NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OL J.J. Dielman
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Tyrique Jarrett
Houston Texans
- Released: WR Riley McCarron
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Joshua Perry
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Greg Ward
- Released: T Victor Salako
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Pace Murphy
Redskins’ Su’a Cravens Won’t Play This Year
Su’a Cravens will not suit up for the Redskins this season. The versatile defender has been formally placed on the reserve/left squad list. 
“Today the Redskins have officially placed Su’a Cravens on the Reserve/Left Squad list,” the team said in a statement. “In accordance with the NFL Constitution and Bylaws, Su’a will not be permitted to return to the club for the remainder of the 2017 NFL season, including the postseason. We sincerely hope that Su’a uses this time away from the club to reflect upon whether or not he’d like to resume his career in the National Football League in 2018.”
Cravens shocked the Redskins in early September when he informed the team that he would be retiring. Hours later, he reversed that decision. The team placed him on the NFI list to give him some time to consider his football future, but he is apparently still in deliberations.
Cravens, a second-round draft pick in 2016, appeared in 11 games and made three starts as a rookie while lining up at both defensive back and linebacker. This year, he was slated to shift to safety full-time.
The Redskins are now without two key players in the secondary in Cravens and DeAngelo Hall (knee injury). D.J. Swearinger and Deshazor Everett are the team’s starters at free safety and strong safety, respectively.
Colts’ Andrew Luck Won’t Play Sunday
Andrew Luck is still on the mend. The Colts quarterback won’t be ready in time for Sunday’s game against the Browns, meaning that Jacoby Brissett will draw the start yet again. 
There is still no timetable for Luck’s return, but coach Chuck Pagano told reporters that he has no doubt that Luck will play again this season.
Brissett, acquired in early September in a trade with the Patriots, was given the Week 2 start despite having a very limited period of time in which to learn the playbook. He fared better than Scott Tolzien did in the season opener, but Indy still lost 16-13 to the Cardinals in OT. Brissett completed 20 of his 37 passes for 216 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
After Sunday’s game against Cleveland, the Colts head to Seattle to take on the Colts in Week 4.
Texans Cut WR Jaelen Strong
The Texans have released wide receiver Jaelen Strong, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Strong served a one-game suspension to start the year and had only just recently returned to action. To take his place, the team re-signed wide receiver Andy Jones.
Strong was one of three active Texans receivers on Thursday night, but he did not draw a single target in the win over the Bengals. As of this writing, the Texans have only three fully healthy receivers in DeAndre Hopkins, Braxton Miller, and Jones. With Bruce Ellington (concussion) and Will Fuller (broken collarbone) still dealing with their ailments, the Texans may sign another wideout soon.
Strong was a third round pick of Houston in the 2015 draft but has yet to really produce at the professional level. He caught 14 passes in each of his first two seasons and did not register a touchdown in his eight games last year.
The Texans also considered releasing Strong before the season, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Extra Points: Vikings, Bradford, Dolphins
Depending on how rehab on his knee goes, the Vikings believe Sam Bradford can return next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). The quarterback is believed to have a bone bruise, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). The plan for right now is to see how his knee responds to an injection this week and then take from there.
On Sunday, the Case Keenum-led Vikings lost badly in Pittsburgh, so the team is hoping to get its best QB back on the field in time for the home contest against Tampa Bay.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Dolphins filed a missing persons report on linebacker Lawrence Timmons when he went AWOL on Saturday, according to TMZ. The police found Timmons at LAX on early Sunday morning as he was looking to board a flight to Pennsylvania. At that point, a team employee met him at the airport and traveled with him. TMZ hears that Timmons was going to Pennsylvania to meet with a child of his and her mother.
- Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower’s MCL injury was diagnosed as the 2-3 week variety by two different doctors, Rapoport tweets. The key Pats defender should be back either this week or next based on that timeframe. Problems with his right knee forced Hightower to start training camp on the PUP list and he was forced out of the season opener after aggravating it. Hightower earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2016 and re-upped with the Pats this offseason on a four-year deal that could pay him as much as $43.5MM.
- Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert is battling back and knee injuries and his status for Sunday’s game against Green Bay is uncertain, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). For now, it doesn’t seem like a long-term issue, but it’s a situation worth monitoring given Eifert’s previous health troubles.
- Punter Matt Darr worked out for the Bills and agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter) claims that it went very well. Darr had a 46-yard career average before his release from Miami earlier this month.
Bears’ Nick Kwiatkoski Likely Done For Year
Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski is likely done for the year with a season-ending pectoral injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Once confirmed by medical testing, Kwiatkoski will be placed on injured reserve. 
Kwiatkoski, a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, was moved into the starting lineup in the wake of Jerrell Freeman‘s pectoral injury and concussion. Now, Chicago is down two ILBs and their best in-house option is former UDFA Christian Jones. Jones has started 20 games for the Bears in the past, but he is not an ideal first string player.
Kwiatkoski, 24, appeared in 14 games as a rookie, including seven starts. He finished out with 42 tackles, one sack, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
The Bears lost to the Bucs 29-7 on Monday, dropping them down to 0-2. They’ll look to get in the win column on Sunday when they face the Steelers at Soldier Field.
Jaguars S Calvin Pryor Placed On IR
This has been a rough month for Calvin Pryor. On Monday, the Jaguars placed the safety on injured reserve with an ankle injury. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Add A Quarterback]
It’s not immediately clear whether Pryor’s injury is a season-ender or if he could conceivably return during the season. Even if Pryor can recover in time for a midseason return, the Jaguars may or may not be willing to burn an IR-DTR slot on him.
Pryor, a former first-round pick of the Jets, was jettisoned to the Browns this offseason in a trade for linebacker Demario Davis. The Browns planned to give him significant playing time, but he was cut earlier this month after getting into a fight with teammate Ricardo Louis. The Jaguars claimed him the next day with the hope that he could help provide support for starting strong safety Barry Church. Instead, he’ll have to focus his energy on recovering – potentially with an eye on playing again next season.
Jaguars Sign QB Ryan Nassib
The Jaguars announced that they have signed quarterback Ryan Nassib. Nassib currently sits as the team’s No. 3 QB behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, though that order could be rearranged after Sunday’s 37-16 loss to the Titans. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Place SS Calvin Pryor On IR]
Nassib served as Eli Manning‘s backup in New York for several years. His connection with Jaguars czar Tom Coughlin undoubtedly paved the way for his new opportunity in Jacksonville. He also has some history with Doug Marrone from their time together in Syracuse.
Nassib never got to make a start for the G-Men and they didn’t make an attempt to re-sign him this offseason. In June, he hooked on with the Saints, but he was released prior to the 53-man roster deadline in early September. He was said to be neck-and-neck with Garrett Grayson for the Saints’ QB3 spot, but both players were cut and that role has since been filled by BYU product Taysom Hill.
Nassib occupies the QB3 spot for now, but that could change if the team opts to bench Bortles for the entire season so that they do not risk him getting injured and collecting on $19MM+ in 2018 when they don’t want him. In that scenario, Henne would take over as the starter with Nassib as his backup.
Falcons Lose Vic Beasley To Injury
Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley is expected to miss about a month with a hamstring injury, a source tells Zach Klein of WSB (on Twitter). Beasley suffered the injury during Sunday night’s 34-23 win over the Packers. 
The 25-year-old led the league with 15.5 sacks in 2016, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a First Team All-Pro selection. He also played a major role in Atlanta’s nationally televised win over Green Bay, including his bone-crushing hit on Aaron Rodgers in the third quarter which led to a defensive TD.
Defensive end Courtney Upshaw was sidelined for Week 2 with an ankle injury, so the Falcons’ front seven could be particularly thin when they face the Lions on Sunday. In the meantime, the Falcons will have to lean a little more heavily on Derrick Shelby, Adrian Clayborn, and first-round pick Takkarist McKinley. Since Beasley and Upshaw are facing only short-term absences, they may not have the roster room to add an impact edge rusher.
Latest On Ezekiel Elliott
The NFL has lost the latest battle in the legal system against Ezekiel Elliott, but the courtroom war is not yet over. The NFL’s emergency motion for a stay of the preliminary injunction has been denied by judge Amos L. Mazzant (Twitter link via sports attorney Daniel Wallach). The league is now taking its case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in hopes that a stay will be granted and the suspension will be put into effect immediately. 
If the NFL wins at the Fifth Circuit level, Elliott’s suspension will go into effect immediately, taking him out of action for games against the Cardinals, Rams, Packers, 49ers, Redskins, and Chiefs. He would not be able to return until Nov. 12 when the Cowboys travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons.
Elliott has never been arrested or charged with a crime, but his name has appeared in at least four investigations concerning assault, battery, domestic violence, and disorderly conduct in the last three years and change.
Elliott was stifled by the Broncos’ D on Sunday, rushing for just eight yards off of nine carries. He also took a great deal of criticism for not chasing down Broncos corner Chris Harris after he intercepted a pass in the third quarter.