NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/22/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tyler Patmon
- Cut: DT Bruce Gaston
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby, WR Dres Anderson
- Cut: Darius Jennings
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LS Tyler Ott
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Derrick Mathews
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE E.J. Bibbs
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Randell Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Marcus Ball
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Zac Brooks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Mike Liedtke, CB Cody Riggs, WR Myles White
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough
Cardinals Sign Sio Moore
The Cardinals announced (via Twitter) that they have signed linebacker Sio Moore. In a related move, the team cut fellow linebacker Joplo Bartu with an injury settlement (hamstring).
Moore, a 2013 third-round pick, will be joining his third team of the season. The linebacker started the season with the Colts, compiling 30 tackles in four games. However, Moore was waived in early October. The 26-year-old soon caught on with the Chiefs, but he was released in early November without making a single appearance with the squad. The three-year veteran also got an audition with the Lions in early November.
The defender showed plenty of promise during his first two seasons in the league, as he averaged 70 tackles and nearly four sacks with the Raiders. Moore’s tenure with Oakland ended when he was traded to the Colts for a sixth-round pick. Moore will be joining a Cardinals linebacker corps that already features Alex Okafor, Kareem Martin, and Zaviar Gooden in reserve roles.
Bartu, 27, played seven games for the Cardinals this season. He hasn’t made a significant NFL contribution since 2014, when he collected 82 tackles in 14 starts for the Falcons.
Tyrann Mathieu On Verge Of Return
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim thinks “there’s a good chance” safety Tyrann Mathieu plays Sunday in Atlanta (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com). Mathieu’s been out since October with a shoulder injury.
Cardinals Promote Zaviar Gooden
- The Cardinals have placed linebacker Gabe Martin on injured reserve with a knee injury and promoted LB Zaviar Gooden from the practice squad, according to a team announcement. Martin had only played 19 defensive snaps on the season, but had been a force on special teams, where he’d played on 64% of Arizona’s plays. Like Poutasi, Gooden is a former Titans third-round pick, having been drafted in 2013.
NFL Execs On Tony Romo’s Trade Value
The Cowboys insist that Tony Romo is still a part of their plans going forward, but that hasn’t stopped speculation on whether Romo could be traded this offseason and what his price tag could be. Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports checked in with a handful of NFL executives to gauge Romo’s trade value and got a wide range of answers. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Organization Torn On Romo, Prescott]
One GM feels the Cowboys could get as much as a second-round pick, provided that the Romo could pass a physical. Another executive predicted the Cowboys could ask for a second or third. Another said a third was the absolute max Dallas could get. Other responses ranged from a sixth-round choice to a conditional late-round pick.
“Imagine me going to [the owner] and saying, ‘Listen, I’m going to make a trade for a 36-year-old that’s got back issues that’s a backup,’ ” one anonymous GM said. “He’d be like, ‘You’re crazy.’ ”
Of course, it’s hard to peg Romo’s value without having a good handle on his health or the quarterback landscape in the offseason. Romo’s market would vary depending on which teams needed a quarterback and exactly how desperate they are. As I have noted before, this year’s draft class is pretty thin at QB, and that could help the Cowboys’ case if they choose to deal their one-time franchise star.
The executives mentioned the Jets, Broncos, Cardinals (if they were to dump Carson Palmer) and Bears as possible suitors. The 49ers need a QB, but as Pelissero notes, Romo isn’t a great fit for Chip Kelly‘s offense.
Cardinals, WR Jaron Brown Agree To Extension
Cardinals wide receiver Jaron Brown is done for the 2016 season, but he’ll still be in the team’s plans for 2017. The Cardinals and Brown agreed to a one-year extension, according to a source who spoke with Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). 
Brown was shut down for the year after suffering a torn ACL last month. The timing was unfortunate as Brown had been given an opportunity for more playing time in the wake of John Brown‘s bout with sickle-cell trait. Prior to suffering the injury, Jaron Brown had been a more prominent part of the Cardinals’ offense this season compared to previous years. He had already tied his 16-game reception total from last season (11) and amassed 22 targets – one fewer than his 2015 amount. He also averaged an impressive 17.0 yards per catch and added a touchdown over the Cardinals’ first seven games.
The Cardinals have made a point to stick by their players and they have been extension-happy all year. In August, the team extended veterans Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer despite their age and advanced mileage. The Cards also paid Tyrann Mathieu handsomely on a long term deal despite his own ACL injury. As a player-friendly organization, the Cardinals have likely established themselves as a preferred destination for free agents going forward.
Cardinals Re-Sign Drew Butler
- The Cardinals announced re-signed punter Drew Butler and cut Ryan Quigley. Butler was previously released with an injury settlement by Arizona on October 4 following a calf issue, but now he’s back in the fold.
Injury For Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald?
Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald told San Francisco cornerback Jimmie Ward he tore “something” in the second quarter of yesterday’s game (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com). Fitzgerald will have an MRI today to determine the severity of his injury.
Tyrann Mathieu Recovering Quickly
- Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu is recovering rapidly from an Oct. 30 shoulder injury and could return much quicker than the original three- to six-week timeline, head coach Bruce Arians said Tuesday (via the Associated Press). While Arians isn’t sure if Mathieu will play against the 49ers on Sunday, he did reveal that the 2015 first-team All-Pro is “real close.” Given that Arizona had a bye last week, it’s possible Mathieu’s shoulder issue won’t end up costing him any games.
Antrel Rolle Retires From NFL
Antrel Rolle has officially announced his retirement from the NFL. In an appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football (Twitter link), the veteran said that he has moved on from football. 
“I’m at total peace with that,” Rolle said of his decision to retire. “Going out, you’re 33 years old and you go on injured reserve last year. That’s going to scare a lot of teams away. I understand how the business works and I’m fine with that either way.”
In the late spring, PFR ranked Rolle as the seventh-best defensive free agent still on the board, ahead of other notable defensive backs such as Antonio Cromartie, Cortland Finnegan, and Will Allen. However, his market never really developed. Rolle expressed an interest in reuniting to the Giants and the Dolphins were reportedly keeping Rolle’s number handy in case Reshad Jones made good on his holdout threats. Ultimately, there was no deal made in New York, Miami, or anywhere else.
An 11-year NFL veteran who earned three Pro Bowl nods during his time with the Cardinals and Giants, Rolle was an average player in 2015, grading out as the No. 39 safety in the league among 89 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. While he didn’t post any interceptions during his seven contests with Chicago, Rolle did register 30 tackles while defensing one pass.
All in all, Rolle enjoyed a long and successful career and that he can look back on fondly. During his announcement today, he indicated that he would like to serve as a TV analyst now that his playing days are over.