Tag: Workout

Saints working out free agent WR Antonio Brown

The New Orleans Saints worked out WR Antonio Brown, the All-Pro who got himself traded by the Steelers and cut by the Raiders and Patriots.

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The New Orleans Saints are working out free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown on Friday, the four-time former All-Pro announced from his official Instagram account. His visit was confirmed by reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who characterized the meeting as the Saints “doing their due diligence” on the talented but troubled free agent.

Brown wasn’t in New Orleans beyond sundown before he involved the Saints in his always-going social media firestorm, sharing a photo of the text from a confidential free agent waiver form he signed to work out with the team. He later deleted it from his account, though he still confirmed the tryout in another post.

There’s no doubting Brown’s skills on the football field. He’s set records that Michael Thomas has broken this year, and was coveted by all three of the teams he signed with already this year — the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots. But Brown’s numerous legal troubles range from unpaid speeding tickets to alleged sexual assault, which the NFL is still investigating. Not to mention the headaches he’s causing on social media.

Because Brown has not been signed with a team since the Patriots cut him, he is not qualified for the Commissioner’s Exempt List. The NFL said earlier this year that, “If he is signed by a club, such placement may become appropriate at any time depending on the status of the investigation.” In other words, Brown is likely to be suspended before the ink dries on any contract he signs, with the Saints or anyone else. Still, this is a situation to monitor as the Saints move forwards without consistent production opposite Thomas at wide receiver.

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Broncos finally work out Frank Tripucka’s grandson, punter Shane Tripucka

Denver worked out punter Shane Tripucka. He is the grandson of former AFL All-Star Frank Tripucka, a member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame.

It’s about time.

Chris Tripucka, the son of former quarterback Frank Tripucka and father of punter Shane Tripucka, has been calling on the Broncos to give his son a tryout for months. He’s active on Twitter (@TXTrip17) and his request was finally granted this week.

The Broncos worked out Shane Tripucka and two other punters — Trevor Daniel and Ryan Anderson — this week, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Denver has been working out players who are candidates to sign “future contracts” at the end of the season.

Teams can have 90 players on the roster in the offseason and future deals are given out at the end of the season. Those contracts become official when the new league year begins in March. Players who are not on an active roster at the end of the year are eligible to sign future contracts.

Frank Tripucka was the Broncos’ quarterback for their first four seasons in the AFL (1960-63) and he earned AFL All-Star honors in 1960. Tripucka is a member of the team’s Ring of Fame and his No. 18 jersey is retired. Tripucka gave former quarterback Peyton Manning special permission to wear that number during his time in Denver.

Shane, Frank’s grandson, averaged 45.5 yards per punt during his senior year at Texas A&M in 2017. He went to training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018 but is yet to punt in a regular-season game in the NFL.

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Saints work out free agent pass rushers including Noah Spence, Shane Ray

The New Orleans Saints are managing injuries along their defensive line, so they worked out free agents like Noah Spence and Shane Ray.

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The New Orleans Saints worked out several veteran pass rushers on Tuesday, per a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson reported that players involved in the tryouts included Noah Spence, Shane Ray, and Chris Smith. With two starting defensive linemen sidelined by injuries against the San Francisco 49ers last week (Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport each exited the game) and a top backup on the mend after taking a painful shot to the knee (Trey Hendrickson), it makes sense for the Saints to consider their options.

Spence was frequently connected to the Saints ahead of the 2016 NFL Draft; the team met with him extensively before that year’s Reese’s Senior Bowl and hosted him in New Orleans on an official visit, which reportedly went well. Spence finished his college career at Eastern Kentucky after initially playing with the Ohio State Buckeyes, making him one of several prospects the Saints studied (they ended up drafting both Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell in the second round that year, each of whom played with Spence at Ohio State). However, Spence failed to gain traction after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him, and was waived during roster cuts before the 2019 season.

Ray was a highly-touted former first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos out of Missouri, but injuries and ineffectiveness resulted in him testing free agency after his contract expired. The Baltimore Ravens took a shot on him over the summer but waived him during roster cuts, and he hasn’t yet caught on with another team.

It’s a similar story for Chris Smith, who spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals before playing for the Cleveland Browns this season. The sixth-year pro was released in early December after signing a three-year contract with the Browns back in March.

At this point in their careers, each of these players are probably going to make their best impact at the end of a pass-rush rotation. Katherine Terrell of The Athletic reported that it doesn’t appear the Saints are looking to add any new players at this time, instead using these veteran workouts as an opportunity to update in-house scouting report.

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Broncos worked out 19 players, including QB Tyree Jackson

The Broncos worked out more than a dozen players this week, including former Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson.

We already knew that the Denver Broncos worked out former Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald on Tuesday. Thanks to NFL reporter Howard Balzer, we now know the names of 18 other players that worked out for the team.

In addition to Fitzgerald, Denver also worked out two other QBs: Taryn Christion and Tyree Jackson. Here’s the complete list of players that worked out for the Broncos, according to Balzer:

  • WR Tyre Brady
  • WR De’Mornay Pierson-El
  • WR DeAndrew Thompkins
  • WR Trevion Thompson
  • WR Alex Wesley
  • WR Papi White
  • QB Taryn Christion
  • QB Nick Fitzgerald
  • QB Tyree Jackson
  • TE Tyree Mayfield
  • OG Larry Allen
  • OG Joshua Garnett
  • OG Bunchy Stallings
  • OT Ka’John Armstrong
  • OT Brian Fineanganofo
  • RB Alex Barnes
  • RB Nick Brossette
  • RB Jeremy Cox
  • RB Matthew Dayes

Jackson (6-7, 249 pounds) is likely the most notable player on the list. He threw for 6,999 yards and 49 touchdowns during his three years at Buffalo and rushed for 757 yards and 16 more scores. Jackson signed with the Bills as a college free agent in April but failed to make their 53-man roster.

Related: Broncos worked out 16 players last week.

Jackson was selected by the DC Defenders in the XFL draft for the upcoming 2020 season but he would likely turn down a chance to start in the upstart league if he is invited to camp by an NFL team.

Jackson and the other players that worked out for the Broncos are likely being considered as “future contract” candidates. Players not on an active roster at the end of the season are eligible to sign future deals that become official when the new league year begins in March.

At the end of last season, Denver signed 10 players to future contracts.

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Panthers work out four kickers after Joey Slye’s rough day vs. Saints

Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye had a bad day against the New Orleans Saints, causing Carolina to try out free agents like Kai Forbath.

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The New Orleans Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers after some spotty kicking from Panthers specialist Joey Slye last Sunday, and the team is taking steps to find a better answer at the position, according to a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Slye missed two extra point tries and a 28-yard field goal against the Saints in a game Carolina lost 34-31, dropping them to 5-6 on the season.

Ironically, Carolina’s free agent tryouts included former Saints kicker Kai Forbath, who appeared in 10 games for New Orleans back in 2015. Forbath went 9-for-13 on field goal tries and 33-for-34 on extra point attempts that season before stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Other kickers who worked out for Carolina per Wilson’s report were Elliott Fry (66-of-88 on field goals in 51 games at South Carolina, but no extensive NFL experience), Greg Joseph (17-of-20 in 14 games with the Cleveland Browns last year), and Nick Rose (11-of-14 in 10 games for two teams from 2017 to 2018).

The Panthers haven’t made any moves yet beyond adding Joseph to their practice squad, but the Saints will see whoever gets the starting nod next when they fly out to Charlotte in the regular season finale on Dec. 29.

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Broncos worked out 16 players last week

Tre’ Crawford was among 16 players who worked out for the Broncos last week.

The Broncos worked out 16 players last week and half of those players were defensive backs, perhaps a sign that Denver plans to add more depth in the secondary this offseason. Here’s the list of last week’s workouts, courtesy of The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala:

  1. DB Corrin Ballard
  2. DT Daryle Banfield 
  3. DE Tashawn Bower
  4. LB Tre’ Crawford 
  5. DB Davante Davis 
  6. DT Willie Henry 
  7. DB P.J. Locke 
  8. DB Tray Matthews
  9. DB Picasso Nelson 
  10. LB Gimel President 
  11. DE Wyatt Ray
  12. DB Tyree Robinson 
  13. DB Kahani Smith 
  14. LB Pita Taumoepenu 
  15. NT Jay-Tee Tiuli 
  16. DB Isaiah Wharton

Of note, the Broncos did not work out any punters last week. Colby Wadman has come under pressure in recent weeks and he didn’t help his case on Sunday when he had an awful 13-yard punt. He has averaged 43.8 yards per punt this season, which ranks 28th in the league.

Denver has been working out players as candidates for “futures contracts.” Players that are not on an active roster at the end of the season are eligible to sign future deals that will become official in March. Teams are allowed to have 90 players on the roster during the offseason.

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WATCH: Colin Kaepernick considering holding second pro-day style workout

The Kaepernick camp is making good use of the video footage that moving the workout allowed them, as well as all media, access to. Agent Jeff Nalley says that he sent copies of the film from Kaepernick’s workout to all 32 NFL teams.

Colin Kaepernick’s gunshot NFL workout Saturday ended with the former 49ers quarterback abandoning the setup that the league arranged and held sole control over in order to provide transparency, as he and his representatives explained it.

The Kaepernick camp is making good use of the video footage that moving the workout allowed them, as well as all media, access to. Agent Jeff Nalley says that he sent copies of the film from Kaepernick’s workout to all 32 NFL teams.

ESPN’s Howard Bryant reports that now, Kaepernick is considering holding another similar workout during the NFL owner’s meetings in March.

All 32 owners, general managers and head coaches of NFL teams will be at the meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. in March.

When Nalley sent all of the teams’ unedited video footage from the workout Saturday in Atlanta, he also sent a note offering to have Kaepernick speak with the teams either in person or over the phone, but he is not optimistic his client will be signed.

Kaepernick & legal team considering holding second pro-day style workout for QB at NFL owners meetin

The Kaepernick camp is making good use of the video footage that moving the workout allowed them, as well as all media, access to. Agent Jeff Nalley says that he sent copies of the film from Kaepernick’s workout to all 32 NFL teams.

The Kaepernick camp is making good use of the video footage that moving the workout allowed them, as well as all media, access to. Agent Jeff Nalley says that he sent copies of the film from Kaepernick’s workout to all 32 NFL teams.

Pete Carroll reviewing video of QB Colin Kaepernick’s workout

Although the Seattle Seahawks were unable to attend QB Colin Kaepernick’s workout, coach Pete Carroll is going to review the video replay.

The Seattle Seahawks were not one of the seven teams around the league who attended free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s workout over the weekend, although the original plan was to have a staff member at the event.

NFL clubs were given very short notice about the workout to begin with last week, but when Kaepernick and his representatives changed the location and time Saturday morning, many who had arranged to be present weren’t able to adjust their schedules.

“I’m disappointed, we had planned to be at that workout,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “It got changed around and we couldn’t work with it. Unfortunately, we sent somebody but couldn’t stay with the changes that happened, we missed it. We were real curious. I was real curious to see how the workout went. Just competing as always.”

Carroll would not name the Seahawks representative sent to the workout, save for calling him “one of our guys.”

The workout was open to the media and was streamed live via YouTube. Carroll said he’s already watched a portion of the tape.

“We’re looking at everything, always,” Carroll added. “I’ve seen some of it so far.”

Here’s a look at the full replay of Kaepernick’s workout.

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Broncos scout unable to attend Colin Kaepernick’s workout after time change

Broncos scout Jordon Dizon wasn’t able to attend Colin Kaepernick’s workout after being given short notice about a time and location change.

The NFL arranged a private workout for Colin Kaepernick this week, set for Saturday afternoon at the Falcons’ facility — with a catch.

The league opted not to allow media members to attend the workout, which meant the NFL could control what video footage would be released. Seeking a more “transparent and open process,” Kaepernick’s team decided to move the workout to a different location and scheduled it for an hour after the NFL’s workout was supposed to begin at Atlanta’s facility.

Kaepernick’s reps wanted media members to be in attendance and he wanted footage of the workout available to the public so the NFL couldn’t manipulate the narrative and release an edited video. To make sure that happened, he moved the event to a non-NFL facility and invited the media.

Unfortunately for the free agent QB, moving the event on such short notice meant many league scouts were unable to attend. Before the location and time of the workout changed, 25 teams were scheduled to be there. After the change, only eight teams showed up. Jordon Dizon, one of the Broncos’ pro scouts, had to leave to catch a flight to Miami.

Dizon will attend the Dolphins’ game against the Bills on Sunday to take notes on Buffalo, who Denver will face in Week 12.

Kaepernick, 32, knelt during the playing of the national anthem in protest of police brutality three years ago and no team has been willing to sign him since then. The veteran QB threw 16 touchdown passes and four interceptions in 12 games in 2016.

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