NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Davis Tull
- Cut: P Michael Palardy
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: K Marshall Morgan (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Brian Mihalik
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: C Jake Brendel, T Terry Poole (Twitter link via Howard Balzer)
- Cut: G Jamil Douglas (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com)
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Ian Silberman (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Logan Thomas (Twitter link via James Kratch of NJ.com)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Don Cherry, CB Duke Thomas
- Cut: FB Andrew Bonnet, G Darrell Greene
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Julian Howsare
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: LB Josh Keyes
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DL Joey Mbu
- Cut: CB Robertson Daniel, LB Jason Fanaika
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
The 49ers’ offer of a contract restructure to quarterback Colin Kaepernick is “awaiting his signature,” reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Kaepernick, like all other San Francisco players, has been out of town since the club’s Thursday night game, and won’t return until tomorrow. It’s unclear if Kaepernick is planning to sign off on the new deal at the time.
[RELATED: Poll — Which 49ers QB Should Start Week 6?]
The new deal should alleviate concerns regarding the quarterback’s injury guarantees. Meanwhile, it will also give Kaepernick an opportunity to void his deal after this season should he outperform his contract. The deal effectively does away with No. 7’s guarantees in 2017 and could cut off the final three years of the pact. It will also allow the 49ers to receive a compensatory pick if Kaepernick voids the contract and signs elsewhere during the offseason.
One new detail of the proposed restructuring is that the 49ers would guarantee Kaepernick’s remaining weekly gameday active bonuses, which would total $1.375MM, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The new contract could signal that San Francisco is willing to bench Blaine Gabbert and start Kaepernick in Week 6. Head coach Chip Kelly left that possibility open, but the club hasn’t made an official decision.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns’ Cody Kessler Aiming To Play Week 6
Browns rookie quarterback Cody Kessler has “a chance” to start in Week 6 against the Titans, head coach Hue Jackson told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. If Kessler is unable to play, Cleveland could turn to veteran Josh McCown who might be ready to return to action just a month after breaking his collarbone.
[RELATED: Browns Claim OL Jonathan Cooper]
McCown will return to practice on Wednesday, the same day that Jackson says he’ll know more about Kessler’s condition. Kessler underwent tests on his chest and ribs area today, and while “nothing is broken,” pain tolerance could be an issue for the third-round pick. According to Cabot, Kessler had difficulty breathing after Sunday’s contest and appeared to be in a great deal of pain today.
In the first three starts of his career, Kessler has completed roughly two-thirds of his passes for more than 500 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. McCown, meanwhile, made it through only one games, but he threw for 260 yards and two scores. Neither quarterback, of course, has led the Browns to a victory.
Third-stringer Charlie Whitehurst, the fifth quarterback Cleveland has employed this season, is day-to-day, per Cabot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dolphins Place Koa Misi On IR
8:36pm: Misi might require spinal fusion surgery, the same operation that Peyton Manning famously underwent, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. However, Misi will first see if rehab is able to stave off surgery.
6:01pm: The Dolphins have placed linebacker Koa Misi on injured reserve, the club announced today. Misi is dealing with a neck injury, and one source told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that the issue could threaten Misi’s career.
[RELATED: Dolphins Claim Bene Benwikere]
Misi, 29, has seen one specialist thus far and is expected to seek multiple opinions, according to Salguero, who calls the transaction “shocking” given that Miami had given no indication that Misi’s injury could lead to the end of his season or his career. Misi appeared in the first three games of the this season, but was forced leave in Week 3 when he suffered the original injury.
Though Misi would be eligible to come off IR in Week 13, that scenario seems wholly unlikely for multiple reasons. First, if Misi’s injury is possibly career-ending, there would likely be a danger in returning too quickly even if the ailment is not deemed as serious as perceived. Second, the Dolphins are more likely to bring back defensive tackle Earl Mitchell off IR, who can return in Week 8, per Salguero.
Misi is signed through the 2017 campaign. Earlier this year, he agreed to a paycut, lowering his 2016 cap charge from roughly $4.88MM to ~$3.6MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/10/16
Well, this is a new one: The Steelers worked out Spanish rugby sevens player Inaki Villanueva, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds that Villanueva will attempt to make the NFL as a tight end. Villanueva, 25 this week, was part of the Spanish rugby team that competed at the 2016 Summer Olmypics.
Here’s more on today’s tryouts and visits:
- The Patriots worked out wide receiver Donteea Dye, fullback Austin Johnson, and tight end Gannon Sinclair today, a source tells Doug Kyed of NESN. Per Kyed, the trio was likely auditioning for a spot on New England’s practice squad, which currently only has nine members.
- Jake Long wasn’t the only offensive lineman to audition for the Vikings today, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports that Minnesota also took a look at Garrett Reynolds and Reid Fragel.
- The Redskins worked out defensive tackles Jermelle Cudjo, A.J. Francis, and Joey Mbu today, per Caplan (Twitter link). Washington met with fellow DTs Terrance Knighton (link) and Phil Taylor (link) today as well, but won’t be signing either one at this time, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
- Although the Cowboys tried out defensive backs Rashaad Reynolds, Leon McFadden, and Richard Crawford today, the club won’t be signing any of them, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
- The Cardinals auditioned linebackers Dwayne Norman and Jayson DiManche, as well as safeties Keenan Lambert and Dezmen Southward on Monday, reports Caplan (Twitter link).
- The Eagles worked out linebackers Eric Pinkins, Lamar Louis, and James Burgess, Caplan tweets.
Giants Work Out Bryan Stork, Other OL
The Giants worked out several free agent offensive lineman today, as the club took at look at Bryan Stork, Josh LeRibeus, Khaled Holmes, and Daniel Munyer according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
[RELATED: New York Giants Depth Chart]
In late August, Stork was supposedly on the verge of being released by the Patriots. However, the Redskins got word that Stork was about to be cut and worked out a trade with the Patriots. Hours later, it was learned that Stork was thinking about retirement. The Redskins convinced Stork to continue playing football, but he wound up failing the physical. Ultimately, the trade was rescinded, the Redskins lost the backup center (or maybe even starting center) they desperately needed, and the Patriots lost out on getting a conditional seventh-round pick.
LeRibeus, 26, was selected by Washington in the third round (71st overall) in the 2012 draft. The SMU product played in just 12 games, including one start, during his first three years in the NFL, but was thrust into action last season when starting center Kory Lichtensteiger missed a good chunk of the year due to a neck injury. Despite accruing that experience, LeRibeus was released at final cutdowns.
A fourth-round Colts pick in 2013, Holmes started seven games with Indianapolis last season. But the Colts cut Holmes in May after the first-round selection of Ryan Kelly. Holmes played in 17 games during his three-year stay with the team, starting nine. He signed on with the Bears during the summer, but didn’t make it through to Chicago’s 53-man roster.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Marcel Jensen, WR Darius Jennings
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Rory Anderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Mitch Matthews (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Brian Dixon (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate)
Steelers’ Heyward, Shazier Nursing Injuries
Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward is expected to miss two-to-three weeks as he recovers from a hamstring issue that forced him from yesterday’s game against the Jets, reports Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, Heyward is aiming to return ahead of that timeline, and would like to play before Pittsburgh’s Week 8 bye, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, linebacker Ryan Shazier is dealing with a sprained MCL and is also hoping to return to the field before Week 8, tweets Fowler.
[RELATED: Steelers Place Senquez Golson On IR]
Heyward, 27, had already incurred injuries earlier this year, as an ankle ailment limited him in early September. Still, through five games, Heyward had been one of the Steelers’ best defenders, posting three sacks and four passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 19 interior defensive lineman, per Pro Football Focus. Heyward is signed through 2020 thanks to a 2015 extension that will pay him roughly $10.5MM annually.
Shazier, meanwhile, hasn’t ranked well according to PFF’s grades, but it’s fair to assume that his lingering knee issues have affected him. Through three games, the 24-year-old Shazier posted 12 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recover, and an interception. He’s signed through next season, but the Steelers will have the option of exercising a fifth-year option to lock up Shazier through 2018.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Titans, Redskins Put In Claims On Benwikere
The Dolphins weren’t the only club interested in cornerback Bene Benwikere. Both the Titans and Redskins put in claims for Benwikere, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link), but Miami and its higher waiver priority were able to land the defensive back.
[RELATED: Redskins Host Terrance Knighton On Visit]
Neither Tennessee nor Washington has been particularly poor against the pass this year, as the clubs rank 14th and 18th, respectively, in pass defense DVOA, and ninth and 22nd, respectively, in passing yards allowed. As such, it seems as though each club was simply trying to inject youthful talent into its defensive backfield, and Benwikere, who just recently turned 25, fits that bill.
A starting cornerback for Carolina this year, Benwikere was waived after Julio Jones exploded for a 300-yard game in Week (228 of those yards coming against Benwikere). After the game, Benwikere admitted to reporters that he was gassed, and that may have played a role in his release. The Panthers were expected to shake things up in the secondary, but few expected them to drop one of their top cornerbacks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/16
Today’s minor moves:
- The Jaguars activated cornerback Aaron Colvin to the 53-man roster and released fourth-year veteran cornerback Dwayne Gratz, as John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets. Colvin had been serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy.
- The Chargers have activated defensive lineman Damion Square, who like Colvin had been serving a four-game ban, the club announced. To create a roster spot, San Diego placed linebacker Nick Dzubnar on injured reserve.
- The Saints waived offensive lineman Tyrus Thompson from injured reserve, reports Nick Underhill of The Advocate (Twitter link). Thompson has bounced from roster to roster since being chosen in the sixth round of the 2015 draft, but has never appeared in a regular season game.
- The Browns waived offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano and officially placed center Austin Reiter on injured reserve, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
- After promoting him on Saturday, the Bears have once again waived cornerback Demontre Hurst, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The club announced that they’ve promoted De’Vante Bausby from the practice squad to the active roster.