Cowboys To Re-Sign QB Kellen Moore
The Cowboys are bringing back quarterback Kellen Moore, team owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas News). However, he declined to say whether Moore would serve as Dak Prescott‘s backup for the season opener against the Giants. 
When Moore missed the initial 53-man cut, it was assumed that undrafted free agent Cooper Rush had won the job as Prescott’s top understudy. That’s not necessarily the case. The Cowboys will carry all three QBs on the 53-man roster, but it’s possible that one of Rush or Moore will be on the active 46-man roster. Even if all three are dressed for game day, Moore could be the one to get the call if Prescott goes down with an injury.
Moore, 29, spent last year on IR after suffering an injury that opened the door to Prescott‘s remarkable rise. He was retained with a one-year, $775K deal in March, but a poor preseason led the Cowboys to consider other options.
Redskins Sign Chris Thompson To Extension
The Redskins have signed running back Chris Thompson to a two-year extension, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post (on Twitter). Thompson is now under contract through the 2019 season. He’ll earn $6.5MM guaranteed over the course of the extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The pass-catching specialist was a restricted free agent this year and the Redskins retained him via the second-round tender. He’ll earn $2.74MM for 2017 before the new deal kicks in.
The 2013 fifth-round pick has spent his entire four-year career with the Redskins. Last year he turned in what was arguably his most productive season with career-highs in carries (68), rushing yards (356), and rushing touchdowns (three). He continued to make his mark in the passing game as well, catching 49 passes for 349 yards and two TDs. Thompson’s 489 offensive snaps were the most of any Redskins running back.
Rob Kelley will be the Redskins’ primary back this year, but Thompson and rookie Samaje Perine also expected to see significant playing time.
Raiders, Sebastian Janikowski At Contract Impasse
The Raiders and 18th-year kicker Sebastian Janikowski are locked in an impasse over his contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, and this matter could be resolved as soon as Tuesday.
Oakland’s brass has asked the 39-year-old specialist to take a pay cut, and thus far, Janikowski has declined, per Schefter. Janikowski is owed $4MM in base salary this season. A small portion of that figure ($238K) becomes guaranteed at 3pm Tuesday, per Schefter (via Twitter), who adds the rest of that salary will be fully guaranteed if Janikowski’s a part of the Oakland roster on Saturday.
This would explain the Raiders bringing in kickers to work out earlier Monday. Oakland auditioned Mike Nugent, Josh Lambo and Marshall Koehn on Labor Day. Should Janikowski stay on the team, it will be his 18th Raiders season. The former first-round pick has played in more games than any player in franchise history.
The Raiders are also concerned about Janikowski’s back injury. The back trouble caused the kicker to look “awful” today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link). Lambo, in particular, stood out during the workouts, Rapoport reports (on Twitter).
Janikowski has one season remaining on his latest Oakland contract, and the cap figure ($4.41MM) sits only behind the Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski among kickers in 2017. One of the strongest-legged kickers in NFL history, Janikowski has one Pro Bowl (2014) on his resume and has made a 63-yard field goal. Playing in 268 career games, the veteran kicker has missed just one contest since the start of the 2002 season.
The former Florida State kicker said earlier this summer he would like to kick for the Raiders through their move to Las Vegas, which could be as late as the 2020 season. He will be 42 by that point. A Janikowski release would surely cause other teams to consider an 11th-hour addition.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- The Browns claimed offensive lineman Zach Banner off waivers from the Colts, who cut him despite drafting him in the fourth round this year. Cleveland made room for Banner by placing offensive lineman Rod Johnson on IR. Additionally, the Browns continued their busy offseason regarding secondary turnover by releasing former safety starter Ed Reynolds from IR.
- The Steelers re-signed linebacker Steven Johnson and waived safety Jordan Dangerfield with an injury designation. Johnson initially saw his name appear on Pittsburgh’s cut list Saturday, but the backup will return. Pittsburgh also placed cornerback Cameron Sutton, a rookie third-rounder, on IR.
- Jacquies Smith will move from the PUP list back to the Buccaneers‘ 53-man roster. The team reinstated the defensive end on Monday. A fourth-year player, Smith is expected to be a rotational player in Tampa Bay this season.
- The Dolphins re-signed tackle Sam Young. Miami cut the offensive lineman on Saturday but will keep him around for now. Miami guaranteed Young’s salary, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets, signing Young this week instead of next because an unspecified team wanted him. This will mark Young’s eighth NFL season. The Dolphins signed him to an extension in December.
- Quarterback Jeff Driskel will land on the Bengals‘ IR list. The former 49ers sixth-rounder has yet to play in a game.
- A starter in three games last season, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin landed on the Jets‘ IR Monday. To replace the third-year player, Gang Green re-signed linebacker Bruce Carter. Now a seventh-year veteran, Carter played a depth role with the Jets last season.
- Wide receiver Chris Matthews re-signed with the Ravens, who made room on their 53-man roster by placing cornerback Maurice Canady on IR.
- The Falcons released defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, who resides on the Commissioner’s Exempt list as a result of misdemeanor charges from 2016. While Hageman is on that list, the Falcons will not have to pay Hageman.
- The Chargers claimed linebacker Hayes Pullard off waivers from the Jaguars. A former Browns seventh-rounder in 2015, Pullard started two games for the 2015 Jags and played in all 16 Jacksonville contests last season.
- Jelani Jenkins was expected to start for the Raiders, but the former Dolphins linebacker found himself on the team’s cut list Saturday. The Raiders, though, reached an injury settlement with the fifth-year linebacker, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (on Twitter). Jenkins suffered a groin injury during the preseason. Oakland also reached an injury settlement with Jaydon Mickens, per Gehlken, who adds Mickens suffered an ankle injury.
- The Seahawks waived cornerback Demetrius McCray with an injury settlement, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets.
- The Redskins reached an injury settlement with center Ronald Patrick, waiving the interior blocker from IR as a result.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/4/17
NFL teams began forming their practice squads on Sunday, but they’re tinkering with them today as they will throughout the season. We’ll keep track of Monday’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE MyCole Pruitt, G Will Pericak, LB Zach Vigil
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Sojourn Shelton, G Cole Toner
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello, OL Travis Averill
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Earl Okine
- Cut: DT Derrick Lott
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, OLB/DE Carroll Phillips
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Gabe Wright
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: C Cornelius Edison, OT Cedrick Lang
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Demarcus Ayers
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Terrell Sinkfield, DL Patrick Gamble, OLB Geoff Gray, WR JoJo Natson, OLB Freddie Bishop, RB Marcus Murphy
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: C James Stone, DE Max Valles
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB Trevone Boykin, WR David Moore, LB Austin Calitro, OT Jarron Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Zach Pascal
Washington Redskins
- Signed: QB Alek Torgersen, WR Dres Anderson, OL Anthony Fabiano
West Notes: Ward, Donald, Hawks, Schofield
John Elway spoke with T.J. Ward‘s agent earlier this summer and informed him the team did not intend to sign the veteran safety to an extension, with the GM telling media (including Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post) a Ward re-up was not in the team’s plans “at that point of time.” The Broncos made Ward one of the highest-profile cuts of the roster-slashing weekend, but Jhabvala reports the team did not come to a decision on Ward until last week. The rise of second-year safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks, along with Ward’s injury history, played a role in the departure.
Citing a lack of clarity during the process, Ward on Monday called the Broncos “completely unprofessional” regarding the separation. The divorce came with one season remaining on the 30-year-old defender’s four-year contract. The eighth-year safety will earn up to $5MM with the Buccaneers this season. Ward missed all of Denver’s preseason games with a hamstring injury and missed six games due to injury in three Broncos campaigns — two of which producing Pro Bowls. Mike Klis of 9News described the process as Simmons — a 2016 third-round pick who served as Denver’s third safety last season — Wally Pipp’ing Ward (Twitter link). Klis notes Elway gave Ward “every chance” to make this year’s team.
Here’s the latest from the West divisions, shifting to Seattle, which just made the biggest trade in a week full of them.
- The injury to rookie Malik McDowell prompted the Seahawks to trade for Sheldon Richardson, Pete Carroll said, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). Currently on the NFI list, McDowell does not have a timetable for a return, Condotta adds (via Twitter). Carroll said the team could still look to add another defensive tackle (Twitter link, via Condotta).
- Richardson will play the three-technique position in the Seahawks’ 4-3 scheme, the fifth-year defensive lineman said Monday (via Condotta, on Twitter). He will line up inside of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, giving the Seahawks one of the most talented defensive fronts in football. Richardson primarily played 3-4 defensive end with the Jets but also saw time at outside linebacker. He played 4-3 defensive tackle at the University of Missouri, though.
- Aaron Donald remains a holdout as the Rams begin their Week 1 preparations, but Sean McVay won’t impose a deadline on how late the All-Pro defensive lineman can report to the team and still play Sunday, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. Rams reps flew to Atlanta to meet with Donald, but the sides reportedly aren’t close to a deal. Gonzalez adds McVay nonetheless remains “optimistic” about a solution.
- A two-position starter for the Broncos during the past two seasons, Michael Schofield attracted widespread interest on the waiver wire. The Chargers won out due to their position in the waiver hierarchy, but the Lions, Redskins, Vikings and Saints also put in claims on the fourth-year guard/tackle, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A 2014 third-rounder, Schofield started for the Broncos at right tackle during their Super Bowl season and lined up at right guard throughout 2016. While Denver didn’t sport particularly effective O-lines during those seasons, Schofield clearly has believers out there.
- Speaking of waivers, the Seahawks hoped they’d have a chance to stash wide receiver Kasen Williams on their practice squad, Carroll said (via Condotta, on Twitter), but the Browns swooped in with a claim. The Seahawks will move on without Williams and Jermaine Kearse, traded to the Jets in the Richardson deal. Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett are now Seattle’s top complementary wideouts, and Lockett (per Condotta, on Twitter) is expected to play in Week 1 after breaking his fibula late last season.
Saints Sign David Parry To Practice Squad
David Parry has started every NFL game he’s played since coming into the league as a fifth-round Colts pick in 2015, but he will begin this season in a more anonymous place.
The Saints signed the third-year defensive lineman to their practice squad on Monday night, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com notes. The Colts waived Parry on Saturday.
Playing nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, Parry lined up with Colts starers for 32 games. But the former Stanford lineman’s third NFL offseason became defined by a legal situation. Arrested on multiple felony charges in February, the 25-year-old is still facing jail time.
Parry would otherwise be an overqualified practice squad presence, but his legal trouble may have played a role in no team claiming him on waivers.
Latest On Andrew Luck’s Timetable
The Colts made it official that Andrew Luck won’t be on the field for them Sunday in Week 1, making the game against the Rams the franchise’s first opener without its franchise passer since 2011.
However, Luck is not exactly a lock to return to the field in time for Week 2, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The NFL insider adds the rest of September is not certain for Luck, reporting some believe this absence will extend into October.
The Colts are exercising extreme caution with Luck in hopes of not having to see the quarterback go through right shoulder trouble again, Rapoport reports, adding there is perhaps a “strong possibility” Scott Tolzien receives more than one start and possibly more than two or three. Mike Wells of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter) Luck is still without a timetable for a return to practice.
Being removed from the PUP list would point to Luck returning at some point early in the season, but Indy’s September slate — which features a trip to Los Angeles and home tilts against the Browns and Cardinals — could feature a Tolzien-fronted operation. Luck has been out since January because of shoulder surgery.
In Luck’s 10 games out of the lineup over the past two years, the Colts are 6-4. But the since-retired Matt Hasselbeck was responsible for five of those victories.
Ravens Add Jeremy Langford To Practice Squad
The Ravens added some ball-carrying experience to their practice squad. Ex-Bears back Jeremy Langford will land on Baltimore’s 10-man taxi unit, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The Bears cut Langford on Sunday, and he went unclaimed on waivers. The third-year runner will land with the Ravens, whose active-roster backfield consists of Terrance West, Danny Woodhead and Javorius Allen. Baltimore will be without Kenneth Dixon for the season.
Langford appeared to have secured a spot as a Chicago reserve, but the Bears claimed rookie UDFA Taquan Mizzell — whom the Ravens cut — on Sunday and installed him behind the likes of Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen and Benny Cunningham.
A former fourth-round pick, Langford rushed for 537 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He received only 62 carries last season in 12 games and has averaged 3.5 yards per carry during his career.
Duane Brown Confirms He’ll Play In 2017
Entering what would be his 10th NFL season, Duane Brown remains a Texans holdout. But the longtime Houston left tackle said Monday he intends to play in 2017.
What Brown did not confirm, though, was when he’ll show. He and the Texans remain at an impasse regarding compensation, and with Houston’s first game Sunday, we’re firmly in the 11th hour of this process.
“I’m definitely playing football this year,” Brown said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, before declining to specify when he will return.
The Texans placed Brown on their Reserve/Did Not Report list after he failed to attend training camp, and it’s been quiet on this front since. We heard in late July Brown wasn’t expected to miss games, but at this point, it’s hard to describe that as a certainty.
Brown has started all 132 regular-season games he’s played for the franchise, but he’s signed through 2018 for $9.4MM and $9.75MM — all of which is nonguaranteed. The spate of 2017 tackle extensions or UFA signings — for the likes of Russell Okung, Riley Reiff, Matt Kalil and now Charles Leno — have bumped Brown down to a middling left tackle salary. Fifteen left tackles’ contracts average more per year than Brown’s deal does. The three-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-32 season.
Brown will lose $411K in salary for each week he misses, and Smith notes the edge blocker could skip eight weeks before returning and still receive credit for an accrued season toward free agency. With Brown still profiling as one of the Texans’ best players, a lengthy absence would damage the team’s chances at winning a third straight AFC South title.
Veteran Chris Clark is listed atop the Texans’ depth chart at left tackle, with third-year UDFA Kendall Lamm manning the right side in place of the sidelined Derek Newton.
But when Brown does return this season, as he confirmed he will, he doesn’t expect to need much seasoning.
“I’m always in shape,” Brown said, via Smith. “I’m in shape year round, 24/7, 365, so I’m just working out, doing what I do and when I’m out there I’ll handle business.”