Packers’ Allen Lazard Out Indefinitely
Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard is out indefinitely after undergoing core muscle surgery, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The timing is unfortunate as Lazard is coming off of one of the best games of his career — a six-catch, 146-yard showing against the Saints. The Packers placed Lazard on IR Saturday.
The Packers could now be without their top two receivers heading into Monday’s game against the Falcons. Davante Adams remains questionable with a hamstring injury, which could leave Green Bay with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Malik Taylor, and recent practice squad call-up Darrius Shepherd as their only three receivers. At minimum, you can expect the Packers to add one receiver to the group over the weekend, possibly Robert Foster, Caleb Scott, or Juwann Winfree from their expanded 16-man unit.
So far, Aaron Rodgers has loved what he’s seen from the 24-year-old former UDFA. Unfortunately, he’ll have to wait a while before he gets to work with him again.
“He was as productive as just about anybody in camp, and I really like his approach,” Rodgers said (via ESPN.com). “He’s the one who’s always in Davante’s ear, listening to what he’s talking about. Damn near every time I come in the Hutson Center during training camp when we’re starting practice, I walk in and do the same thing, put my helmet down. And Shep is picking Davante’s brain about releases and certain things. And look, I try and pay attention as much as I possibly can, but that sticks with you. That impacts you. You’re seeing just that desire to improve and get better. And then you see it on the field.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/20
Here are Saturday’s practice squad decisions:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DE Breeland Speaks
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Jake Rudock
- Released: CB Javaris Davis
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Michael Pinckney
- Released: DT Xavier Williams
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Jamar Taylor
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/20
Here is Saturday’s bevy of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward, CB Jace Whittaker
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Khalil Dorsey
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: RB Antonio Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: CB Eli Apple
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, LB Chris Orr
- Waived: DE Shareef Miller
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: QB Tyler Bray
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: LB Francis Bernard
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL K.C. McDermott, S Doug Middleton, K Aldrick Rosas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Keelan Doss, RB Theo Riddick
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Tyron Johnson, OL Cole Toner
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: S JuJu Hughes
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: S George Iloka
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Will Clapp, CB Ken Crawley, TE Garrett Griffin
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Austin Mack
New York Jets
- Claimed (from Lions): RB Ty Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Deontay Burnett, WR Travis Fulgham, C Luke Juriga, RB Adrian Killins
- Placed on IR: CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: G Joshua Garnett
Broncos Hosting LB Nigel Bradham On Visit
The Broncos are considering an experienced linebacker to add to an injury-ravaged roster. They have scheduled a Nigel Bradham visit, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Following a brief Saints stay, Bradham has been back in free agency for a month. The eight-year veteran, however, brings more experience as a starter than any of the Broncos’ linebackers. Denver released Todd Davis prior to Week 1.
Bradham, who turned 31 last month, started four seasons with the Eagles. The Broncos have used Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell as their three-down linebackers. Mark Barron, a late-summer acquisition, has not made his Denver debut. The veteran currently resides on IR.
Bradham has 96 NFL starts to his credit, having operated as a full-time first-stringer in seven of his eight NFL seasons. He has two 100-tackle seasons on his resume and registered 97 in 2018. Last season, he only played in 12 games. The Eagles made Bradham a cap casualty earlier this year, and the Saints released him in late August.
49ers Activate Deebo Samuel From IR
Deebo Samuel is on track to be in action Sunday night. The 49ers are activating their No. 1 wide receiver ahead of his earliest possible return date.
Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his foot in June, underwent surgery and landed on IR to start the season. While Kyle Shanahan has said the second-year wideout is working his way back into game shape, it appears he will have a role Sunday night against the Eagles.
Like the Eagles, the 49ers have been decimated by injuries. Samuel’s return will come in a game that will feature both Jimmy Garoppolo and starting running back Raheem Mostert inactive. But San Francisco will have its top two pass catchers — Samuel and George Kittle — in uniform.
Samuel broke out down the stretch last season, emerging as a dominant run-after-catch player for the 2019 NFC champions. He will work with Nick Mullens on Sunday night, with the 49ers’ QB2 set to make a second start.
The 49ers, however, placed two more key cogs — Dee Ford and Jordan Reed — on IR this week. That list has become quite crowded, though the 49ers have won two blowouts — over the struggling New York teams — amid this run of injury misfortune.
Titans Place Jeffery Simmons On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Titans have placed one of their starters on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons landed on the list, joining at least eight of his teammates.
While players do not have to test positive for the coronavirus to be moved to the COVID list, the Titans — as of Saturday morning — have seen nine players test positive thus far amid the NFL’s first outbreak. Simmons could well be the unnamed ninth player, or the 2019 first-round pick could be a 10th.
One of the Titans’ top defenders, Simmons has played well thus far this season. The Titans landed him at No. 19 overall in 2019 because of the ACL tear he suffered prior to the draft. After trading Jurrell Casey to the Broncos, the Titans have Simmons entrenched as their top D-line disruptor.
Simmons is the highest-profile Titans player to be part of the organization’s COVID spread. The Titans now have first-round tackle Isaiah Wilson, second-round rookie corner Kristian Fulton, wideout Adam Humphries, long snapper Beau Brinkley, defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, linebacker Kamalei Correa and practice squad cogs Greg Mabin, Cameron Batson and Tommy Hudson on their reserve/COVID list.
Tennessee’s game against Pittsburgh has been moved to Week 7, with the Steelers’ first 2020 Ravens matchup being switched to Week 8. While the NFL expanded practice squads from 12 to 16 players because of the coronavirus pandemic, it is safe to say the Titans’ Week 5 game against the Bills is in doubt.
Seahawks Promote S Damarious Randall
As could be expected given the circumstances, the Seahawks are promoting Damarious Randall from their practice squad.
The Seahawks signed the former first-round pick earlier this week. Randall will likely play a key role Sunday against the Dolphins. Neither Jamal Adams nor Quinton Dunbar practiced this week. Both are out for Seattle’s Week 4 contest.
Randall could not make the Raiders’ 53-man roster this year, after signing a one-year deal, but brings 65 games’ and 56 starts’ worth of experience to the Seahawks’ depleted secondary. After being used at cornerback for three season in Green Bay, Randall started 26 games at safety with Cleveland over the past two seasons.
Seattle will also elevate linebacker Shaquem Griffin and cornerback Gavin Heslop from its practice squad. Beginning his season on the Seahawks’ practice squad, Griffin played in Seattle’s shootout win over Dallas last weekend. The third-year linebacker was active for each of the Seahawks’ 32 regular-season games from 2018-19.
Bills Activate Josh Norman From IR
SATURDAY: Norman is in line to make his Bills debut Sunday in Las Vegas. The Bills will activate their free agent corner acquisition ahead of their Week 4 game against the Raiders.
WEDNESDAY: The Bills have designated cornerback Josh Norman for return, according to the league’s transaction wire. Buffalo now has a three-week window to activate the veteran DB.
Once considered one of the best corners in the league, Norman was all over the PFR pages back in 2016, when he and the Panthers were going through a messy divorce. On the heels of a platform campaign that saw him bring home First Team All-Pro honors, Norman was hit with the franchise tag, but Carolina rescinded the tag shortly thereafter. When that happened, Norman signed a five-year, $75MM contract with Washington, which made him the highest-paid CB in NFL history at the time.
But he was not quite the same player with Washington that he was with the Panthers, and in 2019, he graded out as the third-worst qualified cornerback in the league per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. However, he managed to finagle a one-year, $6MM pact out of the Bills this offseason, and both Buffalo and Norman were hoping that a reunion with Bills HC Sean McDermott — who was Carolina’s defensive coordinator throughout Norman’s entire tenure with the club — would help Norman look more like his old self.
Norman, however, landed on IR earlier this month with a hamstring injury. He appears to be on the mend and is nearing his debut with the current leaders of the AFC East.
Colts Activate Trey Burton From IR
Trey Burton will don a Colts game uniform for the first time Sunday. The Colts activated the tight end from IR Saturday and moved Michael Pittman Jr. to the injured list.
Indianapolis signed Burton this offseason but saw him run into more injury trouble. A calf strain during camp resulted in the former Eagles and Bears tight end missing the Colts’ first three games.
The seventh-year pass catcher dealt with injuries last season, leading to his Chicago stay ending after two years. He underwent sports hernia surgery in 2019 and ended up on IR during the season because of a calf malady. Burton caught just 14 passes for 84 yards last season. However, in 16 Bears games in 2018, the former “Philly Special” passer caught 54 passes for 569 yards and six touchdowns. Burton will join Jack Doyle and the emerging Mo Alie-Cox in Indianapolis’ suddenly crowded tight end corps.
The Colts will need their tight end group healthy; their receiving corps has absorbed some key losses. Pittman underwent surgery after developing compartment syndrome in his calf. The surgery went well, however, and the rookie wideout could be back when eligible (Week 8, following the Colts’ Week 7 bye). For the next two games, however, Philip Rivers will be down Pittman and slot target Parris Campbell. The latter will likely miss more time than Pittman, having suffered MCL and PCL damage.
Bengals Place DT Mike Daniels On IR
The Bengals will be further depleted at defensive tackle when they face the Jaguars on Sunday. They placed Mike Daniels on IR on Saturday.
Daniels, who signed with the Bengals this summer, suffered an elbow injury — one he aggravated during practice this week. Daniels managed a limited practice Thursday but was held out Friday. He will be down for at least three weeks now.
Cincinnati has been without perennial Pro Bowler Geno Atkins all season. Atkins took part in three limited workouts this week but has already been declared out for Week 4. The practice participation points to Atkins getting closer, having not been placed on IR despite what will be a four-week absence.
The team has fellow 2020 acquisitions D.J. Reader and Christian Covington healthy at defensive tackle. Daniels, however, had started both games in which he played this season.
To add help up front, the Bengals are promoting defensive tackle Freedom Akinmoladun. They will also elevate cornerback offensive lineman Alex Redmond and cornerback Torry McTyer from the practice squad.