Broncos Promote Nigel Bradham, Activate DeMarcus Walker From IR
On the Broncos’ practice squad for nearly three weeks, Nigel Bradham will return to an NFL active roster. The veteran linebacker will rise from Denver’s taxi squad to its game-day roster.
This will be Bradham’s fourth NFL team, though the longtime Eagles and Bills starter was only with the Saints in training camp. Bradham has been an NFL starting linebacker 96 times since his 2012 rookie season. While the Broncos have Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell in place as their three-down ‘backers, Bradham should see time Sunday against the Chiefs.
Denver still has Mark Barron on its IR list. The longtime starter has dealt with multiple injuries since arriving in Colorado. Bradham, a three-down player with the Eagles for the past four seasons, will join Joe Jones as a backup Broncos inside ‘backer.
In addition to activating A.J. Bouye and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones off IR, the Broncos will have D-lineman DeMarcus Walker available Sunday. A fourth-year rotational cog, Walker saw a calf injury send him to IR after Week 2. He registered four sacks last season and did not play much from 2017-18, but Denver may need the former second-round pick more this season after letting Derek Wolfe walk in free agency and losing Jurrell Casey for the season. Although Casey and Von Miller are out, this is the healthiest the Broncos’ defense has been since Week 1.
The Broncos also released cornerback De’Vante Bausby, promoted running back Jeremy Cox and re-signed defensive tackle Sylvester Williams to their practice squad. Denver cut Williams from its active roster Friday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/20
Here are Saturday’s practice squad decisions:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Marqui Christian
- Released: LB Sharif Finch
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Beau Benzschawel, P Arryn Siposs
- Released: RB Dalyn Dawkins, TE Matt Sokol
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Cassius Marsh
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Jauan Jennings
Washington Football Team
- Signed: TE Marcus Baugh
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/20
Here is another spree of Saturday minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: DL Trevon Coley
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: DE Austin Edwards, LB Edmond Robinson
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: LB Tyrel Dodson
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: G Mike Horton, WR Marken Michel
Chicago Bears
- Moved from IR to reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Michael Joseph
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: DT Mike Daniels
- Promoted: CB Winston Rose
- Waived: DT Kahlil McKenzie
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: OL Cameron Erving
- Promoted: T Jordan Mills, C Adam Redmond
- Placed on IR: T Brandon Knight
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: LB Kamal Martin
- Promoted: S Henry Black, G Ben Braden, RB Dexter Williams, DL Billy Winn
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Promoted: S Doug Middleton, TE Eric Saubert
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Chris Thompson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: OL Danny Isidora, WR Marcus Kemp
- Placed on IR: DL Khalen Saunders
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: CB Dylan Mabin
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Tashawn Bower, DT Nick Thurman
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Austin Carr, OL Will Clapp, WR Juwan Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: OL Cameron Clark
- Promoted: K/P Sergio Castillo, LB Bryce Hager
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: FB Trey Edmunds, LB Jayrone Elliott
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: S Johnathan Cyprien, S Jared Mayden
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Dane Cruikshank
- Promoted: LB Darren Bates, OL David Quessenberry
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Jeff Badet, WR Tony Brown, DT Devaroe Lawrence
- Placed on IR: OL Saahdiq Charles, WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
Chiefs Place DE Alex Okafor On IR
While they cannot match their Sunday opponent for impactful injuries, the Chiefs will enter Week 7 missing some key players.
Alex Okafor will miss Sunday’s tilt in Denver and at least two more contests. The Chiefs placed the veteran defensive end on IR Saturday. Okafor has encountered a hamstring issue.
Okafor, All-Pro right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wideout Sammy Watkins are out Sunday for the Chiefs. Okafor will land on IR for the second straight season. The Chiefs placed the 2019 free agent acquisition on IR after 10 games last season, with a torn pec preventing the veteran pass rusher from playing during the team’s Super Bowl push.
Okafor’s latest injury is not as severe, but it will test Kansas City’s depth a bit. The Chiefs are also without 2020 free agent get Taco Charlton this week. The defending Super Bowl champs have used contract-year defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon ahead of Okafor on their depth chart this season. After Okafor started nine games in 2019, he has worked as a rotational rusher this year. Okafor has a half-sack in 2020.
Patriots To Activate C David Andrews
After Shaq Mason‘s recent return to practice from the Patriots’ reserve/COVID-19 list, the team will have another starter back Sunday. David Andrews will come off IR ahead of the Pats’ Week 7 game, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets.
Andrews has missed 19 of the past 21 Patriots games, being shelved for the 2019 season because of blood clots and missing the past three New England contests because of a thumb injury. He and Mason’s returns will be key for a Pats team coming off a home upset loss to the Broncos.
Prior to Andrews’ run of bad luck, he had started all but four of New England’s games since the start of the 2015 season. The Pats’ offense has looked considerably worse in Andrews’ absence the past three weeks, though other factors have contributed to that.
New England will be without right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor — placed on IR this week — but is set to have four of its five Week 1 starters back Sunday against the 49ers. The non-Week 1 starter set to play Sunday — sixth-round rookie Michael Onwenu — has been a pleasant surprise. Onwenu has played right tackle and both guard spots this season, doing so because of the Patriots’ litany of injuries up front. He will likely see time at right tackle against San Francisco.
Chargers Activate Melvin Ingram, Justin Jones From IR
As they attempt to snap a four-game losing skid, the Chargers will have some reinforcements back. They activated defensive linemen Melvin Ingram and Justin Jones off IR on Saturday.
Ingram has been out since Week 2 with a knee injury. This year’s tweaked IR policy allows teams to shelve players for just three weeks, and the longtime Bolts defensive end will miss the minimum number of contests before returning to team with Joey Bosa on the edge.
This stretch of games will be key for Ingram, who lobbied for a new contract but failed to secure it during a brief training camp hold-in. The Bolts extended Ingram in 2017, and his contract expires at season’s end. Bosa signed an NFL-high (for defenders) $27MM-per-year deal in August, topping Ingram’s $16MM-AAV deal as the top Chargers contract.
It will be difficult for the Bolts to give Ingram a major raise ahead of his age-32 season in 2021, though Justin Herbert‘s rookie contract will make that easier than it would have been with Philip Rivers‘ deal on L.A.’s books. But Ingram showing good form in his team’s final 11 games would strengthen his bargaining position in free agency.
A third-year defensive tackle, Jones will also miss the minimum number of games. He went down with a shoulder injury. The Chargers have used the 2018 third-round pick as a starting defensive tackle over the past two seasons.
The Chargers also promoted running back Troymaine Pope from their practice squad and waived wide receiver Jason Moore and defensive end Jessie Lemonier.
Lions Release G Kenny Wiggins
Amid several adjustments to the Lions roster and practice squad Saturday, Kenny Wiggins learned of his release. The Lions cut the veteran guard ahead of their Week 7 game.
The team dropped Wiggins and cornerback Chris Jones from its active roster and activated running back Bo Scarbrough and defensive back Mike Ford from IR. The Lions also promoted tight end Isaac Nauta from its practice squad.
A third-year Lion, Wiggins serves as the most notable move here. He started 10 games for the 2018 squad and worked in a three-guard rotation with Joe Dahl and Graham Glasgow last season, playing 41% of Detroit’s offensive snaps. This season, however, Wiggins has not factored into the team’s work up front. He has played one offensive snap in four games, playing only on special teams.
Wiggins began the season on Detroit’s practice squad but was promoted to the active roster ahead of Week 2. Despite Dahl being placed on IR at that point, Wiggins did not see O-line action. The Lions identified a starter in third-round rookie Jonah Jackson as well, and Wiggins — a four-year Chargers contributor and 16-game starter in 2017 — is now a free agent.
Scarbrough played a key role for the Lions down the stretch last season, filling in for an injured Kerryon Johnson. The power back rushed for 377 yards and a touchdown in six games. But the Lions drafted D’Andre Swift and signed Adrian Peterson this year, and Scarbrough landed on IR. He has not dressed for a Lions game this season.
Jets Activate WR Denzel Mims From IR
Denzel Mims is set to make his NFL debut Sunday. After spending six weeks on the Jets’ IR list, the rookie wide receiver is on the team’s active roster going into the Jets-Bills rematch.
A hamstring injury that turned out to be quite troublesome sidelined Mims during training camp. The Jets waited to place Mims on IR until Week 2, which sidelined him for the Jets’ first four games. He ended up missing six for a team that has struggled to keep its receivers healthy.
Mims, Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder served as the Jets’ optimal starting receiver crew. All have missed time due to injuries this season. The Jets drafted Mims in the second round, and with this becoming a full-on developmental year already, they will certainly be keen on seeing what they have in the Baylor prospect. Mims may have a bigger opportunity than expected. The Jets downgraded Crowder to doubtful to face the Bills. Crowder missed two games because of a hamstring injury earlier this season; he is now battling a groin problem.
The Big 12 product finished with two 1,000-yard seasons in college — as a sophomore and senior — and scored 28 touchdowns over his final three seasons. Although the Jets seem to be staring at a coaching change that will happen at season’s end at the latest, Mims will begin his development in Adam Gase‘s system.
Bills Place Dawson Knox On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Bills have run into COVID-19 trouble. They are placing Dawson Knox on their reserve/COVID-19 list. The second-year tight end tested positive for the coronavirus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The Bills confirmed the positive test.
Fellow Buffalo tight ends Tommy Sweeney, Lee Smith and Nate Becker (practice squad) have been identified as close contacts and will also miss Sunday’s game against the Jets. Sweeney was already on Buffalo’s PUP list.
The game remains on for noon CT Sunday, however. Tyler Kroft and Reggie Gilliam are the other tight ends on the Bills’ roster. Buffalo promoted four players from its practice squad — guard Jordan Devey, linebacker Andre Smith, cornerback Dane Jackson and wide receiver Duke Williams — but has not made any other moves at tight end.
This game becomes the latest to monitor as one that could cause a schedule change. The timing is similar to Cam Newton‘s positive test weeks ago, and with the league’s beefed-up protocols in the wake of Newton’s positive and the Titans’ outbreak, the Bills will be extremely shorthanded at tight end. A rookie UDFA, Gilliam was already on Buffalo’s active roster along with Knox, Smith and Kroft. The Bills have Kroft and Gilliam available at the position ahead of Sunday’s Jets rematch. The latter has yet to play in a game.
Kroft’s wife going into labor and delivering the couple’s baby Friday morning led to the veteran tight end being spared from this chain reaction, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Kroft attended Bills practice Friday, but Schefter notes his missing position meetings allowed him to avoid getting caught up in this potential outbreak. A former Bengals draftee, Kroft signed with the Bills last year. Knox and Kroft each have six catches this season — most among Bills tight ends; the latter has scored two touchdowns.
Chargers’ Tyrod Taylor Cleared To Return
Tyrod Taylor could dress for a game for the first time since Week 1. The veteran quarterback received medical clearance to return from the punctured lung he suffered in September, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
A chest injection prior to the Chargers’ Week 2 game against the Chiefs ended up sidelining Taylor for more than a month, leading to the Week 1 starter’s role changing upon return. Justin Herbert is now Los Angeles’ QB1. While that promotion would likely have come to fruition at some point this season, Taylor lost his job because of the injection mishap. The NFLPA began an investigation into this matter.
The Chargers have listed Taylor as questionable to dress for their Week 7 game against the Jaguars, but it appears likely he will suit up. Taylor practiced fully all week. Second-year passer Easton Stick has served as Herbert’s backup since the rookie took over.
Taylor being in uniform would certainly serve as a plus for the Chargers, who have one of the NFL’s top backups. The 31-year-old passer backed up Philip Rivers last season and, after being replaced in September 2018, was Baker Mayfield‘s caddy in Cleveland for most of a season. Taylor’s familiarity with Anthony Lynn goes back to their 2016 season together in Buffalo, when Lynn’s in-season promotion to offensive coordinator led to his Chargers hire.
Herbert has surpassed expectations in his first games as the Bolts’ starter. Despite injuries to Austin Ekeler, both his top receivers and multiple high-profile offensive linemen, the rookie quarterback ranks 12th in QBR and has thrown seven touchdown passes over his past two games. Taylor’s Chargers contract expires after the 2020 season.