Tag: release

Chiefs HC Andy Reid reacts to the release of Clyde Edwards-Helaire: ‘A great kid’

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to the release of Clyde Edwards-Helaire: ‘A great kid’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs roster continues to change as the postseason approaches. An unexpected change for many fans was the release of former starting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire after over four years with the franchise.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the departure of Edwards-Helaire during Tuesday’s press conference.

“We’ve released Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), so we have a spot available. We’ve got these injuries that we’re juggling here,” said Reid. “So we just got to see how that goes before we move somebody up or down or whatever you know (Brett) Veach wants to do with that thing. But we sure appreciate it. Clyde, too, for all he did here. I (would) love to get him back sometime, too. So, I mean, what a great kid he is. ”

Edwards-Helaire was a first-round pick of the Chiefs in 2020, spending his entire career with the franchise. He was inactive this season due to an ongoing battle with PTSD, which has landed him on the NFI list to start the year. The former LSU star re-signed with the Chiefs on a one-year deal during the offseason.

Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire shares cryptic message about leaving the team

Kansas City #Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire shares cryptic message about leaving the team | @EdEastonJr

According to a post from his X account on Monday, the Chiefs are parting ways with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire after more than four years with the franchise.

“Love ya, KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!” said Edwards-Helaire via X. “To Chiefs Kingdom, its all love and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love!”

The Chiefs have yet to officially announce the former LSU standout’s status, but he has already shared his goodbyes with Chiefs fans. Edwards-Helaire was a first-round pick of the Chiefs in 2020 and has spent his entire career with the franchise. He’s been inactive this season due to an ongoing battle with PTSD, which has landed him on the NFI list to start the year.

Edwards-Helaire re-signed with the Chiefs on a one-year deal in the offseason and could not rejoin his team on the field this season with a crowded backfield.

Bills sign defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Phillips

Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Phillips

One key reason why it is so challenging for teams to agree to trades at the deadline is that they have concerns with new players learning their scheme quick enough.

When you bring back old friends, that isn’t much of a problem.

The Bills announced that they signed defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson and Jordan Phillips on Wednesday after standing pat at the trade deadline.

Jefferson was released by the Cleveland Browns and Phillips was released by the Dallas Cowboys. Both releases came this week. Buffalo jumped on the opportunity to get familiarity and depth in the middle of their defensive line.

Jefferson and Phillips have both specialized at pressuring the QB in their long careers.

Jefferson, now in his ninth season, was with the Bills in 2020 when the team went to their first AFC Championship since 1994. He started four games that campaign but was largely misused while trying to fill in for defensive tackle Star Lotulelei who opted out that offseason.

He found much more success over the past three seasons. From 2021 to 2023, he recorded 16 sacks and 42 QB hits across 34 starts with three different teams. Last year with the Jets, he had six sacks and posted a Pro Football Focus pass rush grade of 73.2 which was 32nd-best among all interior defenders.

Jefferson hasn’t performed to that level with the Browns this year, but he hopes to build on what he and the Bills started in 2020.

While Jefferson is back for his second stint in Buffalo, Phillips is looking forward to his third. He was a member of the Bills from 2018-2019 and also from 2022-2023. He is now in his 10th season.

Phillips has had success in the past with the Bills, racking up an impressive 9.5 sacks with the team in 2019. He hasn’t been as productive in recent years, and only appeared in two games while recording one tackle for the Cowboys this year. He started nine games for Buffalo last year, totaling 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks and five passes defensed.

Both Jefferson and Phillips fill a dire need for the Bills after defensive linemen DeWayne Carter and Dawuane Smoot both recently landed on injured reserve.

The two already have a good feel for the defensive scheme in place from their time with the team in the past, and they should be able to get up to speed quickly.

Defensive tackle Eli Ankou has emerged in recent weeks for the Bills after being elevated from the practice squad, but McDermott loves to rotate his defensive linemen and try to keep fresh bodies attacking the opposing QB.

With Ankou, Ed Oliver, Austin Johnson, DaQuan Jones, and Zion Logue, the Bills add a couple veteran interior pass rushers to the mix.

Bills release ex-Chiefs WR after trading for Amari Cooper

The Buffalo #Bills released veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Tuesday after trading for Pro Bowl pass-catcher Amari Cooper.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills released veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, after trading for Pro Bowl pass-catcher Amari Cooper.

The Chiefs have dealt with injuries in their receiving corps this year and Valdes-Scantling’s availability could open the door for his potential return to Kansas City.

Though there has been no indication that the Chiefs are interested in bringing Valdes-Scantling back, speculation abounds regarding Kansas City’s need at the receiver position.

For now, it remains more likely that general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid will elect to activate Justyn Ross, Nikko Remigio, or
Montrell Washington from their practice squad to shore up the depth on their 53-man roster.

 

While Valdes-Scantling will be an option for the Chiefs immediately after his release, fans shouldn’t expect the two-time champion to remain a free agent for long as teams around the NFL consider what his speed and experience might bring to their offenses.

Cleveland Browns release former Wisconsin cornerback

Cleveland Browns release former Wisconsin cornerback

The Cleveland Browns released former Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks on Monday. The move came as the Browns worked to trim their roster to the required 53 to enter the 2024 season.

Hicks had signed with the Browns at the start of August after spending the first two seasons of his NFL career with the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger to make an NFL 53-man roster entering 2024 regular season

The former Badger cornerback was a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft by the Broncos. He spent most of 2022 on the team’s practice squad, appearing in two games. He saw his only action on special teams.

The Broncos released Hicks entering the 2023 season, which led the cornerback to sign with the New Orleans Saints in September. He spent 2023 on the Saints practice squad before he was released this offseason.

Hicks saw limited action this preseason after signing with the Browns on Aug. 4. He played 57% of the team’s defensive snaps in its preseason Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a sign he was a long shot to make the active roster.

The former Badger could again be a practice squad candidate once waivers clear.

Hicks is still in search of a steady NFL landing spot after playing for four years at Wisconsin (2018-2021). He and Caesar Williams formed the Badgers lock-down cornerback duo on the program’s record-setting 2021 defense. That year was Hicks’ best as a Badger. He recorded 28 tackles and a career-high 10 pass deflections.

The former Badger now waits to clear waivers before he can sign on to a practice squad for the third consecutive season.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. 

San Francisco 49ers release former Wisconsin quarterback

San Francisco 49ers release former Wisconsin quarterback

The San Francisco 49ers released former Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday. The move comes as the 49ers trimmed their roster to the requisite 53 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

Mordecai signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft. He performed well in limited action this preseason, completing six of 10 passes for 103 yards.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger to make an NFL 53-man roster entering 2024 regular season

His strong debut and intriguing athletic profile were not enough to crack the 49ers top quarterback trio of starter Brock Purdy, backup Josh Dobbs and third-string Brandon Allen.

The former Badger, Oklahoma Sooner and SMU Mustang is an attractive option for the practice squad, however. He would be a good emergency quarterback with the long-term upside to make the active roster after gaining more NFL experience.

Mordecai played one year for the Badgers (2023). He performed well during his time on the field, though he missed a large chunk of the season after suffering a broken hand in the team’s loss to Iowa. His final stats included 65% completion rate, 2,066 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

The six-year collegiate veteran was one of the several members of the offense negatively affected by the growing pains experienced in Year 1 of Phil Longo’s air raid system at Wisconsin. His 378-yard, three-touchdown performance in Wisconsin’s ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU was more of what was expected entering the season.

Mordecai appears to have made a strong impression on the 49ers staff after signing this offseason. He’ll be a popular candidate to make the active roster entering 2025 and beyond.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. 

Former Chiefs star, Super Bowl champion released by Patriots

Veteran wide receiver and former #Chiefs star JuJu Smith-Schuster was released by the #Patriots on Friday.

According to a report on Friday, the New England Patriots parted ways with former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after winning their first preseason matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Smith-Schuster spent four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing with the Chiefs in 2022. He was a key part of Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII campaign before joining the Patriots last season as New England’s No. 1 receiver.

Now set to become a free agent before the 2024 regular season, Smith-Schuster should be able to catch on with another team in the next few weeks, and could even find himself back with the Chiefs if Andy Reid and Brett Veach want to add more depth to their receiving corps.

Smith-Schuster struggled in 2023, only tallying 29 receptions for 260 yards in seven games started.

Stay tuned to see if Kansas City shows any interest in re-signing Smith-Schuster, or to see where he lands after his release by New England.

Wisconsin EA Sports College Football 25 overall ranking revealed

Wisconsin EA Sports College Football 25 overall ranking revealed

The 2024 Wisconsin Badgers are the No. 18-ranked team in EA Sports College Football 25 with an overall rating of 87.

The ratings release follows the video game sharing its offense and defense power rankings. The Badgers boast one of the best defensive units in the game, which is a big reason why the team as a whole is up at No. 18.

Related: EA Sports College Football 25 unveils ranking of toughest places to play in college football

The video game’s ranking of best overall teams is unsurprisingly led by No. 1 Georgia (95 OVR), No. 2 Ohio State (93 OVR), No. 3 Oregon (93 OVR), No. 4 Alabama (92 OVR) and No. 5 Texas (92 OVR).

Wisconsin is down in the 16-20 range that also includes Colorado, Oklahoma, USC and Virginia Tech.

The Badgers enter the 2024 season with expectations of a resurgence in year two under head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo. While most preseason rankings have the team outside of the top 25, the game developers at EA Sports seem to be somewhat high on what the Badgers can accomplish.

 

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

EA Sports College Football 25 unveils ranking of toughest places to play in college football

Where does Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium land on the list?

EA Sports is back in the headlines with the much-anticipated release of ‘College Football 25’ now only 24 days away.

Facts and game previews have been trickling out for the last few months as excitement grows for the game’s release. The news drops continued on Tuesday when the game released its ranking of the top 25 toughest places to play in college football.

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

Believe it or not, fanbases across the sport have opinions on where their stadium should rank. Those views are being expressed, as Ross Dellenger’s post sharing the rankings reached more than 100,000 views in its first 25 minutes of existence.

Calling EA Sports’ marketing job a success would be an understatement. College football fans from across the country are predictably enthusiastic about getting to play the first college football video game in more than a decade. The EA Sports team has done an effective job of building up that excitement.

Before we finally reach the release date of July 19, let’s take a look the video game’s ranking of the toughest places to play in college football. The rankings, according to Dellenger, ‘factor in historical home win percentage, home attendance’ and more.

Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium made the list:

Chiefs are reportedly releasing DL Isaiah Buggs following multiple offseason arrests

Kansas City #Chiefs are reportedly releasing DL Isaiah Buggs following multiple offseason arrests | @EdEastonJr

The brief Kansas City Chiefs tenure for Isaiah Buggs appears to have ended without suiting up for the team in a game. The 27-year-old defensive lineman is expected to be released, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.

“The Chiefs have informed DL Isaiah Buggs they’re releasing him, per source,” Pelissero posted to his X account early Monday morning. The reported release follows two arrests of the former Alabama standout over the past few weeks in his hometown. Tuscaloosa Patch reported that Buggs was recently charged with burglary on June 16th after dealing with an arrest for animal cruelty last month.

The former sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the last two with the Detroit Lions before signing with the Chiefs as a practice squad player in January. He never played a down for Kansas City but signed a futures contract in February, hoping to make the team in training camp.

The Chiefs’ offseason is quickly ending, with training camp only weeks away as they will try to eliminate any more distractions on their journey to a potential three-peat.