NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Mike Meyer
- Released: QB Garrett Grayson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Korren Kirven
Denver Broncos
- Signed: C Dillon Day
- Released: WR Tim Patrick
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Dorian Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Devin Lucien
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Patrick Gamble
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DE Tavaris Barnes, WR Keenan Reynolds
- Released: T Givens Price
Colts To Place DT Henry Anderson On IR
The Colts will place defensive tackle Henry Anderson on injured reserve after he suffered a laryngeal fracture during Sunday’s game, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson will undergo surgery on Friday.
Anderson’s injury — a break in the neck region that not only sounds incredibly painful, but can cause life-threatening airway obstruction — will end the third-year interior defender’s 2017 campaign. While the severity of Anderson’s injury doesn’t sound as though it would have let him return this year, the NFL’s IR rules wouldn’t have allowed it, anyway. The league stipulates an eight-week absence before a player can come off IR, meaning Anderson would have missed regular season’s second half.
While the Indianapolis defense has been forgettable this season (bottom five unit in both DVOA and adjusted sack rate), Anderson has shined as one of the club’s few bright spots. While Anderson has been effective for the duration of his NFL tenure, he’s continued that production in 2017 while increasing his snap rate to 62.3%, 30% greater than his average heading into the season.
The results have been excellent, as Anderson ranks as a top-40 interior defender among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, which gives the former draftnik favorite positive marks as both a run-defender and a pass rusher. He’s eligible for an extension this offseason, and will earn $720K this year before hitting the free agent market in 2019.
Seahawks Place OL Rees Odhiambo On IR
The Seahawks have placed offensive lineman Rees Odhiambo on injured reserve in order to clear a roster spot for newly-activated defensive lineman Dion Jordan, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).
Odhiambo, a 2016 third-round pick, became Seattle’s starting left tackle this year following a preseason injury to George Fant. The 25-year-old was extremely ineffective in his seven starts, however, grading as a bottom-three blindside protector, per Pro Football Focus. The Seahawks offensive line continued to struggle as a unit, ranking 16th in adjusted sack rate and 27th in adjusted line yards.
Those problems forced Seattle general manager John Schneider to make a move before the NFL’s trade deadline, and the club ultimately sent second- and third-round picks to the Texans in exchange for veteran left tackle Duane Brown. Brown started against the Redskins in Week 9 and played all 83 offensive snaps, while Odhiambo was not only relegated to the bench, but listed as inactive for Sunday’s game.
Odhiambo dealt with a serious chest injury earlier this year, but it’s a multiple hand issues — which will require surgery — that will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers: LB Josh Keyes
- Promoted to active roster: CB Darius Hillary
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Reggie Porter
- Waived: LB Deon King
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted to active roster: DT Lewis Neal
Houston Texans
- Promoted to active roster: DL Jarrod Clements
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Hughes
- Waived: OL John Greco
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted to active roster: WR Freddie Martino
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Richardson, Cards
Paul Richardson is finally healthy and the Seahawks are thrilled to see him playing up to his potential.
“It is really fun to see him so confident now,” coach Pete Carroll said (via Tim Booth of The Associated Press). “He has just grown so much. He has been very level-headed about it as well in his work habits and everything. His mentality has been great, but you can see the confidence is really just coming out of him.”
The wide receiver leads Seattle with five touchdown receptions, including two TDs and 105 yards receiving in Seattle’s win over the Texans two weeks ago. With another four catches, he’ll match his career-best of 29 receptions from his rookie season in 2014. After the season, Seattle will have to figure out how to keep Richardson in the fold when his rookie deal expires.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- A return is still possible for rookie running back T.J. Logan, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians tells reporters (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team website). Logan will try to field punts next week with a brace on and “see where he’s at.” As of this writing, the Cards have their two IR-DTR spots available to be used. If they burn one on Logan, it will officially rule out a return for either David Johnson or Carson Palmer.
- 49ers defensive end Tank Carradine practiced on Wednesday, kickstarting his path to return from IR (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports). With Carradine and Ronald Blair back in action, the Niners have now used both of their IR-DTR spots for the year.
Packers Cut TE Martellus Bennett
The Packers have cut tight end Martellus Bennett, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move comes days after Bennett announced that he is considering retirement after the 2017 season. According to the NFL’s transactions wire, the Packers dropped the tight end with a “Failure to Disclose Physical Condition designation.”
Bennett, 30, joined the Packers on a three-year, $21MM deal in the spring. The Packers may look to recoup some of that money. To date, the Packers have paid out about $8MM to the tight end.
He was great with the Patriots in 2016, but he was unable to replicate that production in Green Bay. His Packers tenure ends after he hauled in just 24 receptions, 233 yards, and zero touchdowns in seven games.
It’s not immediately clear whether Bennett will look to continue his career or if he’ll get a head start on retirement.
“After conversations with my family I’m pretty sure these next 8 games will be the conclusion of my NFL career,” Bennett wrote on social media in late October. “To everyone who has poured themselves and time into my life and career. These next games are for you. Thank you.”
If Bennett does seek employment, he’ll become the hottest property on the midseason free agent market. Despite his struggles in 2017, he’s just one year removed from hauling in 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns for the Patriots.
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones To Sue NFL?
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has a bone to pick with Roger Goodell and he’s not letting up anytime soon. Jones is threatening to sue the NFL and some of his fellow owners over talks to extend Goodell’s contract, two people with direct knowledge of the situation tell Ken Belson of the New York Times. 
Last week, Jones informed the owners on the league’s compensation committee that he has hired famed lawyer David Boies to represent him. The majority owners of the Chiefs, Falcons, Giants, Patriots, Steelers, and Texans all serve on the committee. Jones has effectively shoehorned his way into the group, though he does not carry a vote since he is not an official member.
Goodell’s extension was reported to be near completion months ago. It has been greatly delayed, however, and Jones appears to be the driving force behind the roadblock. The Cowboys owner is livid at Goodell over the pending six-game ban of Ezekiel Elliott and he is determined to make him pay.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Gathers, Redskins
Here’s a look at the NFC East:
- Cowboys tight end Rico Gathers still has yet to return to practice and may not return from IR as initially planned, Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes. Gathers is still recovering from a head injury and concussion he suffered in mid-August following a helmet-to-helmet collision. Unfortunately, he has still not been cleared to practice and that’s not a good sign for his chances to play this year. In the preseason, Gathers turned some heads by catching seven passes for 106 yards and two scores.
- Former Chiefs and Falcons defensive end Tyson Jackson will work out for the Redskins on Wednesday afternoon, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Redskins have been looking into front four depth as of late – they also tried out Jaye Howard and Cam Thomas in late October.
- If signed, Jackson could help to fill in for Redskins defensive lineman Arthur Jones after he dislocated his shoulder. He “could miss time,” coach Jay Gruden says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s John Keim). Wide receiver Brian Quick, meanwhile, is in the concussion protocol.
Browns’ Joe Thomas On Future, Raise
Last week, the Browns gave injured offensive tackle Joe Thomas a pay bump for both this year and next year. The gesture was appreciated by the veteran, but he tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal that he is still undecided about his future. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from Thomas’ Q&A with Ulrich:
On whether his declaration that he doesn’t “want to go out like this” means that he’ll play in 2018:
I’ve told everybody that I’m going to sit down kind of after the season and take my time and make a decision when you’re in a little bit better mental state. Because right after you get hurt, your emotions are up and down, and during the season is a hard time to kind of make serious decisions on your career. So the offseason will be a time when I make a decision on that, but I think that [feeling] will certainly play into it. 
But on the other hand, you don’t get to choose how things end. Everybody wants the Jerome Bettis — what I mentioned in that column — where you go to your hometown, you win the Super Bowl and you ride off into the sunset. That’s the dream, but 1 in 100,000 players get to realize that. Even Brett Favre, you look at how he ended his career, losing the NFC Championship Game and getting hurt. What a great career, and he wanted to have that moment where you win the Super Bowl and you ride off into the sunset, but in the NFL, you don’t get to pick your exit strategy for the most part.
So if you do decide to come back and you say, “I don’t want to go out getting injured,” well, there’s no guarantee you’re not going to get injured again. So you have to be realistic about the possible outcomes of everything.
On the pay raise:
It’s just the way that the team shows their love and appreciation for you…The conversation came up about two years ago actually. So they’ve been talking about giving me a market adjustment for my contract since I did sign it so long ago [in 2011] and since I’ve tried to go about my business as well as I possibly can, representing the organization, playing as well as I can, trying to be a team player, and they felt a market adjustment was not only good for me, of course, but good for them, good for their business, because when you reward players when you don’t have to, that sends a message to the locker room that says, “If you do the right things and you put yourself on the line for this team, we’ll reward you, even if you’re under contract.”
Because in the NFL, it’s a one-sided contract. When the team is ready to get rid of you, they just cut you if you’re not playing up to your contract. If you’re outplaying your contract, your only possibility of getting your raise or a market value adjustment is to either make a huge stink, demand a trade or hold out. I told them that’s not the type of person I am. So I think they realized it’s the right thing to do, and it sends a good message going forward to the rest of the players in the locker room.
On whether the Browns can turn things around after the failed A.J. McCarron trade:
In the NFL, winning cures all, and when you lose, it makes everything worse, and it magnifies all the little things that go on in every building. But you only make a big deal about it when the losing is attached to it. For us, it’s just a matter of turning things around and start getting some W’s. I don’t think it’s necessarily any big issue or any different than any other NFL front office. It’s just a matter of getting those wins.
Vikings Place Sam Bradford On IR
The Vikings have placed quarterback Sam Bradford on injured reserve following knee surgery. Given that we are halfway through the season, that move will wrap up his 2017 campaign. 
[RELATED: Vikings To Activate Teddy Bridgewater]
The Vikings had to clear a roster spot to make room for the return of Teddy Bridgewater and that forced them to make a tough decision. Fill-in Case Keenum has been surprisingly sharp as the starter, so keeping him is a no-brainer. In theory, the Vikings could have released young quarterback Kyle Sloter, but they would have almost certainly lost him to waivers if they tried to sneak him through and re-sign him to the practice squad. Rather than losing Sloter and hoping that Bradford could maybe return to the field this year, the Vikings are parking the veteran on IR.
Bradford looked sharp in the Vikings’ season opener, completing 27 of 32 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, knee issues sidelined him until Week 5. In that game, he completed 5 of 11 passes before being forced out in the first half.
Keenum is expected to continue as Minnesota’s starter with Bridgewater as the backup. If Keenum falters, however, that order could change quickly.