Month: August 2014

Rookie defensive end Michael Sam hasn't immediately been signed to an NFL practice squad after clearing waivers today, according to league source.

The St. Louis Rams cut the former Missouri All-American pass rusher on Saturday.

Sam recorded three sacks during the preseason, but was edged out for a roster spot by fellow rookie Ethan Westbrooks.

Sam was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season.

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The Cleveland Browns have signed former South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw to the practice squad.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier called Shaw the best quarterback in school history and he had a good preseason.

Shaw has run the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds with a 34-inch vertical leap, a 9-8 broad jump, a 4.33 short shuttle and a 7.07 three-cone drill at the NFL scouting combine.

Shaw is the winningest quarterback in school history with a 27-5 record as a starter and went 17-0 at home. He quarterbacked the highest-ranked team of all of the draft-eligible quarterbacks for the fourth-ranked Gamecocks.

The 6-foot, 208-pounder completed 63.4 percent of his passes last season for 2,447 yards, 24 touchdowns and one interception wiht a 162.94 quarterback rating. He also finished second on the team with 558 rushing yards and was named a permanent team captain. He was a finalist for the Unitas Award and a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award.

As a junior, Shaw was twice named SEC Offensive Player of the Week twice and completed a school-record 67.5 percent of his passer and finished third in the SEC with a 158.1 quarterback rating. He finished second on the team with 435 rushing yards and three touchdowns.As a sophomore, he completed 65.4 percent of his throws for 1,448 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for 525 yards and eight touchdowns.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have signed quarterback Alex Smith to a four-year, $68 million deal that includes $45 million guaranteed.

Smith's contract averages $17 million per season.

Smith, 30, was entering the final year of his contract and is due $7.5 million this year.

Smith passed for a career-high 3,313 yards and 23 touchdowns last season after being traded to the Chiefs from the San Francisco 49ers.

Smith had 14 touchdowns and two interceptions during a five-game stretch.

.In the playoffs, Smith passed for 378 yards and four touchdowns in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

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The New York Jets have acquired cornerback Leon McFadden off waivers from the Clevelan Browns, cutting cornerback LeQuan Lewis.

McFadden was the Browns' third-round choice last year out San Diego State. As a rookie last season he played in all 16 games for the Browns, starting two. He had 15 tackles on defense, four tackles on special teams, and one pass defensed.

This preseason he added a dozen tackles.

Lewis was signed as a free agent in August.

The Jets signed the following players to their practice squad: Matt Simms, Daryl Richards, a former St. Louis Rams starting running back, tight end Chris Pantale, offensive tackle Brent Qvale, defensive linemen Tevita Finau and Kerry Hyder and safety Rontez Miles.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were awarded offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey off of waivers from the Cleveland Browns.

Gilkey entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Browns last year out of Chadron State. Last season, Gilkey played in six games, with one start for Cleveland.

The Buccaneers waived offensive lineman Josh Allen.

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The New England Patriots claimed defensive linemen Kelcy Quarles and Bruce Gaston off waivers from the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, cutting veteran linebacker Chris White.

Quarles is an undrafted rookie from South Carolina.

Gaston is undrafted rookie from Purdue.

White is a veteran of three NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Patriots. He's a former Bills sixth-round pick from Mississippi State.

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The Cincinnati Bengals announced that they have signed nine players to their practice squad.

The players are OT Dan France, TE Kevin Greene, DT David King, WR Colin Lockett, CB Onterio McCalebb, DE Sam Montgomery, C Trevor Robinson, DT Devon Still and RB James Wilder Jr.

Each player was with the Bengals in the preseason except Greene, who was with San Francisco. Greene was waived on Aug. 26.

Practice squad rosters have a maximum limit of 10 players and the Bengals have one open spot on the unit.

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The Tennessee Titans were awarded wide receiver Kris Durham off waivers from Detroit, wide receiver T.J. Graham from Buffalo and cornerback Brandon Harris from Houston.

They cut wide receiver Michael Preston, defensive back Khalid Wooten and center Steve Vallos.

The Titans signed Justin McCray, Will Poehls, Chigbo Anunoby, Brandon Copeland, Antonio Andrews and Rico Richardson to the practice squad.

Durham (6-6, 216) joins the Titans after two seasons in Detroit and one year with Seattle, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2011. He has 49 career receptions, including a career-high 38 last year, for 645 career yards and three touchdowns. Durham at Georgia.

Graham (5-11, 188) was a third-round selection by the Buffalo Bills in 2012. Over the last two seasons, he has played in 31 games for the Bills, including 17 starts, and recorded 54 receptions for 683 yards and three touchdowns.

Harris (5-10, 189) was a second-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2011. During his three years with the Texans, he has played in 31 games and has 33 tackles.

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The Miami Dolphins added depth to their secondary and special teams with two players awarded from waivers.

The Dolphins put in claims for defensive back Sammy Seamster and safety Brandian Ross and received them. Seamster was with the Baltimore Ravens during the preseason after a collegiate career at Middle Tennessee State. Ross was with the Raiders the previous two seasons before being waived on Saturday.

To make room for Seamster and Ross, the Dolphins waived safety Don Jones and released receiver Damian Williams.

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The Cleveland Browns cut veteran quarterback Rex Grossman.

He played for Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan with the Washington Redskins.

The Browns were awarded the following players off waivers: wide receiver LaRon Byrd (Dallas), offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann (Seattle), offensive guard Ryan Seymour (San Francisco) and running back Glenn Winston (San Francisco).

The Browns also signed offensive lineman James Brown, defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel, tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi, and linebackers Keith Pough and Justin Staples to the practice squad.

THe Browns cut offensive lineman Karim Barton, wide receiver Charles Johnson and offensive lineman Martin Wallace.

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Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun