Travis Labhart

Texans Cut 10 Players, Move Cliett To IR

3:50pm: The Texans have made another cut, waiving punter Will Johnson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

1:34pm: The Texans’ cutdown to 75 players is underway, with Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston reporting, in a series of Twitter links, that the team has removed 10 players from its roster, cutting nine and moving linebacker Reshard Cliett to the injured reserve list. Cliett, a sixth-round pick, went down several weeks ago with a knee injury, and will be sidelined for his rookie season.

Per Berman, here are the nine players cut by the Texans today:

  • Aaron Adams, T
  • Jason Ankrah, OLB
  • Alan Bonner, WR
  • Jace Davis, WR
  • Chris Neild, NT
  • Cam McLeod, DE
  • Travis Labhart, WR
  • Bryan Witzmann, T
  • Cody White, NT

By my count, the Texans are now carrying 80 active players, following their acquisition of tackle Chris Clark, so they’ll have to make a few more moves by Tuesday afternoon’s 75-man deadline.

Texans Sign 10 To Futures Contracts

The Texans have locked up nine players to reserve/futures contracts for the 2015 season, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Here are the players who inked new deals with the club:

Eight of the nine players signed by the Texans finished the season on the team’s practice squad. Labhart was the lone player who wasn’t on the taxi squad at season’s end, while two players who were a part of the unit – quarterback Ricky Stanzi and guard Alex Kupper – have yet to sign new deals.

Meanwhile, the Texans haven’t made an official announcement regarding his status, but agent David Canter tweeted that his client, defensive end Tevita Finau, has also signed a futures deal with the team, making it 10 overall signings for Houston.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

We’ve already got one ongoing post designed to track today’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the league, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:

  • The Saints added guard Andrew Miller to the taxi squad while releasing offensive tackle DeMarcus Love and defensive tackle Garrison Smith, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Panthers cut running back Tauren Poole from their taxi squad yet again and replaced him by re-signing Micanor Regis, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • A source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) that the Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz, creating a second open spot on the Kansas City practice squad.
  • The Cowboys have their practice squad back up to 10 players, signing linebacker Mister Alexander to fill the final opening, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Wide receiver Travis Labhart has been placed on the Texans‘ practice squad-injured list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Having lost cornerback Chance Casey to the Raiders, the 49ers replaced him on their practice squad by signing cornerback Cameron Fuller, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

Earlier updates:

  • The Ravens have filled up their practice squad by signing cornerback Quinton Pointer, the team announced today.
  • Earlier today, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported (via Twitter) that the Texans were working out quarterback Seth Lobato, but the club ended up signing another quarterback to its taxi squad. Ricky Stanzi is the signal-caller that landed with the Texans, tweets Wilson.
  • The Jets have signed former Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey to their practice squad, according to the team (Twitter link).
  • After cutting him over the weekend, Washington has re-signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to the club’s practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team also added defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui to the unit, cutting linebacker Justin Jackson to accommodate the move (Twitter link).
  • Having lost Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker to injuries, the Titans added quarterback Jordan Palmer to their active roster yesterday, and have added another signal-caller to their practice squad today for emergency purposes. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweets that QB Alex Tanney has signed with Tennessee’s taxi squad.
  • Former Wake Forest defensive lineman Zach Thompson is signing to the Ravens‘ practice squad, taking one of the two open spots on the unit, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The 49ers have brought back a player who was part of the club’s practice squad earlier this season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve re-added tight end Xavier Grimble.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

Tuesday is often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as teams fill spots vacated by players who were promoted over the weekend, or shuffle their 10-man units around based on injuries to the 53-man roster during Sunday’s games. We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Lions have added running back William Powell to their practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Powell, 26, was cut by the Texans in late August.
  • The Titans have released quarterback Brad Sorensen from their practice squad, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Sorensen was a Chargers seventh-round pick in 2013.
  • The Jets have swapped out one cornerback for another, adding LeQuan Lewis to their PS while removing Brandon Smith, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
  • The Panthers’ practice squad is now full after Carolina signed linebacker Horace Miller and running back Tauren Poole, the team announced on Twitter.
  • The Eagles removed two players from their practice squad, cutting linebacker Brandon Hepburn and offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Linebacker Jake Knott will return Philly’s PS after serving a four-game PED suspension, says Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
  • The Rams have re-signed tight end Brad Smelley to their practice squad, tweets Howard Balzer. To clear a roster spot, St. Louis cut defensive end Kourtnei Brown from the PS.

Earlier Updates:

  • The Texans have placed receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu on the practice squad injured list, tweets Palmer. Houston’s PS is now down to eight players.
  • The Dolphins have filled their final taxi squad slot by adding defensive end Emmanuel Dieke, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Dieke was cut by the Giants last month.
  • Browns long snapper Christian Yount may be looking over his shoulder this week, as the Browns announced they’ve added long snapper Charley Hughlett to their practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Hughlett replaces defensive lineman Calvin Barnett.
  • The Bills have swapped one tight end for another, replacing D.J. Tialavea with Jamie Childers, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
  • Kicker Chris Boswell has been removed from the Texans‘ practice squad, per James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (Twitter link).
  • Nose tackle Robert Thomas has replaced fellow defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo on the Redskins‘ practice squad, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Thomas went unclaimed on waivers after being cut by Washington on the weekend.
  • The Dolphins have removed cornerback Rod Sweeting from their practice squad, signing tight end Jake Murphy to take his place, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
  • Wideout Travis Labhart, who was on the Texans‘ practice squad earlier this season, will rejoin Houston’s unit, a source tells David Nuño of KTRK-TV in Houston (Twitter link). The team currently has no openings, so one of the 10 current players will need to be cut or promoted to clear room for Labhart.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

We’ll round up Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest news added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Chiefs have signed fullback Jordan Campbell and tight end Justin Jones to the practice squad, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). To make room, they have released cornerback Robert Steeples.
  • The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that they have released cornerback Jemea Thomas from the p-squad and re-signed fullback Nikita Whitlock.
  • Running back Edwin Baker has replaced cornerback Trevin Wade on the Saints‘ practice squad, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  • Defensive end James Davidson, who was in camp with the Bengals, is set to fill the 10th and final spot on the Giants‘ practice squad, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have removed linebacker Kevin Reddick from their practice squad, says Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz from their practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Besides confirming the previously reported re-signing of linebacker Darius Fleming to their practice squad, the Patriots also announced several more moves today. Offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann and defensive lineman Kona Schwenke are now part of the club’s 10-man unit, while defensive lineman Cam Henderson and running back Marcus Thigpen have been cut.
  • The Browns have signed linebacker Allen Bradford to their practice squad, cutting wideout Ifeanyi Momah, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Safety Josh Aubrey has taken the place of wide receiver Travis Labhart on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link).
  • The Redskins announced today (via Twitter) they’ve signed defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo to their practice squad, cutting another defensive lineman, Dennis Hopkins, to clear an opening.
  • Defensive tackle Roy Philon has re-signed with the Bears‘ practice squad, leaving the team with three openings on the taxi squad, the team confirmed (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers have signed former Redskins’ sixth-round running back Lache Seastrunk to their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link).
  • Offensive lineman Emmett Cleary has joined the Bengals‘ practice squad, replacing tight end Ryan Otten on the unit, according to the club (via Twitter).
  • The Colts have swapped one guard for another on their practice squad, dropping Josh Walker and signing David Arkin, the team announced in a press release.
  • After promoting tight end Marcel Jensen to their 53-man roster, the Jaguars have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by adding offensive tackle Cody Booth, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
  • Fullback Zach Line, waived from the 53-man roster over the weekend, has joined the Vikings‘ practice squad, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
  • The 49ers made several changes to their practice squad last night. In addition to confirming the signing of tight end Xavier Grimble, which was previously reported, the club also signed cornerback Leon McFadden, dropping linebacker Shayne Skov and defensive back Chance Casey to make room, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).

Sunday Transactions: AFC South

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Houston Texans:

Indianapolis Colts:

Jacksonville Jaguars:

  • Claimed off waivers: Mickey Shuler, TE (via Ryan O’Halloran on Twitter)
  • Cut: Marcel Jensen, TE (via Aaron Wilson on Twitter)
  • Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Cody Booth, T; DeAndre Coleman, DT; Henry Josey, RB (via Adam Caplan on Twitter); Craig Loston, S; Stephen Morris, QB; Kerry Taylor, WR; Tony Washington, WR; Marcus Whitfield, LB. The team has also added cornerback Peyton Thompson, reports Michael DiRocco (via Twitter), although the team has not officially announced the signing.

Tennessee Titans:

Texans Release Eight Players

The Texans have released tight end Zach Potter, according to Dave Zangaro of CSNHouston.com (on Twitter). Earlier today, Houston released wide receiver Travis Labhartkicker Chris Boswellfullback Toben Opurum, and former USC safety Jawanza Starling. Here’s your running list of the players released in Houston today:

Minor Moves: Friday

We’ll be grouping most of today’s cuts by team or division, but we’ll keep track of the stray minor moves here..

  • The Titans released offensive lineman Jeff Adams, tweets Wyatt.
  • The Texans cut wide receiver Travis Labhart and kicker Chris Boswell, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter).
  • The Bears will cut offensive lineman Robert Turner, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Chicago signed the guard/tackle just a few weeks ago.
  • The Texans released former USC safety Jawanza Starling, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
  • The Titans have released defensive lineman Marcus Dixon and offensive lineman Justin McCray, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean (Twitter links). Dixon recorded a sack in the preseason finale and almost had a second one, but it wasn’t enough to stay on board.
  • The Texans will release fullback Toben Opurum, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). The 23-year-old Kansas product didn’t touch the ball in Houston’s first three preseason contests and had three carries for nine yards last night against the 49ers.
  • Earlier today, we learned that the Buccaneers have made four cuts.

Texans Announce 20 UDFA Signings

The Texans took their time in announcing their rookie free agent signings, but the team has officially done so today, revealing the names of their UDFA additions in a press release. Here’s the complete list:

  • Jason Ankrah, OLB, Nebraska
  • Chris Boswell, K, Rice
  • Austin Brown, DL, Miami (Ohio)
  • Max Bullough, ILB, Michigan State
  • Chris Coyle, TE, Arizona State
  • Anthony Denham, TE, Utah
  • Tyrone Ezell, DL, Pittsburgh
  • Matt Feiler, OT, Bloomsburg
  • James Ferentz, OT, Iowa
  • Kevin Forsch, G, Houston
  • Sullivan Grosz, DL, Cal Poly
  • Travis Labhart, WR, Texas A&M
  • Terrance Lloyd, OLB, Baylor
  • Chris Martin, T, Central Florida ($7.5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Chris McAllister, OLB, Baylor
  • Anthony McClung, WR, Cincinnati
  • Nathan Slaughter, WR, West Texas A&M
  • Marcus Williams, CB, North Dakota State
  • Bryan Witzmann, OT, South Dakota State
  • Chris Young, ILB, Arizona State