Raiders Place LB Nick Morrow, RB Jalen Richard On IR
The Raiders are placing four players on IR. Running back Jalen Richard, linebacker Nick Morrow, and defensive backs Keisean Nixon and Javin White will be shelved for at least the first three weeks of the season, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). To take the open roster spots, the team has signed offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor and re-signed both tight end Derek Carrier and safety Dallin Leavitt. (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez on Twitter).
Richard has spent five seasons with the Raiders, including a 2018 campaign where he finished with 866 yards from scrimmage. He hasn’t been able to match that production over the past two years, combining for only 729 yards from scrimmage in 29 games. The 27-year-old is expected to be a primary backup to Josh Jacobs for another season in 2021.
Morrow had a career year for the Raiders in 2020, finishing with career-highs across the board. The linebacker has been dealing with a foot injury since late August, and he was expected to be sidelined for the start of the regular season. The team brought in some reinforcement at the position today when they signed veteran K.J. Wright.
Nixon has appeared in 29 games for the Raiders over the past two years, turning into one of the team’s special teams stalwarts. White, a 2020 undrafted free agent out of UNLV, got into four games with the Raiders as a rookie.
Chiefs Place LB Willie Gay On IR
A toe issue cropped up for Willie Gay recently, and it will require some time to heal. The Chiefs are placing the young linebacker on IR, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets.
This will knock Gay out of Kansas City’s first three games, dealing a blow to the two-time defending AFC champions’ defense. The 2020 second-round pick is set to play a key role for the Chiefs this year, but he will be on the shelf until at least October.
Andy Reid said Gay’s toe malady occurred during the Chiefs’ preseason finale. The Chiefs are in slightly better position to withstand this than they were last year. Anthony Hitchens is back for a fourth season in Missouri, while the team used a second-round pick on Mizzou linebacker Nick Bolton.
A Mississippi State alum, Gay played only 25% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps as a rookie and missed the team’s three playoff games. Gay was in line to start, however, to begin Year 2. The IR placement certainly confirms this toe injury will require extensive recovery time, perhaps altering the Chiefs’ plans for the young defender this season.
Panthers Claim RB Royce Freeman
Royce Freeman did not make it out of the top 10 on the waiver wire, going to the team that picked just ahead of the Broncos in this past draft. The Panthers claimed Freeman on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The ex-Bronco is joining Christian McCaffrey and rookie Chuba Hubbard at running back on Carolina’s active roster. The Panthers are cutting veteran back Trenton Cannon to clear a roster spot for Freeman, David Newton of ESPN.com notes.
Denver waived Freeman on Wednesday, making room for rookie UDFA running back Nate McCrary. The Broncos added Mike Boone and second-round pick Javonte Williams this offseason. With Melvin Gordon‘s guarantees remaining intact after DUI charges were dismissed, Freeman faced an uphill climb to carve out a role in Denver this year.
The former third-round pick will provide the Panthers with considerable experience behind McCaffrey. A four-year Oregon contributor, Freeman totaled 297 career carries for 1,187 yards and eight touchdowns with the Broncos. The 225-pound back mostly worked as the ball-carrying B-side to Phillip Lindsay in Denver but was not much of a factor last year, with Gordon in town.
Mike Davis‘ departure for Atlanta left an experience void behind McCaffrey, and considering the dual-threat standout missed most of last season, adding depth could be critical for Carolina — especially as the schedule expands to 17 games. One year remains on Freeman’s rookie contract.
Also a 2018 draftee, Cannon spent last season with the Panthers and contributed mostly as a kick returner. Cannon spent his first two seasons with the Jets. The Virginia State alum would be eligible for Carolina’s practice squad, should he pass through waivers.
Cardinals Place Jordan Phillips On IR
Just a few days ago, the Cardinals activated Jordan Phillips from the reserve/COVID list. On Thursday, the Cardinals parked him once again, this time on injured reserve. In a related move, offensive lineman Justin Pugh has been brought back from the COVID list.
Phillips was dealing with an undisclosed injury throughout the summer and his condition still isn’t quite clear. Last year, a balky hamstring let to two separate IR stints and a total of seven missed games. In his nine contests, Phillips registered two sacks and eleven total stops from the right defensive tackle spot.
The Cardinals furnished Phillips with a three-year, $40MM in 2020 that included $18.5MM guaranteed. Phillips enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in Buffalo, but Arizona has yet to see him at his best. In 2019, his last healthy season, he tallied 9.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits for the Bills.
Jaguars Place Tavon Austin On IR
The Jaguars have placed wide receiver Tavon Austin on injured reserve, per a club announcement. The team did not disclose Austin’s injury, but the issue will keep him sidelined for an extended period.
It’s a frustrating setback for Austin, who lost time to injury last year with the Niners. He healed up later in the season to join the Packers, but didn’t see a ton of snaps in Green Bay. All in all, he finished with five catches for 20 yards across four games as a Packer.
Austin, the eighth overall pick of the 2013 draft, has been used more as a gadget player and returner than a true receiver in recent years. He was expected to return punts for the Jaguars and see some time in the new-look offense, but those plans have been scuttled for now.
“He played really well Sunday,” head coach Urban Meyer told reporters on Tuesday . “We think with Joe and with Tosh, he’s a guy that it’s time to play. He’s been around and I can see the urgency in his look, in his practice and in the way he played.”
With Austin out of the picture, the Jaguars are left with five receivers in DJ Chark, Marvin Jones, Laviska Shenault, Jamal Agnew, and Tyron Johnson.
Vikings To Sign P Jordan Berry
The previously noted Britton Colquitt procedural return does not look like it will end up coming to pass. Instead, the Vikings intend to sign former Steelers punter Jordan Berry, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Minnesota released Colquitt on Wednesday, but the veteran was back at the team’s facility Thursday. The second-generation NFL punter appears to need other plans now, with the Vikings pivoting to Berry.
Berry received his walking papers from the Steelers on Monday, with the team going with drafted punter Pressley Harvin III. Berry was with the Steelers from 2015-20. Interestingly, his 11-game 2020 Pittsburgh slate came after the Steelers opted to cut Dustin Colquitt, Britton’s older brother, in October.
Britton Colquitt operated as the Vikings’ punter for the past two seasons, playing in all 32 Minnesota regular-season games in that span. The 11-year veteran is going into his age-36 season. Berry turned 30 earlier this year.
Raiders To Sign LB K.J. Wright
K.J. Wright‘s lengthy offseason in free agency looks like it is coming to an end. The veteran linebacker is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Raiders, NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. The Raiders met with Wright nearly a month ago, and the parties are belatedly moving forward on an agreement.
The Raiders have battled some linebacker injury trouble and acquired Denzel Perryman from the Panthers last week. While Perryman played for new Las Vegas DC Gus Bradley, so did Wright. Bradley was Seattle’s DC during Wright’s first two NFL seasons nearly a decade ago.
After the Seahawks drafted Jordyn Brooks in the 2020 first round, it appeared Wright would not receive a fourth contract from the team. This Las Vegas agreement will lead to Wright’s first relocation since entering the NFL.
The Seahawks took Wright in the 2011 fourth round and used him as a starter for 10 seasons. The veteran defender was open to a Seattle return but did not want to do so on a discount. However, it is unlikely Wright’s Raiders agreement will approach the two-year, $14MM Seahawks pact he signed in 2019.
Vegas’ linebacking corps brings together a mix of holdovers and former Bradley charges, but this now looks like a deep group that could be considerably better than last year’s corps. The Raiders kept seven linebackers on roster cutdown day, including third-round pick Divine Deablo, who is transitioning from safety. The Silver and Black also have returning starters Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkoski and Nicholas Morrow on the roster. Morrow has battled an ankle injury, leading to the Perryman acquisition. Wright is unlikely to be joining the Raiders to be a backup, so Vegas’ starting lineup stands to undergo more changes ahead of the season.
Wright, 32, has made 140 starts over the course of his career, working as an outside linebacker in the Seahawks’ 4-3 scheme. Despite his unattached status since March, Wright graded as a top-10 off-ball ‘backer (per Pro Football Focus) last season. He has five 100-plus-tackle seasons, and he notched 11 tackles for loss and 10 passes defensed last year. No only player accomplished that particular double-double in 2020.
Seahawks Shift Cedric Ogbuehi To IR
Cedric Ogbuehi‘s second Seahawks season will not start on time. The team placed the veteran tackle on IR Thursday. This will sideline Ogbuehi until at least Week 4.
The former first-round pick is dealing with a biceps injury presently, so the Seahawks will need to adjust their second-string offensive line plans. Ogbuehi re-signed with Seattle this offseason. Going into his seventh year, Ogbuehi is expected to be Brandon Shell‘s primary backup at right tackle.
Ogbuehi played just eight games in 2020, starting four, but did enough to return to the Seahawks — his third NFL team. The Bengals drafted Ogbuehi in 2015, but after he did not meet expectations, the Texas A&M product had to settle for a low-cost Jaguars deal in 2019 before coming to Seattle.
The Seahawks added a tackle on the waiver wire Wednesday, bringing in ex-49ers blocker Dakoda Shepley. He joins Jamarco Jones and rookie Stone Forsythe as backup Hawks tackles. Though Shell and Duane Brown comprise Seattle’s optimal tackle duo, Brown remains out of the mix due to a hold-in effort. The Pro Bowler has not practiced since last season, putting the Seahawks in a tight spot as the season nears.
Ravens Re-Sign OLB Pernell McPhee
In moving their roster to 53 players, the Ravens released a few vested veterans Tuesday. One of them will rejoin the team. The Ravens re-signed Pernell McPhee on Thursday.
The Ravens moving McPhee off their roster allowed them to avoid losing a non-vested veteran on the waiver wire, and after some Wednesday roster moves, the team will have the veteran pass rusher back. The Ravens placed both Miles Boykin and Rashod Bateman on IR, sidelining them until at least Week 4 but clearing two roster spots.
Baltimore re-signed McPhee this offseason, extending this lengthy partnership. A 2011 Ravens draftee, McPhee played four seasons in Baltimore and circled back to Maryland in 2019. He has played the past two seasons there. McPhee has recorded three sacks in each of the past two seasons in Don Martindale‘s 3-4 scheme. The 32-year-old defender started 13 games in 2020 but re-signed for barely the league minimum this year.
After letting more high-profile edge rushers walk in free agency, with Matt Judon signing with the Patriots and Yannick Ngakoue joining the Raiders, the Ravens prioritized keeping McPhee on the low-cost deal. He and Tyus Bowser re-signed this year, and they will team with new arrivals Justin Houston and first-round pick Odafe Oweh among Baltimore’s edge-rushing contingent this season.
Saquon Barkley On Track For Week 1
The Giants’ cautious Saquon Barkley rehab plan is nearing completion, and after plenty of news about the running back’s timetable this offseason, he is moving toward playing in Week 1.
Barkley is trending toward suiting up against the Broncos next week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. While the Giants will not decide on Barkley’s status until next week, no setbacks appear to have occurred.
The fourth-year back suffered his knee injury — ACL and MCL tears, along with meniscus damage — in Week 2 of last year, but he did not undergo surgery until late October. Since, the Giants launched a methodical recovery effort. Barkley met various checkpoints during training camp, going through seven-on-seven drills and joint practices ahead. He did not play in the preseason.
Ex-Bronco Devontae Booker may end up receiving more work against his former team and early in the season. Booker seeing more early-season touches has been rumored since May. It remains unclear when Barkley will resume a full workload, but after the uncertainty this offseason brought regarding his recovery, a Week 1 return would be a major win for all parties here.