Colts Cut Swag Kelly
The Colts have released Swag Kelly from the practice squad, per a club announcement. To take his place, they’ve signed wide receiver Krishawn Hogan to the 16-man unit.
Kelly was once considered one of the top QB prospects in the nation, but he was kicked out of Clemson and his senior season at Ole Miss was cut short by a torn ACL and lateral meniscus. The Broncos made him “Mr. Irrelevant” in 2017 with the final pick in the draft, but he had an opportunity to be very relevant and supplant Case Keenum as the club’s starter in 2018. That never came to fruition thanks to a bizarre arrest and his subsequent release.
In 2019, Kelly hooked on with the Colts’ offseason roster, and he’s been in the team’s practice squad orbit ever since. After the Colts used a fourth-round pick on Jacob Eason in the spring, it was pretty clear that Kelly was no longer a focal point for the offensive staff. With starter Philip Rivers, experienced backup Jacoby Brissett, and Eason leading the way, there was little need to keep Kelly on standby.
The Colts — who have a bit of swag after their 36-7 romp over the Jets — will face the Bears on Sunday.
NFL Postpones Steelers-Titans
The NFL has postponed Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Titans, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). From here, the league will weigh its options, including rescheduling the game for Monday night. Tuesday night is also on the table, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), but Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com reports that the CBS crew covering the game has been told that it will happen on Monday (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
The Titans put everything on pause this week after three players and five personnel members tested positive for COVID-19. The Titans have since placed linebacker Kamalei Correa, defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley, and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson on the reserve/COVID-19 list (we already knew about the latter three players, but Correa is a newer addition to the list). The Vikings, who faced the Titans in Week 3, have also suspended their activities. They’re currently scheduled to face the Texans in Houston and, so far, they have not received any positive tests.
Thankfully, no one on the Titans’ side appears to be critically ill. “Some of them are indeed experiencing flu-like symptoms, (but) nothing out of the ordinary. We anticipate they will feel better shortly,” head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com).
The Titans advanced to 3-0 after their 31-30 win over the Vikings on Sunday. The Vikings, meanwhile, are winless through three games with a thoroughly depleted defense.
Broncos To Sign Timmy Jernigan
The Broncos are set to sign veteran defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The deal marks a quick turnaround for Jernigan, who was released by the Jaguars earlier this week. 
Jernigan made his name as a hard-nosed run-stuffer with the Ravens, before a 2017 trade that sent him to the Ravens. In his first Philly season, Jernigan started 15 games and helped the Eagles on the way to their Super Bowl LII victory. The Birds moved quickly to ink Jernigan to a four-year, $48MM extension, but things didn’t work out as planned.
Back surgery in 2018 limited Jernigan to just three games. After the season, the Eagles 86’d his deal and signed him to a cheaper one-year pact for 2019. He started nine games last season, playing 306 snaps and rating as a middle-of-the-pack interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. After a so-so season, he moved on to the Texans in the spring, only to see them back out in June. That led him to the Jaguars, which ultimately amounted to a cup of coffee.
Now, Jernigan will backstop a Broncos’ defensive line that has been battered by injuries. His first action could come tomorrow night, when the Broncos take on the Jets in a battle of winless teams.
Eagles Place Jalen Reagor On IR
The Eagles have placed Jalen Reagor on the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. The wide receiver will use the time to heal up following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. 
[RELATED: Eagles Place Dallas Goedert On IR]
Reagor played through the pain in Week 2, but it wasn’t a sustainable situation. Based on the projections from earlier this month, Reagor is likely to miss at least another month as he recovers. Reportedly, the Eagles are planning to bring Reagor back sometime after the Week 9 bye, which could mean that he’ll re-debut on Oct. 22 when the Eagles face the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Already down Alshon Jeffery coming into the season, Philadelphia has also lost several starting offensive linemen in Brandon Brooks, Andre Dillard and Isaac Seumalo. Jeffery is still working his way back, and the Eagles are 0-2-1 heading into Week 4. Next up – a Sunday night showdown with the 49ers, in San Francisco.
The first-round speedster out of TCU caught five passes for 96 yards in the first two games of the season. Without him, they’ll need DeSean Jackson and the rest of the WR group to deliver — and better play from Carson Wentz.
Latest On Texans, Earl Thomas
Some conflicting accounts emerged Tuesday after the cancellation of Earl Thomas‘ Texans workout. The All-Pro safety’s agents indicate Bill O’Brien informed them that the NFL informed him to nix Thomas’ workout because of COVID-19 concerns, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Thomas’ Houston audition was scheduled for Tuesday, but the Texans reportedly sent him home. The Texans are somewhat connected to the Titans-Vikings coronavirus situation, in being scheduled to host the Vikes on Sunday. However, the Texans worked out four other players Tuesday, Howard Balzer of SI.com tweets.
Another report points to the Texans souring on Thomas. The Texans were previously reported to be the likely destination for the former Seahawks and Ravens defender, but the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain notes that internal team discussions determined Thomas would not be a good fit (Twitter link).
The Ravens released Thomas in August after a practice skirmish with fellow Baltimore safety Chuck Clark. Ravens veterans supported the move. Other teams — most notably the Cowboys — have been connected to Thomas, but the Texans visit marked the most newsworthy development since the 31-year-old safety became a free agent. Interestingly, an August report categorized the Texans as a non-suitor as well.
While the Texans door may not be fully closed, the 10-year veteran remains unattached as October looms. Houston has used third-year starter Justin Reid and March free agency addition Eric Murray as its first-string safeties this season.
Latest On Titans-Vikings COVID-19 Situation
The Titans and Vikings‘ football activities are on hold for the time being due to a Titans coronavirus outbreak. Here is the latest from perhaps the NFL’s defining September story:
- The NFL is keeping open the possibility of moving the Steelers-Titans game to Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The league wants to keep the Tennessee home game scheduled for Sunday but views Monday as a contingency plan that would allow more time for testing and contract tracing.
- Some of the players involved in the outbreak have surfaced. The Titans have placed defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, ESPN.com’s Field Yates and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero report (Twitter links). Three Titans players have tested positive for the virus, though it is not known if these are the three. Eight Titans players and staffers combined are believed to have tested positive. The five non-players who tested positive were all football-side staffers, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. This includes outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen, who received word of his positive test Saturday.
- While the Titans are closing their facility doors until Saturday, the Vikings will not practice until at least Thursday, Breer tweets. The NFL has suspended in-person activities for both teams until further notice. The Vikings are set to play the Texans on Sunday in Houston. Both Minnesota and Tennessee’s games are scheduled for noon CT.
- Family members of Titans and Vikings players and staffers will be tested as well, the league announced. No players and staffers were tested on Sunday, with the COVID-19 protocols stipulating tests occur daily but not on game days.
- Referee Clete Blakeman’s crew, which worked Sunday’s Titans-Vikings game, will not work a Week 4 contest, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The crew will undergo daily testing this week.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/29/20
Here are the Tuesday practice squad decisions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DE Austin Edwards
- Released: LB Deone Bucannon, CB D.J. White
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Terry Beckner, LB Sharif Finch
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: G Shaq Calhoun
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: T Jordan Mills
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Joe Graziano
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: C Will Clapp
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB D’Onta Foreman, S Maurice Smith
Giants Add Alfred Morris To Practice Squad
Alfred Morris has resurfaced on the NFL radar. The eight-year veteran running back agreed to join the Giants’ practice squad, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
The Giants added Morris and quarterback Clayton Thorson to its taxi squad. Morris has been out of the NFL since the Cardinals released him in November 2019. To make room on their 16-man P-squad, the Giants cut running back Rod Smith and quarterback Cooper Rush.
This will bring a former Jason Garrett charge to New York. The Giants OC coached the former Pro Bowler in two seasons in Dallas. Morris served as Ezekiel Elliott‘s backup/suspension fill-in from 2016-17 but is certainly best known for his time in Washington.
Morris, now 31, strung together three straight 1,000-yard seasons with Washington and made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and ’14. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry with the 2017 Cowboys and gained 428 yards as a 49er in 2018. He played in one Cardinals game.
The Giants are down Saquon Barkley for the season, leaving them with Wayne Gallman, offseason addition Dion Lewis and recent signing Devonta Freeman. They rank last in the NFL in rushing, having gained just 170 yards (3.2 per carry) in three games.
Thorson spent time on the Cowboys’ practice squad in Garrett’s final season, playing behind Rush — who resided on Dallas’ active roster. The Giants brought Smith back earlier this month.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/29/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: RB Artavis Pierce
- Placed on IR: RB Tarik Cohen (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: S Jovante Moffatt
- Placed on IR: WR JoJo Natson (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: DT Ron’Dell Carter
- Released from IR: RB Bruce Anderson
New York Giants
- Signed off Raiders’ practice squad: DB Madre Harper
New York Jets
- Designated to return from IR: WR Jeff Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated to return from IR: WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed off Buccaneers’ practice squad: TE Daniel Helm
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- Waived: LB D’Andre Walker
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: DE Nate Orchard
- Placed on IR: DL Matt Ioaniddis (story)
NFL Workout Updates: 9/29/20
Here are some of the key developments from the NFL’s workout circuit as of Tuesday:
Atlanta Falcons
- K Kai Forbath, K Elliott Fry
Baltimore Ravens
- S Marcus Gilchrist, CB Jamar Taylor, DB Mazzi Wilkins
Cleveland Browns
- WR Ryan Switzer (visit)
Detroit Lions
- WR Gary Jennings, QB Kyle Lauletta, WR Damion Willis
Houston Texans
- WR Trevor Davis
Miami Dolphins
- CB Teez Tabor
San Francisco 49ers
- LS Andrew DePaola, LS Taybor Pepper, LS Drew Scott, LS Garrison Sanborn
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Tim Williams
Washington Football Team
- LB Nigel Harris