NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/16/17
Here are today’s practice squad moves.
New England Patriots
- Cut: OL Willie Beavers
Philadelphia Eagles
- Cut: DT Justin Hamilton
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Jason Verrett‘s impending injury absence will cause the Chargers to add cornerback depth. The Bolts signed cornerback Michael Davis from their practice squad and cut wideout Geremy Davis, Eric Williams of ESPN.com reports. The Chargers signed Geremy Davis on Monday as Dontrelle Inman insurance, but he didn’t play in Los Angeles’ Week 1 game. Michael Davis is a rookie UDFA out of BYU.
- The 49ers promoted cornerback Asa Jackson from their practice squad and waived fellow corner Keith Reaser to clear a roster spot, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. A fifth-round 49ers pick in 2014, Reaser played in 29 games for the team — including last week’s loss to the Panthers — but didn’t start any. San Francisco signed Jackson, an ex-Ravens starter, in August and stashed him on the practice squad after the preseason.
- Nose tackles Kyle Peko and Tyrique Jarrett will once again trade places with the Broncos. Denver will promote Peko from its practice squad and waive Jarrett, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. A rookie UDFA out of Pittsburgh, Jarrett saw Week 1 work on a depleted Broncos line. Peko, a cousin of Broncos starting nose Domata Peko, was waived last weekend.
- The Colts promoted linebacker Darnell Sankey from their practice squad, cutting wide receiver Matt Hazel to make room, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com reports (via Twitter). Both Antonio Morrison and Anthony Walker are dealing with injuries, making this an insurance addition.
- The Jets signed outside linebacker Freddie Bishop and defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas from their practice squad, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. The team also waived linebacker Edmond Robinson with an injury settlement.
Extra Points: Peterson, Jets, Sloter
Saints running back Adrian Peterson downplayed his frustration with playing time following his team’s season-opening loss to the Vikings. Despite video clips showing the veteran yelling at head coach Sean Payton, Peterson was clear that the entire situation was blown out of proportion.
“It was definitely overdramatized,” Peterson told Joel Erickson of The New Orleans Advocate. “Of course, with the heat of the game, me being back in Minnesota and things like that, just catching that look – that intense look on my face, like I had – I actually got some laughs out of some of the memes that were made.”
Peterson finished the contest having played only nine snaps, and his 18 rushing yards was his lowest total since the 2015 season. While he acknowledged some frustrations with his lack of use, he believes the situation will inevitably sort itself out.
“I didn’t sign up for nine snaps, though, but unfortunately that’s the way the game played out,” Peterson said. “In my mind, personally, I knew it was gonna take some adjusting. You know, me and Mark [Ingram] played in the last preseason game, AK [Alvin Kamara] didn’t even play that game. So with all three of us being out there, I knew it would take a game or so to kind of get adjusted.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia lead Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko’s list of the top-10 head coaching candidates. Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is third on the list, while Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo round out the top-five.
- When asked if Jets ownership would still trust general manager Mike Maccagnan to draft a quarterback, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini acknowledges that it’d be “unconventional” to let the executive go after only three seasons. However, the writer also notes that Maccagnan still needs to be evaluated for his ability to draft signal-callers, especially after the selection of Christian Hackenberg. Ultimately, Cimini is willing to give the general manager until the end of the season, as there’s still time for Hackenberg (and teammate Bryce Petty) to show improvements. However, if the quarterbacks aren’t developing, then there’s some obvious cause for concern.
- The Vikings promoted Kyle Sloter to their active roster earlier today, but Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press observes (via Twitter) that the quarterback won’t be earning a huge pay raise. Sloter was already making more than your standard practice squad player, so his salary will “only” be boosted from $20K per week to a bit more than $27K per week.
Vikings Promote QB Kyle Sloter
Despite reports that the Vikings are “cautiously optimistic” about Sam Bradford‘s ailing knee, the team has still made a move to add depth at the position. According to Miles Garrett of FOX5News in Atlanta on Twitter (and later confirmed by the team), the Vikings have signed quarterback Kyle Sloter to the active roster. To make room, the team has waived safety Antone Exum.
Sloter, an undrafted rookie out of Northern Colorado, signed with the Broncos following the draft, but he was waived by the organization earlier this month. He subsequently signed with the Vikings practice squad with the understanding that he was effectively going to be the organization’s third quarterback.
The 23-year-old’s collegiate career was limited, as he served as a reserve for Southern Miss and Northern Colorado between 2013 and 2015. However, he had a breakout campaign in 2016, completing 62.1-percent of his passes for 2,656 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. If Bradford was forced to miss anytime, Sloter would presumably be the backup behind Case Keenum.
We learned yesterday that Bradford was dealing with “swelling, pain and discomfort” in the same left knee that had been repaired for torn ACLs in 2013 and 2014. While the team has their concerns, there’s still optimism that he’ll play this Sunday against the Steelers. Bradford had a standout performance in Week 1, completing 27 of his 32 attempts for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
Exum Jr. had spent the first three-plus seasons of his career in Minnesota after being selected in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. The 26-year-old has served mostly as a reserve and special teamer, compiling 19 tackles and one forced fumble in 27 career games (two starts). He was waived/injured in 2016 after suffering a leg injury, and he ultimately landed on the team’s injured reserve. The Vikings are stuck with nearly $29K in dead money following his release.
Browns Promote WR Rashard Higgins, Waive DL Tyrone Holmes
The Browns have promoted wideout Rashard Higgins to their active roster, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Higgins, a 2016 fifth-round pick, was waived by Cleveland and subsequently signed to their practice squad in early September. To make room on the roster, the team is waiving defensive lineman Tyrone Holmes.
The 22-year-old appeared in all 16 games as a rookie, hauling in six receptions for 77 yards. The Colorado State product previously had a standout collegiate career, and he was a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2014 after finishing the campaign with 96 receptions for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Browns already have plenty of depth at wide receiver, so it’s uncertain where Higgins fits in. The team is currently rostering six other wideouts, including Kenny Britt, Corey Coleman, Ricardo Louis, Kasen Williams, Sammie Coates, and Reggie Davis.
Holmes, a 2016 sixth-round pick by the Jaguars, ultimately spent the majority of his rookie campaign in Cleveland. The 24-year-old finished that season with six tackles and one sack in 11 games. He appeared in the Browns’ season-opening loss to the Steelers but didn’t record a tackle or sack. The team is now relatively thin at defensive end, especially with rookie Myles Garrett set to miss Week 2. Besides the top-overall pick, the organization is now only rostering defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah, Carl Nassib, and Nate Orchard.
Chiefs Release RB C.J. Spiller
For the third time this month, running back C.J. Spiller has been let go by the Chiefs. According to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter), the organization is releasing the veteran. Running back Akeem Hunt will be promoted from the practice squad to take Spiller’s spot on the roster.
It’s been a hectic September for Spiller. Kansas City initially signed the 30-year-old back in February, but he was released in early September. The team re-signed him the next day, only for them to release him once again less than a week later. Finally, the team signed him a third time last week… only to release him today. The 2010 first-round pick ultimately didn’t see the field during his Chiefs tenure, although nobody would be shocked if the front office signs him once again.
Spiller compiled 1,244 rushing yards back in 2012, but he’s only collected 1,363 rushing yards in the four seasons since. The veteran has bounced around the league since leaving Buffalo following the 2014 season. He initially signed a four-year deal with the Saints in 2015, but he was released by the squad after only one season. He split the 2016 campaign between the Seahawks and Jets, compiling 18 rushing yards on six carries. He also added another six receptions for 50 yards, emphasizing the pass-catching ability he’s shown throughout his career.
Hunt, a 2015 undrafted free agent out of Purdue, joined the Chiefs practice squad earlier this month. The 24-year-old appeared in 15 games with the Texans between 2015 and 2016, compiling 205 rushing yards on 37 carries. He also added another nine receptions for 68 yards, as well as 10 kick returns for 213 yards (21.3-yard average). Hunt will presumably inherit Spiller’s spot on the depth chart behind Kareem Hunt and Charcandrick West.
Ravens Promote RB Alex Collins
The Ravens have made several moves this afternoon. Ian Rapoport tweets that the team has signed running back Alex Collins off their practice squad, while Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has also promoted cornerback Tony McRae. To make room on the roster, the team has placed cornerback Sheldon Price on the injured reserve (via Zrebiec) and released running back Jeremy Langford (via ESPN’s Adam Caplan on Twitter).
Collins, a 2016 fifth-round pick, joined the Ravens practice squad earlier this month. The 23-year-old spent his rookie season with the Seahawks, where he ultimately appeared in 11 games. He finished the campaign with 125 rushing yards and one touchdown on 31 carries, and he hauled in another 11 receptions for 84 yards. With Danny Woodhead and Kenneth Dixon currently on the injured reserve, Collins will presumably serve as the team’s third running back behind Terrance West and Javorius Allen.
That spot was previously held by Langford, who was promoted from the practice squad earlier this week. The 25-year-old does have plenty of experience, as he appeared in 28 games (five starts) and compiled 210 carries between 2015 and 2016. While he does have 737 career rushing yards and 10 career rushing touchdowns, his 3.5-yards-per-carry mark is rather underwhelming, probably explaining why the Bears moved on from him following last season.
Price, 26, joined the Ravens back in 2015. The 2013 undrafted free agent out of UCLA has six career games with the Colts and Ravens, compiling a single tackle. He spent the majority of the 2016 season on the injured reserve after suffering a biceps injury. McRae, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of North Carolina A&T, will likely take Price’s spot on the depth chart. The 26-year-old figures to compete with Jaylen Hill to be the team’s fourth cornerback behind Brandon Carr, Jimmy Smith, and first-rounder Marlon Humphrey.
Texans Sign OT Jah Reid
Jah Reid has found a new home. According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter), the veteran offensive tackle has signed with the Texans. The 29-year-old worked out for the organization yesterday, and he previously auditioned for the Colts and Jets. Reid was released by the Chiefs in late August.
The 2011 third-round pick had spent the first four seasons of his career with the Ravens before joining the Chiefs prior to the 2015 season. In two years with Kansas City, Reid ultimately appeared in 22 games with 11 starts. The Chiefs acquired lineman Cameron Erving prior to the regular season, and that led to their decision to release Reid. The move ultimately saved the Chiefs $2.78MM and $3.2MM in 2018.
The Texans offensive line has struggled through the team’s first two games, having allowed 13 total sacks. With Duane Brown currently holding out and Derek Newton sitting on the Reserve/PUP list, it was fairly obvious that the organization could use some reinforcement on the offensive line. Breno Giacomini and Kendall Lamm are currently the team’s starters at offensive tackle, and the team is also rostering Chris Clark and rookie Julie’n Davenport. Reid also has experience playing offensive guard, and his versatility could make him an ideal reserve piece for the Texans.
Latest On Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott
The NFL has filed its “appeal and an emergency motion for a stay” on the Ezekiel Elliott ruling, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter). The reporter notes that the NFL is specifically asking for that stay by September 26th, at which time (if successful) the running back would presumably serve his suspension. The league’s request is below (via Garafolo on Twitter):
“To minimize disruptive uncertainty, the NFL requests a stay ruling ideally by September 19, 2017 (when Week 3 practices begin), but no later than September 26, 2017 (Week 4). The NFL stands ready to brief the appeal with whatever degree of expedition this Court deems appropriate. But the process of remedying the district court’s massive overreach should begin as promptly as possible by staying its unprecedented and indefensible order.”
Let’s take a look at some other notes on the Elliott ordeal:
- Predictably, Elliott’s team released a statement following the NFL’s decision to file an appeal (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter): “The NFL’s latest legal maneuvering appears to be indicative of a league with an agenda: Trying to navigate a public relations crisis rather than focus on fairness and fact finding. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the NFL believes it can write its own rules and will stop at nothing to further its agenda of enforcing its unfounded assertions regarding Mr. Elliott. Most recently this would include the NFL seeking an expedited hearing on staying the preliminary injunction by frivolously arguing that the NFL is somehow ‘irreparably harmed’ by Elliott playing while the Courts decide whether the investigation and appeal was fundamentally unfair. Mr. Elliott and his team will continue to zealously oppose any of the NFL’s court filings.”
- Sports Illustrated’s Michael McCann notes that Judge Amos Mazzant’s decisions aren’t usually reversed. Since be became a federal judge in 2009, 19 of his decisions have been appealed…with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversing those decisions only twice. Of course, as the writer notes, the same could be said for Judge Richard Berman, whose decision in favor of quarterback Tom Brady was reversed.
- While the NFL is hoping to have the process wrapped up relatively quickly, precedent says that that might not be the case. McCann notes that the Brady appeal took seven months, while Adrian Peterson‘s appeal took 17 months. On the flip side, the previous appeals “challenged a federal district judge vacating an arbitration award,” while the current appeal is in regards to “a preliminary injunction.” Ultimately, the timing of the decision could play a significant role in whether Elliott will be suspended this season.
Extra Points: Vikes, Bolts, Raiders, Lions
Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford is dealing with “swelling, pain and discomfort” in his left knee, Chris Mortenson of ESPN reports. Notably, that’s the same knee in which Bradford underwent procedures to repair a torn ACL in 2013 and ’14. Thanks to his latest knee issue, Bradford’s not a lock to play Sunday against in Pittsburgh, though the Vikings are “cautiously optimistic” he will, per Mortenson. At the same time, the Vikes do have some reservations about the injury, Mortenson notes. In the unlikely event Bradford doesn’t suit up, the Vikings’ offense would presumably experience a marked drop-off after handling the Saints on Monday. Bradford was the driving force behind that 29-19 win, going 27 of 32 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. His backup is Case Keenum, who struggled mightily with the Rams last season.
Elsewhere around the NFL…
- Speaking of left knee troubles, Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett is experiencing soreness there after an ACL tear limited him to four games last season. He’ll miss Sunday’s game against Miami as a result and could sit out “several” more weeks, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Verrett played nearly all of the Chargers’ defensive snaps (63 of 69) in their loss to Denver on Monday, but head coach Anthony Lynn held him out of practice Friday and stated that the corner is “just not right.” Lynn added that he has “no idea” how long Verrett will be on the shelf, only revealing that the player is “week-to-week.” Verrett, 26, is less than a year removed from the knee surgery he underwent last October.
- Left tackle Donald Penn expected the two-year deal he signed with the Raiders in 2016 t0 be his last contract, according to Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area. Penn didn’t show signs of slowing down last season, though, leading him to shelve any thoughts of retirement. He’s now under Raiders control through 2018 after inking an extension Friday. The 34-year-old believes the new pact will ensure that he’ll retire a Raider, which would be a “childhood dream,” as he told Bair and other reporters. Penn, who held out over the summer, noted that he wasn’t optimistic an agreement would come. “There was a lot of doubt (about getting a new deal),” he said. “I didn’t want to hit free agency again. I told them, ‘You know how much I love you guys. Show me how much you guys love me back, and let’s get this done so I can retire a Raider.’
- Lions second-round pick Teez Tabor was a healthy scratch in Week 1 and, given the team’s depth at cornerback, probably won’t be a factor for a while, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes. But head coach Jim Caldwell still thinks the ex-Florida Gator could pay short-term dividends. “That probably would not be an accurate statement in terms of a ‘long-term project,'” Caldwell said. “I’m not certain what that denotes, but that probably wouldn’t be how we would assess it.” Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is pleased with the progress Tabor has made in recent months. “He’s doing everything right and we’ll see him at some point,” Austin declared. “(He’s) much different than when he first got in here. I think he’s a really super smart player. Gets it, can get around the ball, again, just growing him right now.” Once considered a good bet to go in the first round this year, Tabor fell to the Lions at No. 53 after posting slow times in the 40-yard yard dash in the offseason.