Wilson has been signed to the practice squad. Wilson will provide more depth at the position this week after Noah Fant was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
[listicle id=666668]
[listicle id=666521]
Keeping up with where recent former Detroit Lions players are at now around the NFL
Now that the roster cutdowns are settled in, it’s time to take a look around the NFL and see where some old friends who used to play in Detroit are now. Everyone knows Matthew Stafford is in Los Angeles, but how is he faring in his new Rams uniform? We’ll check on the guy who left early in free agency too.
Stafford: The new Rams starting QB did not play in the preseason. Stafford is even getting some fringe MVP buzz in his new home.
Kenny Golladay: Golladay signed with the New York Giants as a big-ticket free agent, but there is already some uneasiness and buyer’s remorse as Golladay continues to deal with injuries that kept him out of the preseason.
Marvin Jones: Jones followed former Lions offensive coordinator and interim head coach Darrell Bevell to Jacksonville. Jones will start at WR for the new-look Jaguars, though he suffered a shoulder injury in the final preseason game that could sideline him for a bit.
Jamal Agnew: Like Jones, Agnew headed to Jacksonville. As was the case in Detroit, Agnew will primarily be the Jaguars’ return specialist. He will also serve as the backup slot WR and occasional gadget player.
Mike Ford: The cornerback was the only Lions player cut in the last two weeks who was added to another team’s active roster right away. Ford was claimed off waivers by the Denver Broncos.
Duron Harmon: The veteran safety signed with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s earned a starting role but is also mentoring the young secondary around him in Atlanta too.
Kerryon Johnson: The Lions let Johnson go earlier this offseason out of concerns over the running back’s ability to stay healthy. That proved prescient; Johnson was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles with injury designation. He has not been signed elsewhere as of Sept. 6th.
Mohamed Sanu: He had but a brief run in Detroit in 2020. Now the veteran wideout is in San Francisco. Sanu will be the No. 3 receiver, and perhaps the punt returner, for the 49ers when they visit Ford Field in Week 1.
Chase Daniel: The Los Angeles Chargers signed Daniel to be their “in case of emergency, break glass” backup quarterback.
Oday Aboushi: Aboushi also found his way to the Chargers. The veteran offensive lineman is penciled in as the starting right guard after a decent summer. As a bonus, one-time Lions OT Storm Norton is the Chargers’ swing tackle.
Jahlani Tavai: As nearly the entire football universe predicted, Tavai found his way to New England after the Lions dumped the 2019 second-round linebacker. He’s on the Patriots practice squad to start 2021.
Jesse James: After fizzling as a free agent TE signing in Detroit over two years, James took his talents to Chicago. James is the Bears’ backup tight end.
Jayron Kearse: After starting seven games in Detroit in 2020, Kearse is now the No. 3 safety in Dallas and was also a fixture on special teams in preseason.
Breshad Perriman: While he’s not officially been added to the Bears roster just yet, Perriman has agreed to sign with Chicago. The Bears are still in the process of figuring who to cut to add Detroit’s biggest free agent disappointment of 2021.
Jake Hausmann: One of the first cuts by the Lions this summer, Hausmann is now on the Giants practiced squad. The rookie tight end from Ohio State was also one of the Giants quick cuts.
Miles Killebrew: The hybrid LB/S is now the top backup safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Danny Shelton: One of Detroit’s starting defensive tackles in 2020, Shelton is now the No. 3 DT in the rotation with the Giants.
[vertical-gallery id=65147]
Broncos claim ex-Lions CB Mike Ford off waivers, while two offensive tackles revert to the Lions’ I.R.
Of all the players the Detroit Lions waived this week, only one was claimed by another NFL team off the waiver wire. Cornerback Mike Ford is now a member of the Denver Broncos, who posted the successful waiver claim on Wednesday.
Ford joins the Broncos, who can use his speed on special teams and his ability to play both outside and slot CB. He spent the last three seasons in Detroit but did not play convincingly enough this summer to make the roster again.
Among the players the Lions waived but did not bring back to the practice squad, both Tyrell Crosby and Dan Skipper went unclaimed and reverted to Detroit’s injured reserve. They are eligible to accept an injury settlement and become eligible for signing with another team.
