Injury Updates: Colts, McCaffrey, Broncos, 49ers
It’s been a tough day for the NFL, with a slew of high profile players going down with serious injuries. We’ve brought you all the season-ending ones already, and now we’ve got some updates on some hopefully less long-term but still significant injuries. Colts receiver Parris Campbell had to be carted off with a knee injury, but fortunately Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that he did not tear his ACL.
Campbell’s 2019 rookie season was plagued by injuries as he dealt with a sports hernia, a broken hand, and a broken foot, so this was especially tough to see. He was supposed to play a big role in this Colts offense, and showed a nice connection with new quarterback Philip Rivers in Week 1. The Ohio State product and former second-round pick will have an MRI on Monday, and it seems like an MCL injury could be likely.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey sprained his ankle and will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity, Rapoport tweets. Fortunately, Rapsheet reports that the “initial hope” is it’s not too serious. Needless to say, it would be a massive loss for Carolina’s offense if he’s forced to miss any time.
- We heard earlier today that Drew Lock would miss multiple games with an AC joint injury in his throwing shoulder. While he agrees with the prognosis of multiple weeks missed, multiple sources told Mike Klis of Denver 9 News that the injury is not in fact to the AC joint (Twitter link). The bad news is that Klis also reports there is “concern” within the organization about Courtland Sutton‘s knee, but that nothing more will be known until tomorrow morning. The Broncos have been besieged by injuries, and can’t seem to catch a break in that regard.
- The Falcons blew a huge lead late for an absolutely gutting loss to the Cowboys, and the bad news doesn’t end there. The team fears starting right tackle Kaleb McGary has sprained his MCL, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The MRI Monday will confirm how long he’ll be out, but this sounds like a multi-week absence. McGary has started every game since the team drafted him in the first-round last year, and this is the last thing this 0-2 Atlanta team needed.
- Nick Bosa is done for the year with a torn ACL, and two other 49ers players are dealing with knee injuries. Running back Raheem Mostert is believed to have a mild MCL sprain and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas is believed to have a “serious” knee injury, according to tweets from Schefter. It sounds like both are going to miss time, although Mostert’s shouldn’t be too long-term and Schefter notes that Thomas’ didn’t have the initial grim clarity of Bosa’s, which could be a good sign. San Francisco has been another team bit hard by the injury bug.
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Cap management has been extra complicated in the NFL this year. After ~70 NFL players opted out of the 2020 season, teams were left with holes and plenty of available dollars to fill the gaps. At first, the ongoing uncertainty over next year’s salary cap had teams nervous about large-scale commitments. Now, it seems like we’re getting back to business as usual.
Recent deals for Saints star Alvin Kamara, Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and others demonstrate the league’s long-term confidence. In turn, we’ve seen cap figures change dramatically in September.
Here’s the rundown of each team’s estimated cap space for the 2020 season, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $33.4MM
- New York Jets – $28.6MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $27.5MM
- New England Patriots – $26.3MM
- Washington Football Team – $25.8MM
- Denver Broncos – $25.7MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars – $25.2MM
- Philadelphia Eagles – $20MM
- Detroit Lions – $18MM
- Miami Dolphins – $16.7MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $14.2MM
- Los Angeles Chargers – $11.8MM
- Cincinnati Bengals – $11.6MM
- Arizona Cardinals – $11.4MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $11.3MM
- San Francisco 49ers – $11.2MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $10.9MM
- Chicago Bears – $9.9MM
- New York Giants – $9.6MM
- Houston Texans – $9.6MM
- Tennessee Titans – $9.4MM
- New Orleans Saints – $8.8MM
- Green Bay Packers – $8.7MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $7.7MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $7.4MM
- Carolina Panthers – $6.9MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $6.6MM
- Buffalo Bills – $6.5MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $6.2MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $3.7MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $3.3MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $2MM
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: CB Josh Hawkins
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DB Steven Parker, CB Rashard Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Kareem Martin
- Released: DE Jonathan Wynn
Houston Texans
- Signed: G Cordel Iwuagwu
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: K Matt Gay
- Released: DE Gerri Green
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Reid Sinnett
- Released: QB Jake Rudock
New England Patriots
- Signed: QB Jake Dolegala
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jordan Franks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Tuzar Skipper
- Released: LB Jamal Davis
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/20
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Re-signed: T John Wetzel
- Waived: T Timon Parris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DE Amani Bledsoe
- Waived: CB Torry McTyer
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed off Bears’ practice squad: LB Rashad Smith
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: T Alex Light
- Placed on IR: OL Cameron Erving, TE Blake Jarwin
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Pharaoh Brown
- Placed on IR: TE Kahale Warring
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB Asmar Bilal
- Placed on IR: LB Drue Tranquill
New York Giants
- Promoted: OL Chad Slade, S Sean Chandler
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: G Sua Opeta (story)
- Placed on IR: DE Vinny Curry, CB Craig James (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OT Jerald Hawkins
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: WR Cody Hollister
Laquon Treadwell To Join Falcons’ Practice Squad
Laquon Treadwell‘s NFL journey continues. On Monday, the former first-round pick agreed to join the Falcons’ practice squad, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
[RELATED: Falcons Cut Deone Bucannon]
Treadwell never made a mark during his time with the Vikings. The 2016 first-round pick out of Ole Miss ultimately spent four seasons in Minnesota, hauling in 65 receptions for 701 receiving yards and two scores in 53 games (16 starts). His best season came in 2018, when he set career-highs in receptions (35) and receiving yards (302). For what it’s worth, he finished the ’19 slate with a 20.4-yard-per-catch average, but did so on just nine catches.
In March, the Falcons gave Treadwell a shot on a low-cost deal. But, with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, and Olamide Zaccheaus already locked in as the top receivers, Treadwell was facing long odds from the jump. Now, he’ll wait for his next opportunity on the taxi squad.
After falling to the Seahawks in their season opener, the Falcons will look for redemption on Sunday against the Cowboys.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad updates here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Michael Dogbe
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Deone Bucannon
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Jordan Devey, DE Chris Slayton
- Released: RB Antonio Williams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Keandre Jones, G Keaton Sutherland
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Greg Senat
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Elijah McGuire, T Eric Smith
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Kerrith Whyte
- Released: WR Victor Bolden
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Robert Foster, LB De’Jon Harris
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Ibraheim Campbell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Jaryd Jones-Smith
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Corey Levin
- Released: FB Paul Quessenberry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Marcus Willoughby
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT T.Y. McGill
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush, WR John Ursua
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Cameron Batson, LB Malik Jefferson
Falcons Cut Deone Bucannon
The Falcons released former first-round pick Deone Bucannon, per a club announcement. The move frees up a roster spot for the return of defensive end Steven Means, who has been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. 
[RELATED: Falcons Cut Laquon Treadwell]
Bucannon, 28, signed with the Falcons after spending 2019 with the Buccaneers and Giants. In 14 total games, he saw limited action on defensive snaps. Bucannon was at his best in 2014, his sophomore season as a pro, when he notched 112 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception for the Cardinals. But, at this stage of his career, he profiles as a fringe player.
Means, 29, missed all of 2019 season with an Achilles injury. His 2020 camp was interrupted by his placement on the COVID-19 list, but he’ll serve as defensive end depth for the team now that he has the medical greenlight. Technically speaking, Means is one of eleven defensive ends on the Falcons’ roster, though the team is constructed to mix-and-match across the front seven.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/20
Here are Sunday’s minor moves. The players who landed on injured reserve are eligible to come off teams’ respective lists after three weeks. For 2020, teams can also activate an unlimited number of IR players — as opposed to the two-man max of 2019.
Atlanta Falcons
- Claimed (from Washington): T Timon Paris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed (from Dolphins): G Deion Calhoun
- Signed: CB Torry McTyer
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Cowboys): DE Joe Jackson
- Claimed (from Bills): DT Vincent Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: WR Ventell Bryant
- Signed: CB C.J. Goodwin, LB Justin March-Lillard
- Released: LB Joe Thomas
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: T Brent Qvale, LS Jon Weeks
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed (from Eagles): TE Noah Togiai
Las Vegas Raiders
Minnesota Vikings
- Claimed (from Giants): LB Ryan Connelly
New York Giants
- Claimed (from Chiefs): T Jackson Barton, S Adrian Colbert
- Claimed (from Browns): WR Damion Ratley
- Waived: S Sean Chandler, OL Chad Slade
- Placed on IR: LB David Mayo, S Xavier McKinney
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed (from Lions): RB Jason Huntley
- Placed on IR: S Will Parks, WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: J.J. Nelson
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed (from Titans): LB D’Andre Walker
- Waived: DB Linden Stephens
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: C A.Q. Shipley
Falcons To Carry Two QBs On Practice Squad
The Falcons agreed to add 14 players to their practice squad Sunday. Teams can re-sign players they cut to P-squads if they clear waivers after Saturday’s cuts.
Atlanta will take the unusual step of carrying two P-squad quarterbacks. The team cut both Kyle Lauletta and Kurt Benkert on Saturday, but both landed on the Falcons’ taxi squad. Teams are allowed to carry 16 players — up from 10 in 2019 — on their squads.
Benkert, who was with Atlanta in 2019, and Lauletta — a recent Giants draftee who recently joined the Falcons — will play behind active-roster QBs Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub. Here is the Falcons’ full squad:
- CB Delrick Abrams Jr.
- QB Kurt Benkert
- S Jamal Carter
- DE Austin Edwards
- WR Juwan Green
- CB Tyler Hall
- OL Sean Harlow
- CB Josh Hawkins
- QB Kyle Lauletta
- P Cameron Nizialek
- TE Jared Pinkney
- LB Edmond Robinson
- WR Chris Rowland
- OL John Wetzel
Falcons Release Laquon Treadwell, Slash Roster To 53
Here are the players the Falcons cut to trim their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit:
Waived:
- DB Delrick Abrams Jr.
- DT Hinwa Allieu
- OT Ka’John Armstrong
- QB Kurt Benkert
- DB Jamal Carter
- DB Chris Cooper
- RB Mikey Daniel
- DE Austin Edwards
- OG Justin Gooseberry
- WR Devin Gray
- WR Juwan Green
- DB Tyler Hall
- OG Sean Harlow
- DB Josh Hawkins
- OT Evin Ksiezarczyk
- OT Sailosi Latu
- QB Kyle Lauletta
- WR Jalen McCleskey
- TE Jared Pinkney
- RB Craig Reynolds
- LB Edmond Robinson
- WR Chris Rowland
- LB Ray Wilborn
Released:
- WR Laquon Treadwell
- DB J.J. Wilcox
Atlanta added Treadwell last year but did not see a considerable impact from the former first-round pick. The Vikings cut Treadwell ahead of the 2019 regular season, following the formerly coveted prospects struggles to claim a consistent role in Minnesota.
Wilcox re-signed with the Falcons a month ago. He has played for five teams but has not seen regular-season action since the 2018 season. The former Cowboys started suffered a season-ending injury last summer.
The cuts of Benkert and Lauletta leave two quarterbacks — Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub — on Atlanta’s roster. With Ryan being one of the most durable passers in the NFL, the Falcons can take advantage of an extra roster spot by keeping just two QBs.
