NFL PLAYER NEWS

Ravens acquisition of Montgomery among key moves

The Sports Xchange

October 30, 2018 at 4:07 pm.

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired wide receiver Golden Tate from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a third-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.

Tate actually announced the trade on Twitter before the teams made it official.

“It’s been real DETROIT! I’ll love ya forever. Philly Philly let’s get it!!” Tate wrote on Tuesday afternoon.

Tate joins a Philadelphia team that has won two of three to even its record at 4-4. Tight end Zach Ertz leads the Eagles in receptions (61) and receiving yards (644), while wideout Alshon Jeffery has a team-leading four touchdown catches.

The 30-year-old Tate has recorded a team-leading 44 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season for the Lions (3-4).

Tate, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, is on pace for the first 100-catch season of his career and his fourth 1,000-yard campaign in five years with the Lions.

–After trading Tate to the Eagles, the Lions reportedly are making another cap-saving move.

ESPN reported the Lions are restructuring the contract of wide receiver Marvin Jones to save about $2.2 million in cap space. The Lions had already cleared about $3.7 million by sending Tate to Philadelphia.

It means the Lions will have cleared about $6 million in cap space after entering the day with about $2 million of cap room.

–The Green Bay Packers traded running back Ty Montgomery to the Baltimore Raven in exchange for an undisclosed future draft pick, the Ravens announced.

Multiple media outlets reported the Packers will receive a 2020 seventh-round pick from the Ravens.

To make room for Montgomery on its 53-man roster, Baltimore terminated the contract of vested veteran linebacker Albert McClellan.

Speculation that Montgomery might be traded following his decision to return a kickoff late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

With 2:05 left in the game, Montgomery took the kickoff out of the end zone instead of taking a knee for a touchback to take no time off the clock and give the Packers the ball at their 25-yard line. Head coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday that Montgomery had been told to take a touchback if the ball went into the end zone. Montgomery denied he had been given that instruction.

Montgomery then fumbled on his return, giving the ball back to the Rams instead of putting the ball in the hands of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Rams then ran out the clock and to remain undefeated with a 29-27 win.

–The Packers made their second trade of the day, sending safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins in exchange for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick, the Redskins announced.

Clinton-Dix is in the final year of his five-year rookie contract and will be a free agent after this season. He said earlier he probably would not be back with Green Bay next season, and he said on Monday he thought he might get traded.

Clinton-Dix was a Pro Bowl selection in 2016, and he has three interceptions in seven games this season.

–The Houston Texans acquired wide receiver Demaryius Thomas from the Denver Broncos, the teams announced.

The Broncos will receive a fourth-round draft pick from the Texans in addition to the teams exchanging seventh-round selections.

Thomas and the Texans (5-3) will play the Broncos (3-5) in Denver on Sunday afternoon.

The addition of the five-time Pro Bowl selection comes on the heels of Houston seeing wide receiver Will Fuller tear the ACL in his right knee during Thursday’s 42-23 win over the Miami Dolphins. Rookie wideout Keke Coutee also has been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Thomas, who was the longest tenured member of the Broncos, was second on the team in receptions (36) and receiving yards (402) and tied for the club lead in receiving touchdowns (three) this season.

–The Los Angeles Rams acquired pass rusher Dante Fowler from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a conditional 2019 third-round draft pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick, the Jaguars announced on Tuesday.

Fowler has started only one game in his three-year NFL career, but he has 14 sacks, including two in seven games this season and eight in 16 games in 2017. He also forced a fumble this season.

He played only 32.7 percent of Jacksonville’s defensive plays this season.

–Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks was retroactively suspended eight games by the NFL and will be able to return to action in Week 14, multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday.

Kendricks was suspended after pleading guilty in September to federal insider trading charges. The ban, which began on Oct. 2, includes previous time served.

–The Seattle Seahawks released veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the team announce.

The 34-year-old Marshall “absolutely” wants to keep playing, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Marshall started two games early this season, and he had nine receptions for 120 yards through his first three games. But he had only two receptions for 16 yards since then, as his playing time has dwindled. He played just two offensive snaps against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
He has 11 catches for 136 yards for the season.

Marshall has been named to the Pro Bowl six times, the most recent being the 2015 season, when he had 109 receptions for 1,502 yards and a league-best 14 touchdowns for the New York Jets.

–Oakland Raiders cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie announced his retirement over social media.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Rodgers-Cromartie was playing in his 11th NFL season. The 32-year-old was not involved in any defensive snaps during Sunday’s 42-28 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

“Today I retire, today my NFL journey ends,” Rodgers-Cromartie wrote on Instagram. “… A kid with one kid and no college offers lasted 11 years in the NFL. I played in Super Bowls, pro bowls (and) did many more in this league. I’m at peace with my decision. Y’all may not understand and that’s kool!!! I wanna thank everyone for their support.”

–Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green was spotted with his right foot in a walking boot Tuesday.

Green appeared to injure his toe while reeling in an 11-yard pass from Andy Dalton in the waning moments of the Bengals’ 37-34 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection told reporters he was fine after the game, however.

There was no official word from the Bengals on the severity of the injury for the 30-year-old Green, who will have extra time to recover with the team on its bye week. Cincinnati (5-3) returns to action against the high-powered New Orleans Saints on Nov. 11.

–The NFL will feature four regular-season games in London next season, with two at Wembley Stadium and two at the new stadium being built for Premier League team Tottenham.

The league did not announce which teams would travel across the Atlantic Ocean or when the games will be played.

While the matchups have yet to be set, the Jacksonville Jaguars have competed in London in every season since 2013.

–Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa said he feels he’s making progress in relation to an injured left foot that has sidelined him all season.

“(It’s) the first time that I’m really making some strides to get out on the field,” the 23-year-old Bosa said, via the team’s official website. “It’s been a slow progression ever since I left.

“We kind of started from square one, literally walking on the field. You have to walk before you run. I know it’s kind of silly, but it’s kind of how it goes. It’s simple walking. Toe walks. Heel walks. Rising up on my toes. It’s just been a very slow progression.”

The positive steps have prevented coach Anthony Lynn from ruling out Bosa as the Chargers (5-2) visit the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET).

Bosa said we’ll know he’s ready to play when he gets in a Wednesday practice.

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