NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Ty’Son Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry
- Released: CB Ka’dar Hollman
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DB Ja’Marcus Ingram, WR KeeSean Johnson
- Released: WR Jaquarii Roberson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: TE Seth Green
- Released: LS Tucker Addington
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LS Mitchell Fraboni
- Released: WR Darrius Shepherd, WR Vyncint Smith
Detroit Lions
- Signed: K Sam Ficken
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Micah Dew-Treadway, OT K.C. McDermott
- Released: TE Nick Eubanks
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OL Ty Nsekhe
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: DL Israel Antwine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Tyler Hall, WR Tyron Johnson
- Released: DB Darren Evans
New England Patriots
- Released: OL Sebastian Gutierrez
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/KR Diontae Spencer
- Released: OL Grant Hermanns
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB David Anenih
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT T.Y. McGill, K Sam Sloman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Ulysees Gilbert
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR: LB Julian Stanford
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LB Matt Adams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DE Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Thomas Graham
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OLB Jonathan Kongbo
Houston Texans
- Released from IR: DB Kendall Sheffield
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: OL Ben Bartch, LB K’Lavon Chaisson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: WR Albert Wilson
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: RB Jake Funk
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed of Titans practice squad: DB Theo Jackson
- Placed on IR: RB Ty Chandler
New England Patriots
- Waived: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: DT D.J. Davidson
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: RB Marlon Mack
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Xavier Crawford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: LB Genard Avery
- Released from IR: RB Kenjon Barner
Ravens Sign WR Andy Isabella To Practice Squad
OCTOBER 10: Putting an end to the confusion on this matter, the Ravens confirmed on Monday that they have indeed signed Isabella to the taxi squad. In a corresponding move, the team waived fellow wideout Bailey Gaither.
OCTOBER 9: SI’s Howard Balzer tweets that the Ravens have not, in fact, signed Isabella at this time. No agreement has been reported between he and any other team, though, so the underwhelming WR may still end up in Charm City. Regardless, this situation will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
OCTOBER 5: It didn’t take long for Andy Isabella to find his new squad. The free agent wideout will be signing with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). He’ll be joining Baltimore’s practice squad, per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter).
Isabella was a second-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2019, and he spent his first three-plus seasons with the organization. After finishing the 2021 campaign with only one reception and starting the 2022 season with a pair of catches, the receiver was waived by Arizona earlier this week. He ultimately went unclaimed, allowing him to sign with any squad.
The 25-year-old figured to be a popular name on the free agent circuit, but that was mostly due to his draft stock and remaining potential. The wideout showed a bit of a promise during his first two seasons in the NFL, when he hauled in 30 receptions for 413 yards and three scores in 28 games. Isabella also had brief cameos in the return game.
In Baltimore, he’ll likely have to fight for reps. Even if you ignore the Ravens’ running backs and tight ends, the team still has plenty of receivers who deserve snaps, including Rashod Bateman (who is questionable for this weekend) and Devin Duvernay. Isabella will join a depth chart that also features Demarcus Robinson, Tylan Wallace, and James Proche.
Titans Place WR Treylon Burks On IR
Treylon Burks will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks. The Titans rookie wideout has been placed on injured reserve, according to Jim Wyatt of the team’s website.
The first-round rookie was injured during the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s win over the Colts. Burks was carted off the field and was later diagnosed with a turf toe injury. He had already been ruled out for this weekend, but the team is now sidelining him through the end of the month.
Following a standout career at Arkansas that saw him earn first-team All-SEC in 2021, Burks was selected with the 18th-overall pick in this year’s draft…the selection the Titans acquired after dealing A. J. Brown to the Eagles. Burks was relatively productive in his first two games, hauling in seven of his 11 targets for 102 yards. While he saw an uptick in offensive snaps during Week 3 and Week 4, he was limited to only three catches between the two games.
Veteran receiver Robert Woods will still guide the receivers room, but the team will have to dig into their depth chart for some reinforcement. Tennessee is also rostering the likes of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Cody Hollister, and rookie Kyle Philips, with veteran Josh Gordon among the WRs on the Titans practice squad.
Meanwhile, the Titans have activated linebacker Monty Rice from the PUP to the active roster. The 2021 third-round pick had 30 tackles in 10 games (four starts) as a rookie, but his season ended early thanks to an ankle injury. He landed on PUP to start the 2022 campaign. The Titans also promoted receiver Dez Fitzpatrick and linebacker Joe Schobert from the practice squad.
Cowboys OL Jason Peters Could Miss A Few Weeks
It doesn’t sound like Jason Peters will be taking the field this weekend. Despite being listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s game, the Cowboys lineman will definitively not play against the Rams, tweets Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In fact, the offensive lineman could be out for a few weeks.
Peters is reportedly dealing with a chest injury, and while it’s uncertain when he suffered the ailment, Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com points out that the veteran lineman wasn’t on the injury report on Wednesday or Thursday.
The 40-year-old joined the Cowboys practice squad in early September and was promoted to the active roster later that month. With left tackle Tyron Smith sidelined with a hamstring injury, Peters saw an increased role between Week 3 and Week 4. After playing in 22 percent of his team’s offensive snaps against the Giants, he saw 34 percent of the snaps against the Commanders. Williams notes that Peters was expected to take on an ever bigger role in upcoming games, with the veteran expected to spell starting guards Connor McGovern and Zack Martin.
Of course, Peters has plenty of experience at offensive tackle, with the veteran having seen the majority of his 230 career games at LT. After more than a decade with the Eagles, Peters spent the 2021 season with the Bears, where he started all 15 of his games. Despite getting up there in age, Pro Football Focus still ranked him among the NFL’s best offensive tackles last year.
“Increasing Communication Issues” Between Panthers HC Matt Rhule, OC Ben McAdoo
The Panthers continue to struggle, and we’re now learning of some inner turmoil within the locker room. League sources tell Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com that “there have been increasing communication issues” between head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.
[RELATED: Latest On Panthers HC Matt Rhule’s Job Status]
Considering the Panthers’ offensive struggles, it’s not a surprise that eyes have shifted to McAdoo. The former Giants head coach joined Carolina’s staff this offseason as offensive coordinator, replacing Joe Brady. The team’s QB situation was uncertain through much of the offseason, with the organization ultimately settling on Baker Mayfield to take over for Sam Darnold under center. Despite the underwhelming options at quarterback, the Panthers still had some top playmakers in running back Christian McCaffrey and wideout DJ Moore.
Well, things haven’t necessarily gone as planned. Through four weeks, the Panthers rank last in the NFL in plays per game (53.5) and third-down conversion rate (25.5 percent), two stats that don’t put the coaching staff in the best light. So, while McAdoo “attempts to direct an offense that is struggling” and “is working to fix what appears to be a dire situation,” he’s apparently receiving conflicting information or directives from his head coach.
“Well, when you look at it, I was brought in here to make an impact, right? And it hasn’t happened yet,” McAdoo said recently (via Wilson). “Now, that doesn’t mean we’re discouraged. We’re four games in, right? So, we got another game this week, and we’re excited at the opportunity we have this week, and we have a tremendous opponent coming in here this week.”
Things aren’t going to get easier for the Panthers this weekend, as the team faces off against a 49ers defense that’s allowed the fewest points per game this season.
Commanders Activate RB Brian Robinson To 53-Man Roster
Brian Robinson is in line to make his NFL debut tomorrow. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that the Commanders have activated the rookie running back from the non-football injury list. Robinson returned to practice earlier this week.
The third-round rookie suffered multiple gunshot wounds in an attempted carjacking at the end of August. The gunshots hit his hip and knee, though there was no serious damage to his ligaments, tendons, or bones, leading to optimism that Robinson would be back this season. The RB quickly provided some optimism when he was seen doing footwork and agility drills in the middle of September. His stay on PUP ended up being a short one, and after opening his practice window earlier this week, Washington will now welcome the rook to the 53-man roster.
Robinson was impressive through the spring and in training camp, leading some to wonder if he could be in line for first-team reps. The rookie saw a significant workload early on in the preseason, and he joined many of the team’s bona fide starters on the sideline for the team’s preseason finale.
It will be interesting to see how much work Robinson gets in a crowded backfield that also features Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic. After topping 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two seasons, Gibson has earned the start in each of Washington’s first four games this year. After hitting 130 yards from scrimmage in Week 1, Gibson has been limited to only 144 offensive yards over the past three weeks. He snap count has also continued to drop, leading some to wonder if he could be eyeing a reduced role with Robinson back in the lineup. McKissic, meanwhile, continues to serve in his standard pass-catching role, hauling in 17 catches through the first four weeks.
“You’ve got a good group of backs that rotate through and you try to find the matchups that you can exploit,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said recently (via ESPN’s John Keim).
Robinson had a successful career at Alabama, including a breakout 2021 campaign where he finished with 1,343 rushing yards and 296 receiving yards. Thanks to his performance, he ended up being the sixth RB off the draft board when he was selected by Washington in the third round (No. 98) of this year’s draft.
Jets OL Duane Brown, DE Vinny Curry Return To Practice
OCTOBER 7: Brown looks ready to be the Jets’ first IR activation this season. The 15th-year tackle said he is “good to go” for a Week 5 debut against the Dolphins, via the Associated Press’ Dennis Waszak Jr. (on Twitter). Robert Saleh said Brown would be a game-time decision. The Jets would need to move Brown off IR by Saturday afternoon’s deadline to give them the chance to start or sit the veteran. All signs point to that happening.
OCTOBER 5: The Jets will soon be getting some help on both sides of the ball. The team announced that they’ve designated offensive tackle Duane Brown and defensive end Vinny Curry to return from injured reserve.
Curry signed with the Jets prior to the 2021 season, but he missed his first season in New York after getting diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. He re-upped with the organization this offseason but a hamstring injury delayed his return to the field. During his last two healthy seasons with Philly in 2019 and 2020, he collected eight sacks in 27 games.
Brown landed on injured reserve right before Week 1 after suffering a shoulder injury in practice. The veteran was originally brought in to replace Mekhi Becton, who was previously lost for the season with a knee injury. The team later lost George Fant, whose versatility was key at the start of the season, to a knee injury that will keep him off the field until late November. Once Brown is ready to return to the lineup, he’ll provide some stability to what has been an uncertain offensive line.
The team did get some good news on the injury front regarding Max Mitchell, who was carted off the field during Sunday’s win over the Steelers. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the rookie lineman avoided a season-ending knee injury. Mitchell suffered a “dislocation,” however, and he’s set to miss a handful of weeks.
Thanks to the rotating chairs on the OL, Mitchell’s injury means guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will likely continue to start at offensive tackle for the time being. Assuming Brown isn’t ready to go this weekend, the team will have to reach further into their bag at OT, with Conor McDermott, Cedric Ogbuehi, and Mike Remmers all options to start (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter).
Giants QB Daniel Jones To Play In Week 5
OCTOBER 7: Jones will play against the Packers in London. The Giants took the fourth-year quarterback off their injury report. The Giants ruled out Taylor, however. Webb will back up Jones.
OCTOBER 6: The Giants will be without four starters this weekend. Wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott did not make the flight to London for Sunday’s game against the Packers.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), Golladay suffered a sprained MCL during Sunday’s win over the Bears. It sounds like this would be a temporary absence for the veteran wideout, although the Giants won’t have any extra time following their trip across the Atlantic. Despite earning his first start of the season on Sunday, Golladay still isn’t a major factor in the Giants’ offense. Through four appearances, he’s hauled in two catches on six targets.
Toney has been dealing with a hamstring injury that’s forced him to miss the past two games. There was some optimism that he could return this weekend after he was a limited participant on Wednesday, but he didn’t practice today.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said today (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “He’s practiced hard when he’s practicing. It’s unfortunate, but he’s one of those guys that does everything we asked and is working his tail off in the training room and in the meeting rooms. He does a great job with that.”
There is some good news on the injury front. Per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com, Daniel Jones is “trending in the right direction” for this weekend. The QB has been a limited participant this week while nursing an ankle injury, but he made the flight to London and is expected to give it a go. With backup Tyrod Taylor likely sidelined with a concussion, the Giants will probably promote Davis Webb from their practice squad for some extra depth.
Steelers Hoping T.J. Watt Can Return Week 6
T.J. Watt‘s return should be coming sooner than later, and it sounds like the organization is targeting a specific return date. According to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, the Steelers are optimistic that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year could be back on the field for Week 6 against the Buccaneers.
[RELATED: Steelers To Place T.J. Watt On IR]
This is the earliest possible date for Watt’s return after the Steelers placed him on injured reserve in mid-September. When Watt first suffered his injury, it was uncertain if he’d even be able to return this season. We later learned that his pectoral injury wasn’t as severe as initially believed, but it wasn’t a slam dunk that he’d be good to go after only four weeks on IR. Ultimately, it sounds like he’s speeding toward that lofty target, and for what it’s worth, La Canfora writes that Watt has been pushing to return as soon as possible.
Watt suffered the injury in Week 1 after collecting six tackles, three tackles for loss, and an interception. He had 72 sacks through his first five seasons with Pittsburgh, including 37.5 sacks over the past two years alone. The Steelers haven’t won since losing Watt to injury, losing each of their past three games after winning the season opener.
Since Watt went down with his injury, Alex Highsmith has stepped up as the team’s top pass rusher, collecting 5.5 sacks through four games. Malik Reed has also seen an uptick in snaps, culminating in him earning two straight starts. Reed collected 13 sacks for Denver between 2020 and 2021, so the Steelers will be eyeing some significant pass-rushing depth once their top guy returns to the lineup.