Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Kentrell Brice
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DB Damontae Kazee
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Taywan Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): T Brett Toth
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: DL Jonathan Bullard
- Placed on IR: DB Neiko Thorpe
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Curtis Riley
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jonas Griffith
New York Jets
- Restored to practice squad roster: WR Donte Moncrief
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Lawrence Cager
San Francisco 49ers
- Restored to practice squad roster: CB Tim Harris
- Signed: DL Josiah Coatney, DL Adam Shuler
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB DeMarkus Acy, LB Michael Divinity
- Released: WR Lance Lenoir
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward
- Released: DB Curtis Riley
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: WR Reggie Begelton
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bill Murray; Murray was on Patriots’ practice squad
New York Giants
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DE Alex Barrett
- Waived: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson
Washington Football Team
- Released from IR: WR Jordan Veasy
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
Cardinals Sign Justin Murray To Extension
The Cardinals have signed Justin Murray to a two-year contract extension, per a club announcement. The offensive lineman can earn up to $9MM over the course of deal, which will keep him under contract through the 2022 season. 
As OverTheCap.com details, the extension is worth $5.5MM in new money. That includes a $1MM signing bonus, a $1.75MM salary in 2021, and a $2.25MM salary in 2022. The 2021-22 seasons also include up to $250K in per-game active roster bonuses. So presumably the $3.5MM difference between the $5.5MM new money value and the $9MM maximum are comprised of other incentives.
Murray, a Cincinnati product, has bounced around quite a bit since he first entered the league with the Broncos in 2016. After stops with the Broncos, Buccaneers, Saints, Bengals, and Raiders, he landed with the Cardinals in 2019 and was quickly thrust into the starting lineup. Murray started in 12 of his 14 games with Arizona, where he has found a real NFL home. Thanks in part to Murray, the Cardinals averaged over five yards per carry in 2019.
The Cardinals re-upped Murray on his low-cost exclusive rights free agent tender earlier this year, and they’ve rewarded him with a fresh deal midway through the 2020 season. No longer serving as the Cardinals’ starting right tackle, Murray now backstops Kelvin Beachum at RT while also supporting J.R. Sweezy at right guard.
This week, the Cardinals will look to advance to 3-1 when they face the Panthers in Carolina.
Cardinals Add T.J. Ward To Practice Squad
The Cardinals have signed veteran safety T.J. Ward to their practice squad, per a club announcement. With injuries throughout the position group, it might not be long before Ward is called up to the varsity squad. 
The Cardinals’ safety group has been ravaged by injuries. Jalen Thompson is on IR, Budda Baker is still healing up from thumb surgery, and Chris Banjo is questionable due to a hamstring pull, which could put Ward on the field for this week’s game against the Panthers. The Cardinals may also have to get creative by moving versatile rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons to the secondary.
Ward played three seasons with the Broncos, serving as one of the anchors for Denver’s No Fly Zone Super Bowl-winning secondary. He missed the 53-man cut in Vance Joseph‘s first year as the team’s head coach — now, he’s set to play for him in Arizona.
Ward, 33, has not played since the 2017 season. In his last stop with the Buccaneers, Ward registered 30 tackles and three passes defended in 12 games (five starts). Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 58th among eligible safeties.
Budda Baker To Undergo Surgery
The Cardinals‘ defensive resurgence will be tested this week. Budda Baker is dealing with a torn thumb UCL, and Kliff Kingsbury expects the high-priced safety to undergo surgery soon, Howard Balzer of SI.com notes. Baker is expected to miss at least Sunday’s game against the Panthers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, but given that this injury sidelined Drew Brees five weeks and will shelve Jalen Reagor longer, a multiweek absence would not be surprising. Baker confirmed surgery is in the cards (Twitter link). The fourth-year safety, however, played all but one of the Cards’ defensive snaps against the Lions — despite having sustained this injury previously.
The Cardinals‘ defensive resurgence will be tested this week. Budda Baker is dealing with a torn thumb UCL, and Kliff Kingsbury expects the high-priced safety to undergo surgery soon, Howard Balzer of SI.com notes. Baker is expected to miss at least Sunday’s game against the Panthers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, but given that this injury sidelined Drew Brees five weeks and will shelve Jalen Reagor longer, a multiweek absence would not be surprising. Baker confirmed surgery is in the cards (Twitter link). The fourth-year safety, however, played all but one of the Cards’ defensive snaps against the Lions — despite having sustained this injury previously.
An interesting name has surfaced as a possible replacement. The Cardinals brought in T.J. Ward for a workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ward interestingly played three seasons with the Broncos, serving as one of the anchors for Denver’s No Fly Zone Super Bowl-winning secondary, but did not make their 53-man roster in Vance Joseph‘s first year as the team’s head coach. The then-Joseph-led Broncos cut the veteran safety in 2017, leading Ward to the Buccaneers. Joseph is now the Cardinals’ DC. Ward, 33, has not played since the 2017 season.
Injury Notes: Baker, Thomas, Hunter
Cardinals star safety Budda Baker is playing through a torn UCL in his thumb, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Baker plans to play in Arizona’s game against the Lions this afternoon and then undergo surgery this week. Although the same injury sidelined Saints QB Drew Brees for six weeks last season, Baker obviously does not have to throw the football and believes he will miss only the Cardinals’ Week 4 contest against the Panthers before returning to the field to take on the Jets in Week 5.
Now for more injury-related news regarding a few of the league’s high-profile players:
- There has been a great deal of talk about Brees’ struggles early this season, but the Saints‘ signal-caller may soon have his top target back. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has looked good in workouts and is eyeing a Week 4 return, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
- The Vikings need a boost on both sides of the ball, and they are clearly missing DE Danielle Hunter. As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, Hunter, who is dealing with a herniated disc in his neck, is eligible to come off IR next week but is unlikely to be ready to return by then. However, he is regaining strength, and the team remains optimistic that he will be back this season.
- Titans WR A.J. Brown is dealing with a bone bruise in his knee, and the injury is a significant one, according to Schefter (via Twitter). Brown’s knee has not responded as well to treatment as the team had hoped, and he might end up missing more than just this afternoon’s game against Minnesota.
- More difficult news for Tennessee. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson is eligible to come off IR this week, but Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com hears that Jackson may not be sufficiently recovered from his knee injury for that to happen (Twitter link). It’s unclear how much additional time the 2017 first-rounder will miss.
- 49ers WR Deebo Samuel is likely to return to practice this week, as Rapoport notes (via Twitter). Samuel will be eased into action, and while he probably won’t play in Week 4, the Niners’ top wideout is expected back for the team’s Week 5 bout with the Dolphins.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: LB Deon Lacey
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB A.J. Green
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB LeVante Bellamy, CB Kevin Toliver
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: TE John Lovett, WR Darrius Shepherd
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: LB Matthew Adams
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: LB Kyle Emanuel, CB Madre Harper
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Nick Thurman, WR Isaiah Zuber
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Bennie Fowler, DL Margus Hunt
- Placed on IR: RB Ty Montgomery
- Waived: OL Will Clapp
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Johnny Holton
New York Jets
- Promoted: Lawrence Cager, OL Jimmy Murray
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Deontay Burnett
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: OL Hroniss Grasu, RB JaMycal Hasty, LB Joe Walker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: WR Cameron Batson
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: G Joshua Garnett, LB Jared Norris
Christian Kirk To Miss Week 3
- As the Cardinals look for their first 3-0 start in five years, Kyler Murray will be without one of his top three receivers. Christian Kirk did not practice this week and is out with a groin injury. The third-year wideout has three receptions for 57 yards this season.