Tag: roster cuts

Broncos waive QB Joe Flacco with a failed physical designation

The Broncos have waived quarterback Joe Flacco with a failed physical designation.

The Denver Broncos have waived veteran quarterback Joe Flacco with a failed physical designation, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Flacco had two years remaining on his contract so Denver will have to eat $13.6 million in “dead money” to move on from him, according to Spotrac.com. Flacco was scheduled to have a base salary of $20.25 million so the Broncos will have a net salary cap savings of $10.05 million in 2020 after cutting him.

Flacco entered the league as a first-round pick out of Delaware with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008. He spent the first 11 years of his career in Baltimore and won a Super Bowl before being traded to the Broncos last year.

Flacco was underwhelming in Denver, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,822 yards with six touchdowns against five interceptions. He was sacked 26 times and lost three fumbles in eight games.

In his career, Flacco has thrown for 40,067 yards with 218 touchdown passes against 141 interceptions. He has also rushed for 831 yards and 16 scores. The Broncos plan to start Drew Lock this season. Jeff Driskel, who agreed to terms with Denver earlier this week, will serve as Lock’s backup.

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Falcons have released RB Devonta Freeman

After reports came out on Monday that the Atlanta Falcons would be moving on from running back Devonta Freeman, the team officially released him on Tuesday.

After reports came out on Monday that the Atlanta Falcons would be moving on from running back Devonta Freeman, the team officially released him on Tuesday.

As a fourth-round pick selected back in 2014, Freeman ran for 3,977 yards on 950 carries (4.2 yards per attempt), with 32 rushing touchdowns over six seasons. He also added 257 receptions for 2,015 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches.

Cutting Freeman saves the Falcons roughly $3.5 million. According to Over The Cap, Atlanta currently has $3.66 million, but that number will go up when the team officially releases cornerback Desmond Trufant.

Freeman’s departure leaves a need for a starting running back. While Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison are nice complementary backs, neither has proven they can be that bell cow that Freeman was for so many years.

Atlanta tendered restricted free agent running back Brian Hill, allowing the team to match any offer or receive a fifth-round pick if he signs elsewhere.

The upcoming NFL draft is most likely where the Falcons will look to replace Freeman. Atlanta could target Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Georgia’s D’Andre Swift or Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins as possible first or second-round options.

As for Freeman, he’s still a productive runner and racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2019. He just wasn’t quite the difference-maker he was earlier in his career. However, for a team looking for No. 2 option than can carry the load if necessary, Freeman makes a lot of sense.

Check out this tribute video released by the Falcons’ Twitter account below:

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Broncos release DL Billy Winn

The Broncos have released veteran defensive lineman Billy Winn.

So far this offseason, the Broncos have added 16 players via reserve/future contracts and have agreed to trade a fourth-round draft pick for cornerback A.J. Bouye. On Thursday, the team made one of their first cuts of 2020.

Denver has released defensive lineman Billy Winn, ESPN’s Field Yates reported Thursday. Winn (6-4, 300 pounds) is a 30-year-old veteran with five years of experience in the NFL.

Winn entered the league as a sixth-round pick out of Boise State with the Browns in 2012. After spending the first three years of his career in Cleveland, Winn spent one season with the Colts in 2015.

In 2016, Winn signed with the Broncos and he dressed for all 16 games, totaling 19 tackles as a rotational defensive lineman. Winn missed all of the 2017 season with a torn ACL and then sat out the 2018 season.

Last April, Denver brought Winn back to provide more depth on the defensive line. He suffered a triceps injury in August and missed all of the 2019 season as well.

Winn, who hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2016, might have a hard time continuing his career after those injuries.

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Star Tribune lists three players as could-be cuts on Vikings

Who will get cut by the Vikings this offseason?

If you’ve been reading about the Vikings’ offseason outlook, then the three players the Star Tribune mentioned as possible cuts to save money, won’t surprise you much.

The Star Tribune reported that defensive tackle Linval Joseph, offensive lineman Riley Reiff and corner Xavier Rhodes could all be possible cuts by the Vikings this offseason.

The Star Tribune also reported that Joseph is due $11.15 million, Reiff is due $10.9 million and Rhodes is due $9.9 million.

This list is definitely not surprising in theory, but it will be interesting to see what the Vikings actually put into practice. Will they only cut one or two of those players and restructure some other players? Or will they part ways with all? It’s hard to say, but it seems likely that at least one of those guys will either take a pretty big pay cut or be forced to find a different place to play.