Garrett Gilbert

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/22

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/22

Here are the roster moves for today, leading into gameday tomorrow. Reminder that gameday elevations will revert to the practice squad after this weekend’s games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/22

Today’s practice squad moves:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

A.J. McCarron, Mike Glennon Among QBs At 49ers Workout; Kurt Benkert Lands Deal

4:51pm: It will be Benkert landing the gig after this audition, Garafolo tweets. it is a practice squad deal. The former Falcons and Packers reserve has been in the NFL since 2018, after arriving as a UDFA out of Virginia. Benkert, 27, has appeared in just one game — with the 2021 Packers — and does not have a regular-season pass on his resume yet. Benkert played under Kyle Shanahan Falcons OC successor Steve Sarkisian and spent a year in Matt LaFleur‘s West Coast offense.

3:59pm: Trey Lance‘s injury reopens the door for Jimmy Garoppolo, but it also leaves the 49ers vulnerable. Garoppolo has battled a host of injuries since coming to San Francisco, and the team is looking into reserve options.

Chief among them is A.J. McCarron, who was one of five quarterbacks at a Tuesday 49ers workout, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Mike Glennon, Garrett Gilbert, Kevin Hogan and Kurt Benkert also trekked to the Bay Area for this audition. This year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, is the only other QB on San Francisco’s 53-man roster.

The Falcons did not re-sign McCarron, whose 2021 deal did not lead to any game action. A summer 2021 ACL tear sidelined the former Bengals backup, but the veteran arm expressed interest in returning to the league this year. The Browns worked out McCarron in July but went with Josh Rosen instead.

Now 32, McCarron has been with four teams — Raiders and Texans stints came in between his Cincinnati and Atlanta stays — over an eight-year career. His only notable game action came back in 2015, when Andy Dalton‘s late-season injury sent the Alabama alum into action. McCarron had the Bengals on the precipice of a wild-card win over the Steelers; late-game penalties helped down Cincinnati that night. Since that four-start season, McCarron has made just one additional start — with the 2019 Texans — but has continued to generate interest.

Glennon, 32, spent last season with the Giants but has bounced around the league since his Buccaneers stay ended in 2016. Glennon struggled during his Daniel Jones relief cameos, going 0-4 as a starter and completing 54% of his passes at 4.7 yards per throw. The former Bucs third-round pick also lost his five 2020 starts, helping the Jaguars secure Trevor Lawrence draft real estate. The 6-foot-7 veteran has been with five teams — the Bears, Cardinals, Raiders, Jags and Giants — since his rookie contract expired.

Garoppolo only resumed throwing recently, but he came in to relieve Lance in Week 2. Lance’s season-ending ankle break puts Garoppolo’s health history back under the microscope. The sixth-year 49er missed 13 starts in 2018, 10 in 2020 and two last season. Calf, thumb and shoulder injuries impacted Garoppolo last year, leading to two 2022 surgeries. Lance no longer being present as a backup option, as was the case in 2021, raises the stakes involved with this 49ers search for a veteran arm.

Browns Work Out QBs Josh Rosen, A.J. McCarron

With a suspension looming for Deshaun Watson, the Browns remain on the lookout for a short-term QB addition. Two new candidates the team is looking at have emerged. 

Cleveland is holding workouts with Josh Rosen and A.J. McCarronper ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). He adds that the Browns are eyeing a training camp roster including four signal-callers: Watson, presumed Week 1 starter Jacoby Brissettfree agent signing Josh Dobbs, and another passer capable of acting as insurance during Watson’s absence.

Rosen and McCarron were connected last offseason as well, though under different circumstances. It was the latter’s preseason ACL tear that left the Falcons in need of a late addition at QB. Rosen was made available when he was waived by the 49ers at the start of their training camp, and signed in August. The move increased the number of teams the 2018 first-rounder had joined to four since his one-year stint with the Cardinals during his rookie season.

Rosen dressed for four games last season, attempting just 11 passes. Since his inaugural campaign, the former top-10 pick has suited up for 10 total contests. McCarron, whom the Browns nearly traded for in 2017, is now three years removed from his last start, which came with the Texans. Neither QB would therefore be seen as a threat to Brissett’s status as the team’s top option for however long Watson is sidelined.

Given their cap situation, Cleveland has been named as a potential suitor for Jimmy Garoppolo in the event of Watson being banned for the entire 2022 campaign. The 49ers veteran was officially given permission to seek a trade yesterday, and would represent the most accomplished passer sill available this late in the offseason. However, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports that the team is “not expected” to pursue a trade for the 30-year-old, nor have the Browns shown interest in free agent Cam Newton.

Instead, she adds, Cleveland has “inquired about” Garrett Gilbert. The journeyman spent the 2019 season with the Browns, and is a free agent again after his brief 2022 Raiders tenure ended. He could provide competition to Rosen and McCarron as the Browns look for serviceable QB depth.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/22

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Released: WR Cyrus Holder, WR Henry Litwin

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Sign QB Garrett Gilbert

Garrett Gilbert has found a new home. The quarterback is signing with the Raiders, agency Steinberg Sports announced on Twitter (and passed along by ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).

Gilbert had stints on the Raiders practice squad during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The 2014 sixth-round pick has turned into a true journeyman during his eight seasons of professional football. Besides his stint in Oakland, the Texas/SMU product has had gigs with the Rams, Patriots (two stints), Lions, Panthers, Browns, Cowboys, and Washington. He also led the AAF in passing yards during his time with the Orlando Apollos.

In total, the QB has seen time in eight career games (two starts), completing 57.3 percent of his passes for 477 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He got a start for Washington in 2021.

Josh McDaniels has some familiarity with Gilbert dating back to their days in New England, and the FA addition may have an opportunity to stick around as the number-two quarterback behind Derek Carr. 2021 backup Marcus Mariota is currently a free agent.

WFT To Start Garrett Gilbert 

It’s now official. On Tuesday, the Washington Football Team announced that quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen were unable to test out of COVID-19 protocols. With that, journeyman Garrett Gilbert will start tonight against the Eagles.

Gilbert, recently signed off of the Patriots’ taxi squad, started for the Cowboys last year in a Week 9 loss to the Steelers. Filling in for Dak Prescott (injured) and Andy Dalton (on the COVID list), Gilbert went 21-of-38 for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It wasn’t a particularly memorable performance, but it was at least better than what the Cowboys were getting out of Ben DiNucci.

The 30-year-old passer has dressed for just seven games in his NFL career. This will be his biggest one yet as Washington fights for a playoff spot. A win tonight would give them a 43% chance of qualifying; a loss would require them to win out and get extremely lucky.

Washington has been able to activate a couple of its players for tonight’s game — cornerback Troy Apke and defensive tackle Tim Settle. Beyond that, they’ll elevate four practice squaders: fullback Alex Armah, linebacker De’Jon Harris, tackle David Steinmetz, and quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who will serve as the QB2 behind Gilbert.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/21

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

  • Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List: RB Mark Ingram

New York Giants

Washington Football Team

WFT To Sign QB Garrett Gilbert 

The hits just keep on comin’. One day after placing Kyle Allen on the COVID-19 list, the Washington Football Team has done the same with quarterback Taylor Heinicke, per a club announcement. In desperate need of a signal caller, Washington has signed Garrett Gilbert to potentially start on Sunday against the Eagles. 

[RELATED: NFL Updates COVID-19 Protocols]

The NFL’s revised protocols could conceivably allow Heinicke and Allen to dress this week. But, with a little over 48 hours between now and kickoff, Washington had to act fast. Enter Gilbert, a 30-year-old journeyman with just seven pro appearances on his resume.

Gilbert’s lone start came with the Cowboys last year, a Week 9 loss to the Steelers. That too was a desperation move. Dak Prescott was injured, Andy Dalton was parked on the COVID-19 list, and youngster Ben DiNucci was coming off of a rough performance in Week 8. Gilbert finished the game 21-of-38 for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

At 6-7, Washington still has a path to the playoffs. Their fate may rest in the hands of Gilbert or one of their practice squad QBs, either Kyle Shurmur or Jordan Ta’amu.