Latest On Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush
Jerry Jones stirred the pot recently when he said he’d welcome a quarterback controversy between Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. However, the Cowboys owner and GM quickly walked back his comments, stating definitively that Rush won’t supplant Prescott as the starter going forward.
[RELATED: Dak Prescott Targeting Week 5 Return]
“No. No,” Jones replied when asked if there was a scenario where the team would opt for Rush over Prescott (per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram). “As I see it right today.”
Rush has guided the Cowboys to three consecutive victories, and he’ll likely earn another start this weekend as Dak continues to recover from his hand injury. Jones noted that Prescott still can’t grip a football despite having his stitches removed more than a week ago. Considering the team’s public stance that their starter would need a week of practice before returning to the field, Hill opines that Prescott won’t be ready for this weekend’s showdown against the Rams.
The Cowboys never placed the QB on the injured reserve, leading some to believe he’d be able to make a return to the lineup before Week 6. Prescott himself stated that he was eyeing a Week 5 return date. It sounds like that won’t be the case, but that doesn’t bother Jones or the organization. Instead, the team sounds content with Dak making his return on October 16 against the Eagles.
“Well, I know that it’s better, and I know that he’s going to go out there every day and make progress toward being able to grip the ball,” Jones said. “I don’t know that you could ask for better news technically, physically in how it’s responding, how it’s healing so to speak. And, so, all of those things are on go, and I don’t know that you could make any more progress. There’s some things here about healing that I often say only the man upstairs knows how that works. But he’ll have a big week and he’ll be hard on himself getting ready to go.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: K Taylor Bertolet
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Ryan Connelly
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Wyatt Ray
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/22
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: LB Jonathan Kongbo
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: RB Phillip Lindsay (story), DT Chris Williams
49ers S Jimmie Ward, CB Jason Verrett Return To Practice
The 49ers will soon get some reinforcement in their secondary. Safety Jimmie Ward and cornerback Jason Verrett returned to practice today, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). ESPN’s Nick Wagoner tweeted yesterday that the duo was expected to return to practice. The team later announced that the duo has been designated to return.
Verrett suffered a torn ACL during Week 1 of the 2021 campaign. He landed on PUP to start the 2022 regular season, and he’ll now have three weeks to show he’s ready to return. The 31-year-old has only had one relatively healthy campaign in three-plus years with the 49ers, as he was limited to only one game in 2019 thanks to an ankle injury. He started 13 games for San Francisco in 2020, finishing with 60 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Cornerbacks Charvarius Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, and slot Deommodore Lenoir played 100 percent of San Francisco’s defensive snaps on Monday. Verrett probably won’t knock any of them out of the starting lineup, but he’ll help provide some experienced depth at the position.
Ward suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason, landing him on injured reserve. The 2014 first-round pick struggled with injuries early in his career but has been pretty healthy recently, missing only six games for the 49ers between 2019 and 2021. Last year, he started a career-high 16 games and finished with 77 tackles and two interceptions.
Both Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson have filled in nicely for the veteran safety to start the 2022 campaign. Hufanga, a 2021 fifth-round pick, would likely be knocked to a backup role with Ward back in the lineup, although he’s ranked as PFF’s second-best safety in the NFL this year (among 82 qualifying players).
Panthers Place S Jeremy Chinn On IR
The Panthers have lost one of their top defenders for at least the next four weeks. The team announced that safety Jeremy Chinn has landed on injured reserve. Veteran Juston Burris was signed off the practice squad to take the open roster spot.
Chinn led all rookies with 117 tackles in 2020, and he ended up finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He followed that up with 107 tackles during his sophomore campaign, making him only the third player in franchise history to top 100 tackles in each of their first two seasons (along with Luke Kuechly and Jon Beason).
The 24-year-old started each of Carolina’s first four games this season, collecting 20 tackles and one sack. Pro Football Focus also graded him as one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing safeties this year. He appeared in only six snaps on Sunday before exiting the contest with a hamstring injury.
Chinn’s versatility will be hard to replace; besides safety, he’s also lined up at safety, linebacker, and in the slot this season. However, Burris at least provides six years of NFL experience, and the veteran even started 20 games for the Panthers over the past two years. He re-signed with the organization this offseason but was cut at the end of the preseason. He subsequently landed on the Panthers practice squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: G Koda Martin
- Placed on IR: OL Lachavious Simmons
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Jaleel Johnson
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Bailey Gaither
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Richard LeCounte III
Detroit Lions
- Signed: K Michael Badgley
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Davion Davis, TE Nick Eubanks
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Dezmon Patmon
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Keelan Doss
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Mike Brown
New England Patriots
- Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Bryce Thompson, WR Kevin White
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Solomon Kindley
- Released: RB Antonio Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Willie Snead
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Joey Hunt
- Released: CB Quandre Mosely
Washington Commanders
- Signed: T Christian DiLauro
- Released: CB Troy Apke
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/22
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Designated to return: CB Antonio Hamilton, QB Colt McCoy, WR Antoine Wesley
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated to return: CB Isaiah Oliver
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated to return: DE Khalid Kareem, CB Cam Taylor-Britt
Cleveland Browns
- Designated to return: CB Greedy Williams
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: QB Will Grier
- Activated from IR: LB Damone Clark
- Placed on IR: LS Jake McQuaide
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: WR Tom Kennedy
- Designated to return: CB Jerry Jacobs, DE Josh Paschal
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return: S Clayton Fejedelem
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DL Khyiris Tonga
- Waived: LB Ryan Connelly
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: OT Marcus Cannon
- Designated to return: WR Tyquan Thornton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: TE J.P. Holtz
- Designated to return: DL Malcolm Roach
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated to return: OT Andre Dillard
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated to return: DE L.J. Collier
Tennessee Titans
- Designated to return: LB Monty Rice
Washington Commanders
- Designated to return: C Tyler Larsen
A number of players who were placed on IR after the preseason and prior to the regular season returned to practice today. These players will have a three-week practice window until they have to be activated to the active roster. Otherwise, they’ll be ineligible to return this season.
One of the most surprising returns is Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton. The former undrafted free agent rode a strong preseason to a potential starting gig, but he was sidelined with second-degree burns after spilling hot oil on his legs and feet. Kliff Kingsbury previously said an early-October return may be a “little aggressive” (per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss on Twitter), but the cornerback ended up working his way back to practice.
Texans Sticking With QB Davis Mills
Davis Mills has struggled to build on a surprisingly strong rookie campaign. The Texans quarterback has tossed four interceptions over the past two weeks, leading some to wonder if his starting job could be in jeopardy. However, head coach Lovie Smith was quick to dismiss that notion, noting the QB’s ability to keep them in Sunday’s loss to the Chargers.
“We’re not making a change at the quarterback position,” Smith said (h/t to Texans Wire). “The things we’ve talked about is with Davis leading us and whatever Davis and everyone, coaches, what we all need to do better. Did I just tell you we were in the fourth quarter? Do you know who our quarterback was that led us in position to take the lead there at the end? Davis Mills. He’s our quarterback.”
The 2021 third-round pick surprised many during his rookie campaign, completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Through four games this season, Mills has completed only 62 percent of his passes for 908 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions while guiding his squad to the NFL’s worst record (0-3-1).
The Texans had some uncertainty at the position prior to the Deshaun Watson trade, but despite opportunities to add to the position, the team decided to stick with their second-year quarterback. It would have been surprising to see the Texans move on from the youngster this early in the campaign, no matter the struggles. Plus, it’s not like Houston has many inspiring options behind him, with Kyle Allen serving as the QB2 and Jeff Driskel sitting on the practice squad.
Elsewhere in Houston, the team made a bit of a surprising move today when they cut tight end Pharaoh Brown, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com on Twitter. Brown inked a one-year, $3MM deal with the Texans this offseason, and he started each of the Texans first three games this season. After hauling in seven catches, Brown was inactive for Week 4 while dealing with hip and shoulder injuries. This move probably indicates that Brevin Jordan, who has missed two-straight games with an ankle issue, will be ready to return to a crowded TE room that also includes Jordan Akins and O.J. Howard.
Giants Place CB Aaron Robinson On IR
Aaron Robinson will miss at least the next four games. The Giants announced today that they’ve placed the cornerback on injured reserve.
It’s been a tough go for the second-year player. Robinson missed Week 2 and Week 3 while recovering from an appendectomy. He returned to the starting lineup for Week 4 and got into 10 defensive snaps before suffering a knee injury in the second quarter. That injury will ultimately cost Robinson the next month-plus.
The 24-year-old defensive back was a third-round pick by the Giants in last year’s draft. He started two of his nine games as a rookie, finishing with 26 tackles and three passes defended. He also missed a chunk of the season while recovering from core muscle surgery.
Robinson was set for a starting role in 2022, and he collected five tackles and one pass defended while appearing in 95 percent of New York’s defensive snaps in Week 1. He had one tackle before exiting Sunday’s game.
Rookie Cordale Flott (calf) and backup Nick McCloud (hamstring) are currently sidelined with their own injuries, so the Giants will have to dig deep for reinforcement at cornerback. The team recently signed Fabian Moreau off the practice squad, and there’s a good chance he’ll slide into the starting lineup opposite Adoree Jackson. The team could also turn to special-teamer Justin Layne or safety Jason Pinnock.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Jordan Miller, DT Justin Zimmer
- Released DT C.J. Brewer, DT Prince Emili
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Jalyn Holmes
- Released: K Michael Badgley
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Sam Kamara
- Released: DE Curtis Weaver
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Signed: Davion Davis
- Released: WR Chris Conley
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: WR Corey Coleman
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Blake Martinez
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: WR Travis Toivonen, DL Jaylen Twyman
New England Patriots
- Signed: QB Garrett Gilbert
- Released: WR Laquon Treadwell
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Jordan Brown, RB Adam Prentice
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: K Cameron Dicker
- Released: TE Dalton Keene
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OL Ryan McCollum, DB Scott Nelson
- Released: P Jordan Berry, WR Jaquarii Roberson
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: CB Quandre Mosely
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Shyheim Carter, RB Julius Chestnut
- Released: OL Christian DiLauro
Washington Commanders
- Signed: G Keaton Sutherland
- Released: C Jon Toth