NFL Expected To Keep 16-Man Practice Squads
NFL practice squads jumped from 10 to 16 ahead of the first COVID-19-impacted season, and the league signed off on bringing them back in 2021 — what turned out to be a second pandemic-affected slate. This setup is looking like the new normal.
Owners are set to discuss the state of the practice squad this week, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN notes it is likely the units will stay at 16 (Twitter link). This has certainly helped teams over the past two seasons, most recently when the Omicron variant sidelined numerous active-roster players late last year.
The league also announced the roster-cutdown format it utilized last year — moving from 90 players to 85, to 80, and then to the regular-season 53-man limit — will remain in place, Fowler tweets. The pandemic-altered 2020 offseason led to fewer players being taken to training camp altogether, but the league implemented this tiered cutdown setup — an offshoot of previous versions — last year. Teams must pare their rosters from 90 to 85 after the first preseason game, 85 to 80 after the second and get to their final 53 players following the third week.
For a stretch in the 2010s, teams were not required to trim their 90-man offseason rosters to 53 until the final cutdown day, creating a frenzied setup that featured hundreds of players hitting the waiver wire. The current format produces a similar flood, though a slightly less chaotic sequence. Many of the players cut after the 80-to-53 trim end up on teams’ practice squads. Teams can begin establishing their respective practice squads August 31.
NFL taxi squads stood at eight players at this point 10 years ago, and the 10-man units remained until the 2020 CBA took effect. That agreement was set to expand P-squads during this decade, aiming for 14-man units by 2022. However, the CBA did not call for 16 at any point. The pandemic changed the league’s plans on this front, along with injured reserve rules, creating more regular-season spots for players and increased flexibility for teams. Both the expanded P-squads and IR changes have been popular with teams. It would certainly not surprise if the IR rules remained for 2022 as well.
Latest On Dan Snyder, NFL Owners
Earlier this week, it was reported that a number of NFL owners were considering action against Dan Snyder which could rise to the level of an attempt to remove him from the Commanders. Given the remarks made by certain others, however, that may not be the case. 
[RELATED: Owners “Counting Votes” For Snyder’s Removal]
As detailed by Mark Maske of the Washington Post, support seems to favor a suspension. He writes that “no meaningful steps have been taken toward making a push to remove Snyder from ownership of his franchise” – a rather stark rebuttal to the notion that the numerous controversies the 57-year-old has been involved in could threaten his position.
The latest of those controversies (allegations of financial impropriety, which was labelled by one owner as potentially being “the nail in the coffin”) will have a significant impact on owners’ decisions. The investigation into the matter is ongoing, the result of which will likely be the next major turning point in this situation. As Maske writes, multiple owners would support “significant disciplinary action” being taken against Snyder should the allegations be proven true.
“We’d have to know a lot more than we do now” one owner said, via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. While that still leaves the door open to action like a vote on removal being possible at some point, Maske reports that multiple owners have not been approached regarding their position should any such vote take place.
“There’s certainly concern”, said one owner. “There’s anger. But there’s quite a difference between wishing he was gone and taking steps to force him out.” Breer adds that the precedent Snyder’s removal would set is a key point, and that the “bar will be set very high” for as many as the requisite 24 owners being prepared to go ahead with that action.
For the time being, little is expected to take place regarding this situation. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, though, this could remain a key storyline.
Ravens Sign CB Kyle Fuller
The Ravens have made a noteworthy addition to their secondary. The team announced on Tuesday that they have signed veteran cornerback Kyle Fuller to a one-year contract. 
The deal represents a homecoming for Fuller. The 30-year-old is from Baltimore, and attended high school locally. From a business perspective, it is also a fresh start him, after an up-and-down tenure in Denver.
The Broncos signed him last March to a one-year, $9.5MM deal. The move reunited him with Vic Fangio, and was a significant part of the overall cause for optimism surrounding the Broncos’ secondary. He was a starter from the onset of the season, but he struggled to replicate the success he enjoyed under Fangio in Chicago. As a result, he was benched for a stretch of the campaign, and ultimately put on the trade block.
While the Virginia Tech product did end up back on the field playing in the slot for the first time in his career after injuries, his time in Denver came up short of expectations. With the Bears, who selected him in the first round in 2014, he was an immediate starter and impact defender. He was named a Pro Bowler in 2018 and 2019, leading the league in interceptions during the former campaign.
In Baltimore, Fuller will look to return to his previous form. He joins a CB room which still features starters Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, but was lacking in depth after the departures of Anthony Averett and Tavon Young. At a minimum, Fuller should serve as an experienced backup, but if the position is hit by injuries like it was last season, he could once again find himself in a starting role.
Colts Sign RB Ty’Son Williams
The Colts are continuing to add depth at the running back position. The team announced on Tuesday that they have signed Ty’Son Williams.
The 25-year-old joined the Ravens as a UDFA, quickly finding himself climbing the team’s depth chart last offseason. Originally intended to serve as practice squad depth, Williams was thrust into a significant role after the team lost J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to season-ending injuries in the build-up to the campaign.
That opened the door for the BYU product to take on a starter’s workload. He produced 187 scrimmage yards during the first two weeks of the season, but things changed dramatically after that. Williams only started one more contest, totalling just 82 yards throughout the rest of the season as Baltimore leaned more heavily on veterans Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray.
That drop in usage signalled that Williams could be headed elsewhere this spring. Then, earlier this month, the Ravens rescinded his ERFA tender, making him a free agent. The move came on the same day that Baltimore signed Mike Davis as insurance behind the trio lost through injury.
In Indianapolis, Williams will face similar competition to what he would have seen in Baltimore with respect to making the opening-day roster. The Colts already have Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, along with a number of candidates to fill the No. 3 role. The team signed Phillip Lindsay last week, giving them a much more experienced option to round out the depth chart. Williams would likely have to beat out Lindsay, along with Deon Jackson and several 2022 UDFAs, to avoid landing on the practice squad.
Latest On Steelers’ GM Search
The Steelers have undergone a meticulous search to find outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert‘s replacement. The list of preferred candidates has reportedly been finalized.
Pittsburgh has concluded their interviews for the position, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team initially met with 16 executives representing a noteworthy cross-section of internal and external personnel. That list was then narrowed down to six candidates, each of whom received a second look.
Included among the finalists are Brandon Hunt and Omar Khan. The former has worked in Pittsburgh on two separate occasions, the most recent stint beginning in 2010; he is currently the team’s pro scouting director. Hunt has also received interest for a significant front-office role in Philadelphia. The latter, meanwhile, has been with the Steelers since 2001, working his way up to the role of vice president of football and business administration and generating interest on a number of occasions from other teams during previous GM hiring cycles.
The other second interviewees come from outside the organization: Ryan Cowden, John Spytek and Andy Weidl, who work in the player personnel departments for the Titans, Buccaneers and Eagles, respectively. The other external name to be given notable consideration is Doug Whaley, who began his front office career with the Steelers before a stint as the Bills’ GM and, most recently, a position with the re-booted XFL.
Dulac notes that it remains to be seen if the six-name list is reduced even further before a hire is made. He adds that there is still “no specific timeframe” for when the new GM will be named.
Here is the complete breakdown of the Steelers’ search:
- Morocco Brown, college scouting director (Colts): Interviewed
- Ran Carthon, director of player personnel (49ers): Interviewed
- Ryan Cowden, vice president of player personnel (Titans): Conducted second interview
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 2/4
- Joe Hortiz, director of player personnel (Ravens): Interviewed
- Brandon Hunt, pro scouting director (Steelers): Conducted second interview
- Omar Khan, vice president of football and business administration (Steelers): Conducted second interview
- Dan Morgan, assistant general manager (Panthers): Interviewed
- Jerry Reese, former general manager (Giants): Interviewed
- Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed
- Rick Spielman, former general manager (Vikings): Interviewed
- John Spytek, director of player personnel (Buccaneers): To conduct second interview
- Andy Weidl, vice president of player personnel (Eagles): Conducted second interview
- Doug Whaley, vice president of player personnel (XFL): Conducted second interview
- John Wojciechowski, co-director of player personnel (Packers): Interviewed
- JoJo Wooden, director of player personnel (Chargers): Interviewed
Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa Absent From 49ers’ OTAs
As OTAs begin around the league, one of each team’s top storylines has to do with attendance. In the 49ers’ case this year, the bulk of attention is of course drawn to Deebo Samuel. As noted by Matt Barrows of the Athletic (subscription required), the wideout is not with the team currently. 
That comes as no surprise, of course; Samuel was named as one of three 2019 draftees who would be skipping on-field work back in April. The timing of the decision was due to the fact that this offseason marks the first in which he can sign a new contract, and the recent dramatic upward trend in the receiver market around the league.
More specific to the Samuel situation in particular is the matter of his tenuous relationship with the club. The 26-year-old requested a trade, despite the team publicly stating that they had budgeted for an extension. A number of teams were interested in acquiring the All-Pro, including the Jets. New York was believed to have offered the No. 10 pick in the draft for him, but Samuel remains on the team for now.
San Francisco has made it clear they intend for that to remain the case, and that they did not get seriously involved in trade talks. With the draft having come and gone, and relations apparently warming to an extent between the two parties, attention is once again turning to his contract situation. The progress made on that front will remain a situation worth watching in the coming weeks.
As Barrows also notes, Nick Bosa is not in attendance for OTAs. The two-time Pro Bowler is working out with his brother Joey Bosa, which, Barrow writes, “he’d likely do if he had a long-term contract or not”. As another member of San Francisco’s 2019 draft class, Bosa is also eligible for a significant raise, though there has been far less controversy surrounding his contract status. Still, the way the 49ers handle the current situation with two of their young stars will be one of the top stories of their offseason.
Ravens Eyeing Veteran WRs?
The Ravens’ depth at receiver is shallow, especially following the trade of Marquise Brown. However, it sounds like reinforcement could be coming. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens “will sign or acquire a veteran receiver at some point before training camp.”
2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman is likely the only receiver with a secure spot on the depth chart. Otherwise, the receivers room consists of unproven players, including Devin Duvernay, James Proche II, Tylan Wallace, Binjimen Victor, Jaylon Moore, and a whopping six undrafted rookies. Of course, the team’s passing attack is also highlighted by tight end Mark Andrews.
While Zrebic expects a transaction, he does note that the team isn’t operating like an organization that’s “desperate” for a receiver. That’s likely a “vote of confidence” for the team’s current crop of wideouts, and while the team may be seeking additional depth, they’ll still be heavily relying on the receivers who are currently on the roster.
“We like our receivers, we do,” DeCosta said recently (via Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun). “We’ve seen growth, we’ve seen our guys mature and develop. … We will add players to the mix. We’re doing that right now, and we’ll look at veteran players as well. It wasn’t really by design that we wanted to create a hole on the team. I don’t look at it that way, but in this business, you pivot, you dodge, you weave — you’re always really going to be chasing a need. Every team in the league would tell you that you’re chasing needs.”
What veterans could Baltimore turn to? The Ravens really haven’t been definitively connected to any free agents, but it’s worth noting that the organization pursued veteran T.Y. Hilton last offseason. The long-time Colts wide receiver remains unsigned. Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., Emmanuel Sanders, and DeSean Jackson are other veteran FA wideouts.
Latest On RB Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley hasn’t seen the field for an NFL game since January, 2021…and that’s fine with the veteran running back. Speaking with Keith Kocinski of NBC LX (h/t to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com), Gurley admitted that he never had the itch to play during the 2021-22 campaign.
“There was never not one time where I watched a game and was like, ‘I wish I was out there,’” Gurley said. “I appreciated my time in the league and I’ve done things I could have never even dreamed about.”
Of course, the former Offensive Player of the Year acknowledged that there’s still a chance he could find himself back on an NFL roster.
“I like doing stuff on my time,” the RB said. “I like doing whatever I want to do. I’ve never been the one that liked to be controlled. I like to be in control of my own path. That’s the best thing about being in the position I’m in. If I want to try to play again, I can try to pursue that. Or if I don’t, I can just relax and chill at the house and spend a lot more time with my family because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. And then at the end of the day, still becoming a businessman and still venturing off in that next phase of my life.”
Gurley had a prolific two-year stretch with the Rams (2017-2018) that saw him compile 3,924 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns in 29 games. His numbers dipped considerably in 2019, and he was released by the Rams the following offseason. He caught on with the Falcons for the 2020 campaign but continued to regress, finishing with 842 yards from scrimmage (3.8 yards per touch) and nine touchdowns.
Despite the numbers, the veteran still managed to generate some interest last offseason, meeting with the Lions and Ravens. A deal never materialized, and Gurley ended up sitting out the entire 2021 campaign. The RB is still only 27 years old (28 in August), but he’ll likely have to wait for injuries to start hitting before he gets another chance at a gig.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/23/22
We’ve got a number of minor NFL transactions to pass your way:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Diego Fagot
- Released: S Chris Moore
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR: LB Ledarius Mack
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Reggie Robinson
- Waived: QB Felix Harper
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Darrell Daniels
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: QB James Morgan
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Malkelm Morrison
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: LB Jake Gervase
New York Jets
- Signed: WR D.J. Montgomery
- Waived from NFI: WR Rodney Adams
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Chris Slayton
Washington Commanders
- Signed: OT Aaron Monteiro
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/23/22
Here are the latest draftees to sign their four-year rookie contracts:
New York Giants
- G Joshua Ezeudu (third round, North Carolina)
New York Jets
- TE Jeremy Ruckert (third round, Ohio State)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Chig Okonkwo (fourth round, Maryland)