Broncos Sign LB Avery Williamson
Avery Williamson is heading back to Denver. The veteran linebacker is signing with the Broncos, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s uncertain whether Williamson is joining the practice squad or going straight to the active roster.
After splitting the 2020 season between the Steelers and Jets, it took Williamson until November to sign with the Broncos practice squad. He was granted his release a week later, and he ended up joining the Titans active roster. He got into two games during his second stint in Tennessee, but he only saw time on 22 special teams snaps. He was ultimately cut by the Titans last week.
Williamson spent the first four seasons of his career in Tennessee. During that time, Williamson started 59 of his 63 games, collecting 376 tackles and 11.5 sacks. The Jets gave Williamson a nice contract in 2018, signing the former fifth-round pick for three years and $22.5MM. The linebacker missed the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL, and he split the 2020 campaign between New York and Pittsburgh. He ultimately saw time in 15 games (10 starts) last season, collecting 111 tackles and one sack.
The Broncos were presumably seeking some additional linebacker depth after trading Von Miller at the trade deadline, and they’ve also got six linebackers sitting on IR. Now, they’ll have another chance to get Williamson up to speed on their defense.
Titans WR Josh Reynolds Granted Release
Another wideout is set to hit the waiver wire. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the Titans have cut wideout Josh Reynolds. The player asked for (and was granted) his release.
Following a career year in 2020, Reynolds joined the Titans on a one-year deal in March. However, his signing came before the team traded for Julio Jones, and Reynolds was buried on the depth chart by the start of the season. The 26-year-old has only seen time in five games this season, hauling in 10 receptions for 90 yards. He only saw five offensive snaps in Week 8 before not playing in Week 9.
The 2017 fourth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams. He finally emerged in 2020, hauling in 52 receptions for 618 yards and two touchdowns. There’s a good chance he’ll find an opportunity to resume his NFL career elsewhere.
While Reynolds was already buried on the depth chart, the Titans could conceivably look to promote Dez Fitzpatrick or Mason Kinsey from the practice squad.
Browns Sign OL Wyatt Teller To Four-Year Extension
Wyatt Teller got himself paid. The Browns signed their starting guard to a four-year extension, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
The four-year pact will keep Teller in Cleveland through the 2025 season. The deal is worth $56.8MM ($29MM guaranteed), making him one of the highest-paid offensive guards in the NFL (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). Teller was originally set to hit free agency following this season.
Teller was a fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2018, but he was traded to the Browns after only one season in Buffalo. Since joining Cleveland, the offensive lineman has started 29 of his 35 appearances. That includes nine starts this season, with Teller appeared in 100 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus has been especially fond of his recent performance, grading him as one of the best guards (especially with run blocking) in the NFL (per Garafolo on Twitter).
GM Andrew Berry has been busy investing money and assets into his offensive line since he took on the role. He gave Jack Conklin a $42MM deal, and he selected Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 10th-overall pick in the 2020 draft. Now, Berry can rest easy knowing that he has another foundational piece under contract for the foreseeable future.
Latest On FA S Tre Boston
Tre Boston is still looking for his next gig, and his agent is putting on the full-court press to get his client a job. Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Boston is “now healthy, in shape, vaccinated and willing to sign on with a practice squad” (Twitter link).
“Tre’s been a really good player for a long time and I’m shocked he hasn’t been signed yet,” Rosenhaus said.
While it’s pretty obvious what’s going on here, it’s interesting that Rosenhaus cites a potential injury as a reason for why Boston hasn’t signed a deal (note that Boston is now healthy). The 29-year-old didn’t miss a game last season, and he ended up finishing the campaign with a career-high in tackles (95). The Panthers decision to cut the safety seemed mostly financial, but perhaps an injury also played a role in his release.
Boston returned to the Panthers in 2019, marking his second straight low-cost, one-year NFL deal. Then, Boston racked up eleven passes defensed and three interceptions, helping to turn around a suddenly resurgent secondary. He was rewarded with a three-year, $18MM deal, but he only made it one year into that contract before getting cut. Boston has been a free agent since February and hasn’t generated any hits, and it sounds like he’s ready to work his way back into the league via the practice squad.
Injury Notes: 49ers, Jets, Rams
We learned earlier today that a torn quad will sideline 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey for the rest of the season, and the injury hits keep coming for San Francisco. Per head coach Kyle Shanahan, both wideout Mohamed Sanu and Tavon Wilson will likely miss some time (per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury on Twitter).
Sanu suffered a knee sprain during the third quarter of yesterday’s loss to the Cardinals, and Shanhan said the wideout will be out for a while. The veteran receiver had established himself as the third receiver this season, hauling in 15 catches for 177 yards through eight games. The likes of Jauan Jennings and Trent Sherfield could see increased reps while Sanu is out of the lineup.
Wilson suffered a foot injury that will likely require an IR trip. The veteran safety was already starting in place Jimmie Ward, so the team will have to rely on their depth while the two defensive backs are sidelined. Wilson has seen time in eight games this season, although Week 9 was the first time he got significant playing time on defense.
Some more injury notes from around the NFL:
- The 49ers provided some additional context on defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw‘s recent knee operation (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter). Team doctors noted “that the ACL has chronic changes that would be best treated with ACL reconstruction.” The organization believes this alternative route will provide Kinlaw with the best chance to play during the 2022 season.
- Both Zach Wilson and Mike White will both return to Jets practice this week, reports Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). It remains to be seen who will be the starting quarterback against the Bills this weekend. It sounds like the team is likely to play it safe with Wilson, meaning White could get another chance to start.
- Rams wideout Jacob Harris will miss the rest of the season following ACL and MCL injuries, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (via Twitter). The fourth-round pick was a wideout in college but has been playing tight end since joining the NFL. He’s only played 15 offensive snaps this season, but he got into nine games as a special teamer.
Latest On Packers, Aaron Rodgers
The NFL will continue to investigate the Packers for their handling of COVID-19 protocols, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The investigation stems from Aaron Rodgers‘ positive COVID-19 test (and the subsequent revelation that he was unvaccinated). Both the organization and Rodgers are facing fines for the violations, but there aren’t expected to be any suspensions (per Mark Maske of The Washington Post on Twitter).
Per Schefter, coaches and front offices around the league are crying foul of Green Bay’s mishandling of protocols, noting that the Packers were “held to different COVID-19 protocol standards” throughout the preseason and into the regular season. Rodgers himself admitted that he did not follow the protocols regarding media availability, but he claims he’s followed all other rules.
“What’s going on in Green Bay, that’s not what teams were told by the NFL,” one executive said to Schefter. “Our players wore masks all the time. We made our guys that weren’t playing wear masks.”
The NFL will continue to look at footage taken at the team’s facility to assure that masks were being worn and protocols were being followed. The NFL is also interviewing Packers personnel as part of the process, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Further, the league is looking into a Halloween party that multiple players attended. Per Schefter, “only a certain number of players can be together outside of the team’s training facility” according to the league’s rules, and the NFL believes a violation may have been committed.
“The primary responsibility for enforcement of the COVID protocols within club facilities rests with each club,” the league said in a statement (via Rapoport). “Failure to properly enforce the protocols has resulted in discipline being assessed against individual clubs in the past. The league is aware of the current situation in Green Bay and will be reviewing the matter with the Packers.”
Jaguars Add WR John Brown To Practice Squad
The Jaguars have added two notable offensive players to their practice squad. The team signed wideout John Brown and running back Jordan Wilkins to the p-squad, the team announced. The organization also released running back Kerrith Whyte Jr. from the practice squad.
Brown spent the offseason with the Raiders but was part of the team’s final cuts. He later caught on with the Broncos and got into two games with the squad, although he was limited to only 12 offensive snaps. The 31-year-old had a 1,000-yard season as recently as 2019, so there’s a chance he still has something left in the tank. The Jaguars have been looking for some reinforcement at receiver since DJ Chark went down with an injury, and Brown will be the latest option they’ll take a look at.
Wilkins was a fifth-round pick by the Colts back in 2018, and he saw time in 45 games through his first three seasons in the NFL. He got 230 touches with Indy, collecting 1,184 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. The 27-year-old was cut by the Colts in late October.
Whyte was a seventh-round pick by the Bears in 2019, and he’s since spent time with the Steelers, Lions, Bills, and Jaguars. He saw time in six games with Pittsburgh, collecting 131 yards from scrimmage. He joined Jacksonville in early October.
Ravens Activate TE Nick Boyle
After being sidelined for the past year, it sounds like Nick Boyle‘s return is imminent. The Ravens activated the veteran tight end from injured reserve today. That means he’ll be eligible to play in Thursday’s game against the Dolphins.
The veteran suffered a severe knee injury last November, and Boyle naturally landed on injured reserve prior to this season. There was initial hope that Boyle would be ready to go toward the beginning of the 2021 campaign, but a clean-up procedure delayed his comeback. Boyle returned to practice in late October.
“Nick obviously has been a really good player for us,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman recently said (via Clifton Brown of the team’s website). “It was a big loss for us last year, but he’s been really working to get back. I mean, Nick is a guy with a unique skillset that keeps getting better. We’re just going to have to bring him into the fold gradually and get him to where he’s feeling really comfortable out there so he can be Nick Boyle.”
Boyle made a name for himself as one of the league’s premier blocking tight ends, although he’s managed to stay relevant in the passing game (including a 2019 campaign where he set career-highs with 31 receptions and 321 receiving yards). The organization showed their commitment to the 28-year-old when they inked him to a two-year, $13MM extension this past offseason.
Mark Andrews will still serve as the top tight end (and one of Lamar Jackson‘s favorite targets), but Boyle should see plenty of snaps. The team is also rostering tight end Josh Oliver.
Raiders CB Damon Arnette Facing Multiple Lawsuits
Nov. 7: In addition to the lawsuit detailed below, Arnette is facing a second suit filed by a hotel employee. The employee alleges that he told Arnette that the cornerback’s vehicle could not be retrieved from valet because Arnette lost the valet receipt, which prompted Arnette to berate the employee, spit on him, and poke him in the chest (via Jon Hoefling of Deadspin.com). The employee is seeking $500K in damages.
Plus, a video showing Arnette wielding multiple guns and threatening someone’s life has recently surfaced (video link includes offensive and NSFW language). All in all, it’s a bad run of publicity for Arnette, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Nov. 6: Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette has been accused of injuring a woman in a 2020 car crash, according to a report from TMZ Sports. The woman is seeking $92K in damages. Arnette plans on fighting the allegations.
According to the lawsuit, Arnette slammed into the woman’s car during the morning of October 14, 2020. While attempting to enter team facilities, Arnette reportedly missed a turn, and while trying to correct his mistake, he slammed into the woman’s car at speeds of 65 miles per hour. The woman claims she suffered “head trauma,” and that’s vicariously resulted in “shoulder, neck and back pain as well as depression and panic attacks.”
Further, the woman accuses Arnette of leaving the scene of the crash. According to an incident report, Arnette acknowledged making an unsafe turn leading to a collision, but he said he stuck around the scene long enough to “render aid to the woman.” Arnette also told police that he later left the scene because he was running late for a team meeting, but he had a friend stick around and provide police with information. According to the police report, Arnette’s friend actually tried to take the blame for the collision before cop’s sorted out the story.
“Mr. Arnette denies the allegations in the complaint and looks forward to addressing these claims through the court process,” the player’s attorney said in a statement to TMZ Sports.
Following a standout career at Ohio State, the Raiders selected Arnette with the 20th-overall pick in the 2020 draft. He started seven of his nine games as a rookie, collecting 25 tackles. He got inconsistent playing time through the first four games of this season, never appearing in more than 30 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. The 25-year-old landed on injured reserve with a groin injury back in October.
It’s been a chaotic month for the Raiders. An email scandal forced head coach Jon Gruden to resign from his position, while wide receiver Henry Ruggs was released following a DUI crash that caused the death of a woman.
Texans Activate QB Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is officially back. The Texans activated the quarterback from injured reserve today, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop (via Twitter). To make room on the roster, the team placed linebacker Christian Kirksey on injured reserve.
Taylor returned to practice in late October, and head coach David Culley made it clear that the veteran would start once he was healthy. The 32-year-old started the Texans first two games this season, completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 416 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He added another 55 yards and one touchdown on five carries. Taylor landed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury during Week 2.
Davis Mills has been serving as the starter ever since, but the results haven’t been great. His best performance came against the Patriots as he completed 21 of 29 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Pats went on to win 25-22 and the Texans went on to drop their next two games to the Colts and Cardinals.
Taylor hasn’t started more than three games since the 2017 season. While his return should provide a small spark to a struggling Texans offense, it’s unlikely the veteran will be able to guide Houston out of the cellar.
Kirksey suffered a fractured thumb and ligament damage during Sunday’s loss to the Rams, and now he’ll be sidelined for at least the next three games. The 29-year-old joined the Texans this offseason, and he’s collected a team-leading 56 tackles in eight starts.