Braxton Miller

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/22/19

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Browns Reach 53-Man Limit

After making a couple of trades, the Browns have made a boatload of cuts to reach the 53-man max. Here’s the breakdown:

Contract Terminated:
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
P Britton Colquitt
DT Carl Davis
T Bryan Witzmann

Waived:
WR Dorian Baker
DT Brandin Bryant
TE Stephen Carlson
TE Seth DeValve
T Brian Fineanganofo
RB Trayone Gray
LB Willie Harvey
S J.T. Hassell
WR Ishmael Hyman
CB Robert Jackson
K Greg Joseph
CB Donnie Lewis Jr.
S Montrel Meander
WR Braxton Miller
RB A.J. Ouellette
DE Jarrell Owens
CB Lenzy Pipkins
DT Brian Price
DE Wyatt Ray
S Tigie Sankoh
T Brad Seaton
WR Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi
LB Anthony Stubbs
T Travis Vornkahl
LB Dedrick Young II
WR Derrick Willies
G Willie Wright
DE Anthony Zettel

Waived/Injured:
G Kyle Kalis (concussion)
FB Joe Kerridge (concussion)

IR:

CB Phillip Gaines (concussion)

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/19

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Cleveland Browns

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: OL Fisayo Awolaja
  • Waived: LS Nick Moore

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/19

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived/injured: Mike Onuoha

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: OL Cameron Hunt
  • Waived: WR Jordan Lasley

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Redskins

  • Signed: LB Gary Johnson
  • Placed on IR: LB Myles Humphrey

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/14/19

Here are Monday’s reserve/futures contract decisions:

Dallas Cowboys

Los Angeles Chargers

  • K/P Ty Long

New England Patriots

  • OL Ryker Mathews

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Cardinals Work Out WR Braxton Miller

Corey Coleman wasn’t the only wideout to audition for the Cardinals yesterday. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports that the team was also hosting receiver Braxton Miller on a visit.

The former Ohio State quarterback was selected by the Texans in the third-round of the 2016 draft. Up to that point, Miller had had only played a single collegiate season at wide receiver. The inexperience showed during a lackluster rookie campaign, and he ended that season on the injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

The 25-year-old did show some improvement in 2017, hauling in 19 receptions for 162 yards and one touchdown. However, the Texans decided to roll with Sammie Coates and Vyncint Smith as their fifth and sixth wideouts, leading to Miller being cut last week.

The Cardinals are a bit thin at wide receiver, with undrafted free agent Trent Sherfield serving as the fifth wideout behind Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, Chad Williams, and JJ Nelson. If Miller were to join Arizona, he’d probably slide into the fifth slot, and he could also contribute in the return game (three career kick returns, four career punt returns).

Texans Finalize 53-Man Roster

With cuts due this afternoon, the Texans made theirs official. This includes all-time punter great Shane Lechler, which surfaced on Friday.

The Texans also released Joe Webb, thinning out their quarterback room to just Deshaun Watson and Brandon Weeden.

Houston will begin its season without the services of backup running back D’Onta Foreman as well. Still recovering from his season-ending injury sustained in November of last year, Foreman will begin the season on the Texans’ Reserve/PUP list. He won’t be eligible to play until after Week 6.

As for the rest of Houston’s Saturday roster decisions, here’s who will not appear on the 53-man group to start the season:

Released:

Waived:

Waived with an injury designation:

Released with injury settlements

Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Illness list

Texans Cut WR Braxton Miller

The Texans cut a boatload of players on Friday, allowing them to inch closer to the 53-man max. Here’s the rundown, with all links going to Twitter unless noted otherwise:

Miller is the biggest name of the bunch, but his release does not come as a huge surprise. The former third-round pick out of Ohio State has posted a grand total of 34 catches for 261 yards and two scores over the last two years, and he failed to really stand out in the preseason.

Will Fuller, Bruce Ellington and fourth-round pick Keke Coutee seem likely to make the cut behind star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and it remains to be seen whether Houston will carry five or six receivers in total.

South Notes: Colts, Hankins, Saints, Titans

Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins‘ three-year deal with the Colts has a maximum value of $30MM and contains $10MM fully guaranteed, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. That guarantee comes in the form of Hankins’ 2017 base salary of $3MM, and a $7MM roster bonus (which has already been paid). Incentives tied to playing time, sacks, and Pro Bowls, plus $1MM in per-game roster bonuses, can push the deal to $30MM, per Graziano and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Hankins’ $7MM annual average places him tied for 18th among interior defensive linemen, alongside Jurrell Casey and Tyrone Crawford.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • The Saints recently put Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles through a workout, reports Herbie Teope of NOLA.com. New Orleans had also hoped to bring in Bolles for a predraft visit, but Bolles’ packed schedule didn’t allow him time to meet with the Saints. Bolles could be on the board when New Orleans picks at No.11, and as Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune tweets, offensive tackle is an underrated need area for the club. Incumbent left tackle Terron Armstead has had trouble staying healthy, while right tackle Zach Strief is entering his age-33 season.
  • East Carolina receiver Zay Jones is meeting with the Titans today, per Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones, who put up an eye-popping 158 receptions, 1,746 yards, and eight touchdowns in 2016, is the draft’s No. 46 overall player in the estimation of Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who lauds his “strong hands” and “clean, efficient” route running. Tennessee is in dire need of help at the wideout position, as their current depth chart is lead by Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe, and Harry Douglas. Jones could be an option for the Titans with the 18th pick.
  • Saints edge rusher Hau’oli Kikaha took part in offseason workouts today, tweets Katzenstein, an excellent sign after Kikaha missed the entire 2016 campaign with a torn ACL. Kikaha, who also suffered two ACL injuries in college, appeared in 15 games and made 11 starts for New Orleans during his rookie season in 2015. In that time, the 24-year-old racked up four sacks, 50 total tackles, two passes defended, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The Saints are desperate for another pass rusher to play opposite Cameron Jordan, and Kikaha could present that option.
  • Texans wide receiver Braxton Miller has hired Vayner Sports for representation, as the agency announced today (Twitter link). Miller, a 2016 draft pick, won’t become a free agent until 2020, and isn’t even eligible for an extension for two more years. In 10 games last season, Miller played primarily as a slot receiver, and managed 15 receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown. The 24-year-old also returned three kickoffs and one punt, and played 32 special teams snaps in total.