K Cade York To Land On Titans’ P-Squad
The Titans have shaken up their kicker situation this week. Following a trade for veteran Nick Folk, Tennessee will take a flier on a former top kicker prospect.
Cade York is joining the Titans’ practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns waived York after preseason struggles. No one claimed the LSU alum, leading him to a P-squad destination.
Recent seasons have brought some injury trouble for the Titans, but they released their primary option — Randy Bullock — in a February salary purge. The Titans then cut Caleb Shudak, Trey Wolff and Michael Badgley during the preseason. York is now in place as an emergency option behind Folk, who is going into his age-39 season.
The first kicker chosen in 2022, York did not impress in Cleveland. He did make a 58-yard game-winner to lift the Browns past the Panthers in his first NFL outing, but the decorated college kicker ended his rookie year just 24 of 32. During the preseason, York missed three field goals — one in each Browns game — and the AFC North team decided to bring in more experience by trading for Dustin Hopkins.
The 2020 season, when Stephen Gostkowski‘s injury led to the Titans using several kickers, showed the value an emergency in-house option can provide. As Folk begins his 17th NFL season, Tennessee will attempt to rebuild York’s stock.
Browns, OL Alex Leatherwood Agree To Practice Squad Deal
Barely two years after becoming a surprise first-round pick, Alex Leatherwood has been waived by two teams. The Bears joined the Raiders in bailing on the Alabama alum, dropping him earlier this week.
The Browns will attempt to salvage the former No. 17 overall pick. Leatherwood is joining Cleveland’s practice squad, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. This will be Leatherwood’s third team in three seasons, though he is no longer attached to the first-round contract that went from Las Vegas to Chicago.
Despite his extensive struggles to translate his game to the NFL, Leatherwood started all 17 games — at right tackle and right guard — for a playoff-bound Raiders team as a rookie. After Jon Gruden’s staff moved Leatherwood from tackle to guard quickly, Josh McDaniels’ group shifted him back to tackle during his second NFL offseason. Leatherwood did not show enough to impress the McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime, which waived him after failed trade efforts.
A mononucleosis bout began Leatherwood’s Bears tenure on a down note, and he only ended up playing in four games (32 offensive snaps). The Browns have a set offensive line, one of the game’s best, and employ top-line O-line coach Bill Callahan. The former Raiders HC has settled back into a role as an O-line instructor. Callahan turned down the chance to interview for the Jets’ OC position this offseason, and the longtime assistant will attempt what could be a difficult reclamation project with Leatherwood.
Colts To Add S Ronnie Harrison, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad To Practice Squad
Two of the veterans the Colts released Tuesday remain in the team’s plans. Ronnie Harrison and Al-Quadin Muhammad are staying with the team on practice squad agreements, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Each a vested veteran who avoided a crowded waiver wire, Harrison and Muhammad could be back on Indianapolis’ active roster soon. These agreements may represent preludes for the safety and defensive end, respectively, to rejoin Gus Bradley’s defense.
Teams can roster up to six vested vets on their 16-man P-squads, but since the league expanded its taxi squads in 2020, they have served as frequent way stations for veterans. Harrison would make sense as a ramp-up player, having only signed with the Colts in mid-August. A former Colts starting defensive end, Muhammad rejoined the team during the offseason.
Muhammad, 28, registered six sacks as a Colts starter in 2021. The team used first- and second-round picks on defensive ends that year — Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo — and needed veteran support after not re-signing Justin Houston. Muhammad parlayed that performance into a Bears agreement, rejoining Matt Eberflus. Chicago cut bait on that contract this offseason, however. Muhammad made nine starts with the Bears last year but totaled just one sack in 16 games.
Using three-safety sets frequently, the Browns deployed Harrison often. The five-year veteran made 23 starts in Cleveland, coming to Ohio after a 22-start run in Jacksonville. The Browns added Rodney McLeod this offseason, bringing over a 2022 Colts starter. Indy has Julian Blackmon going into a contract year and has 2022 draftees Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas as options to succeed McLeod.
Texans’ Reserve QBs Drawing Trade Interest
Although the Texans’ Case Keenum signing appeared to place Davis Mills in limbo, the two-year starter took first-team reps this offseason and landed on Houston’s 53-man roster. With the team moving to C.J. Stroud for Week 1, interest in both backups has emerged.
Teams have contacted the Texans on their two backup quarterbacks, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes. But Houston’s plan for now is to keep both Keenum and Mills on its roster. The Texans gave Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal; two years remain on Mills’ rookie contract.
The Keenum addition undoubtedly led to the Mills trade rumors earlier this year, but the Texans’ stance at that point was to retain the former third-round pick. Stroud will unseat Mills, who is 5-19-1 as a starter (albeit on some undermanned teams), and Keenum would seem to represent both a mentor and a capable backup. Mills, 24, would be an interesting flier for a team to take. Even if the Texans are open to moving the Stanford alum, no viable offer has emerged.
Two teams who could be interested reside in the AFC East. The Patriots made the surprising choice to waive Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. The 2022 fourth-rounder had generated momentum to potentially even challenge Mac Jones for his job this offseason; no realistic challenge occurred. As of now, Jones is the only QB on New England’s active roster. That will not be the case for too much longer, and the Patriots are believed to be targeting Colt McCoy. Indeed, a veteran QB2 is preferred, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi.
Meanwhile, the Bills placed Matt Barkley on IR on Tuesday, removing him from their regular-season equation. Buffalo rosters only Kyle Allen, who spent most of last season backing up Mills in Houston, behind Josh Allen. Keenum spent the 2022 season in Buffalo, but the Houston alum agreed to terms with the Texans — his original NFL team — on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.
Broncos Plan To Sign WR Phillip Dorsett
11:06am: This will instead be a practice squad agreement, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Waivers processed at 11am CT; teams can now begin assembling their taxi squads.
10:08am: The Broncos will again enter a season without their optimal receiving corps available. Tim Patrick will miss a second straight season, while KJ Hamler is off the roster. Denver’s top target, Jerry Jeudy, is likely to miss early-season time due to a hamstring injury.
While the team does not plan to move Jeudy to IR on Wednesday, it will reinforce its receiving corps with a depth piece. The Broncos intend to sign Phillip Dorsett, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Dorsett did not make the Raiders’ 53-man roster, being released Tuesday.
This Denver receiving nucleus has struggled to stay healthy since its inception in 2020. While Jeudy could return as early as September, Courtland Sutton represents the Broncos’ top receiver. The team will likely need to give substantial playing time to rookie Marvin Mims, who began training camp as a likely backup behind a Jeudy-Sutton-Patrick trio. The Broncos had been expected to re-sign Lil’Jordan Humphrey after cutting him Tuesday. It is unclear if the team plans to add both he and Dorsett.
A former first-round Colts pick, Dorsett never lived up to his draft slot. After making next to no impact from 2020-21, Dorsett did resurface as part of the Texans’ receiving corps last season. He caught 20 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown. The Broncos are surely targeting the 30-year-old wideout as a depth piece, but with Mims a rookie and no clear No. 3 target in place while Jeudy is down, Dorsett could conceivably play a role on offense for Sean Payton‘s team.
Dorsett and Russell Wilson were teammates with the Seahawks in 2021, but the former played in just two games with Seattle and caught one pass.
Vikings To Sign RB Myles Gaskin, Waive WR Jalen Reagor
Joining Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert in re-signing with the Dolphins, Myles Gaskin became the odd man out. Given the lack of guarantees in his contract, this was a predictable development. But Gaskin will have another chance soon.
The Vikings are expected to sign the veteran running back to their 53-man roster, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This will reunite Gaskin with ex-Dolphins HC Brian Flores, who became the Vikes’ defensive coordinator this offseason.
Minnesota completed a drawn-out separation with Dalvin Cook, and while the Dolphins initially loomed as the most likely suitor, they stood down. Miami still kept other backs (Wilson, Mostert, Salvon Ahmed, third-rounder Devon Achane, UDFA Chris Brooks) over Gaskin, who played with the team for four seasons. Cook’s Minnesota exit leaves Alexander Mattison atop the NFC North club’s RB depth chart. Gaskin will make his case to be a contributor on a second NFL team.
Rather than create a roster spot with a post-cutdown-day IR move, which will be a common transaction today, the Vikings are waiving Jalen Reagor. The former first-round pick will be off Minnesota’s roster Wednesday, Schefter adds. The Vikings acquired Reagor via trade last year, picking him up from the Eagles on the day after setting their initial 2022 53-man roster. But the player Philly chose ahead of Justin Jefferson will not play a second season in Minnesota’s Jefferson-fronted receiving corps.
Reagor trade rumors re-emerged Tuesday, but no deal transpired. Rather than the Vikings convincing a team to take on Reagor’s $2.42MM fully guaranteed salary, the team will be hit with dead money. Offset language being present in the deal, however, will help the Vikings in the event Reagor signs elsewhere, per the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Ben Goessling.
After washing out with the Eagles, Reagor did not make a notable impact with the Vikings. The TCU alum caught eight passes for 104 yards while serving as a regular punt returner with his second NFL team. Claiming Reagor would mean another club would be responsible for that $2.42MM; a free agency stay seems likelier to take place for the 2020 No. 21 overall pick.
The Vikings kept six wideouts Tuesday, with 2022 sixth-rounder Jalen Nailor and return man Brandon Powell joining starters Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison. Powell returned both punts and kicks for the Rams last season and will be the logical Reagor replacement as the Vikes’ punt returner.
Gaskin joins Ty Chandler and kick returner Kene Nwangwu behind Mattison on Minnesota’s running back depth chart. Mattison’s two incumbent backups have not gained much experience on offense, with the Cook-Mattison hierarchy in place from 2019-22. Minnesota is believed to view Mattison as a capable three-down back, but with the recently re-signed backup not having performed in this role before, RB depth behind him is a bit more important for the team compared to previous years.
The Dolphins used Gaskin as a backfield regular in 2020 and ’21. Under Flores, the former seventh-round pick 1,196 rushing yards in those seasons; he topped out at 4.1 yards per carry (in 2021) during that span. Under Mike McDaniel last season, Gaskin played in only four games and worked as a seldom-used backup. The Dolphins placed Gaskin on IR in December, after they had acquired Wilson via trade.
Steelers To Sign CB Desmond King
Desmond King did not make the Texans’ 53-man roster, but the veteran cornerback will have another opportunity soon. The Steelers are expected to add King, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The sides have agreed on a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Steelers will be a fourth team for King. The former Chargers UDFA and All-Pro has spent his career in Los Angeles, Tennessee and Houston. King has spent much of his career in the slot. The Steelers added veteran slot defender Chandon Sullivan this offseason, but it looks like they will bring in more help.
This would require a roster move, as the Steelers set their 53-man squad Tuesday. But teams will be making a host of veteran additions today, as players are moved to IR. In order for players to be eligible for in-season activations from IR, teams must carry them through to their 53-man roster and then shift them to the injured list.
While teams often use post-cutdown-day IR moves to re-sign vested veterans they recently cut, veterans released by other clubs factor into equations as well. King, 28, is a six-year vet who started 25 games for the Texans from 2021-22. Pro Football Focus viewed King’s 2022 season fondly, slotting him 20th overall among corners. King’s value as a tackler helped produce that placement; the Detroit native finished with a career-high (by a substantial margin) 10 tackles for loss last year.
The Steelers obviously go into the season with bigger goals compared to the Texans, who have produced four-, four- and three-win seasons in the 2020s. But Houston is transitioning to a new defensive scheme under DeMeco Ryans. The rebuilding AFC South team is planning to use the recently re-signed Tavierre Thomas in the slot, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, with Grayland Arnold in that mix as well.
King, who was attached to a two-year deal worth $7MM in Houston, played more than 900 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. The ex-Charger UDFA has also contributed regularly as a punt returner. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as both a slot corner and punt returner in 2018. Although King has not operated in a return capacity in each of his NFL seasons, he has done so frequently — including over the past two years with the Texans. King returned punts for touchdowns in 2018 and ’19.
Colts’ Jonathan Taylor To Stay On PUP List
No Jonathan Taylor trade took place Tuesday. The Colts had set today as a loose deadline to deal their disgruntled running back, but they have not liked an offer enough to move him.
Not only will Taylor stay in Indianapolis, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the former rushing champion is set to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. This will sideline Taylor for at least four games. The Colts technically have until the October 31 trade deadline to move Taylor, but they had set today as a temporary endpoint. As a result, this impasse has reached gridlock.
Two teams showed significant interest, but Colts GM Chris Ballard did not view the offers as fair, per Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This saga has lasted for more than a month now, with Taylor making his trade request in late July.
The Colts opened the market last week, allowing Taylor’s camp to find a trade partner. No first-round pick was believed to have been offered. Considering no team has traded a first-rounder for a running back since the Colts sent the Browns one for Trent Richardson 10 years ago, it is certainly not surprising the Colts’ asking price has not been met. Indianapolis has sought a first-rounder or an equivalent package of picks, but in a year in which RB value has tanked, the team is stuck for the time being.
Jim Irsay led the way in alienating Taylor and leading this relationship to this point, sending a much-discussed tweet about the state of the running back market and then not helping matters with more comments on the situation after a one-on-one meeting with the team’s would-be starter. Taylor, 24, had said earlier this year he wanted to retire a Colt. This situation has deteriorated in the months since that remark. Irsay had said the Colts were not trading Taylor, and while the Colts have backtracked on that a bit, the saga will now lead to the team playing four games without the former All-Pro.
Inquiring on just about every high-profile running back potentially available this year, the Dolphins have been in the mix since the Colts gave the green light for teams to send offers. It is safe to assume the Dolphins are one of the two teams to express serious interest; talks with Miami were believed to have taken place over a several-day period. But the Dolphins, as they did with Dalvin Cook, continue to stand down. As of Monday, it sounded like the Dolphins would still look into Taylor after this Colts-imposed deadline.
This certainly is not a good look for the Colts, who will begin Shane Steichen’s tenure with their best skill-position player out of the mix despite probably being healthy. This also will lead to a delay in Taylor’s bounce-back opportunity. Taylor suffered an ankle injury — his first notable malady during his pro or college tenures — last season, costing him six games, but underwent surgery in January. Irsay pronounced Taylor ready to go for camp, and while rumors of the fourth-year back needing more treatment ahead of camp surfaced (before Taylor left camp for reported ankle treatment), this should be considered a hold-in of sorts.
The Colts are not planning to extend Taylor’s contract this year, refusing a request from the running back during the offseason. Other teams’ unwillingness to both trade high-value compensation for Taylor and give him an upper-crust contract has led this drama to a standstill. With the team keeping Taylor on the PUP list, this pause could last a while.
Broncos Place Baron Browning On Reserve/PUP List, Trim Roster To 53
The Broncos will join other teams in using short-term IR to create roster spots for veterans they cut Tuesday. The team also needed to use its reserve/PUP list. Here is how Denver moved down to the 53-man limit:
Released:
- T Quinn Bailey
- C Kyle Fuller
- WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- CB Fabian Moreau
- NT Mike Purcell
- RB Dwayne Washington
Waived:
- RB Tyler Badie
- WR Michael Bandy
- ILB Seth Benson
- G Henry Byrd
- WR Marquez Callaway
- QB Ben DiNucci
- CB Art Green
- WR Taylor Grimes
- WR Josh Hammond
- OLB Marcus Haynes
- CB Faion Hicks
- TE Tommy Hudson
- DE Jordan Jackson
- T Demontrey Jacobs
- RB Tony Jones Jr.
- CB Devon Key
- DT Tomasi Laulile
- DT PJ Mustipher
- DT Haggai Chisom Ndubusi
- OLB Aaron Patrick
- G William Sherman
- WR Montrell Washington
Waived/injured:
- OLB Chris Allen
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- OLB Baron Browning
Browning suffered a meniscus injury this offseason and underwent surgery in June. This obviously deals a blow to Browning’s development, seeing as the converted off-ball linebacker has yet to play a full season at his second NFL position, and Denver’s edge depth. Randy Gregory and Frank Clark lead the way at the position; both are going into their age-30 seasons. The Broncos have seen Gregory, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb miss substantial time in recent years. They will hope Browning, who showed promise opposite Chubb at points last year, can return when eligible.
The Broncos did not place Jerry Jeudy on IR, keeping their No. 1 receiver available once his hamstring heals. This points to the team viewing Jeudy as likely to come back during the season’s first four weeks. Jeudy suffered a hamstring injury late last week; the malady is expected to sideline him for “several weeks.” The team is expected to re-sign Humphrey once it reorganizes its roster, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.
Although Purcell joined Humphrey as a cut, Klis adds the veteran nose tackle is set to come back. Ditto Moreau, as K’Waun Williams is set to head to IR — a designation that will cost the veteran slot cornerback at least four games — upon undergoing ankle surgery. The Broncos kept UDFAs Elijah Garcia, a defensive lineman, and Jaleel McLaughlin, a running back, after strong preseason outings. McLaughlin is the NCAA all-levels rushing kingpin, having amassed 8,161 yards while at Notre Dame College and Youngstown State — Division II and Division I-FCS programs, respectively, in Ohio. He will be the team’s third-string running back — behind Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine.
49ers Place Nick Bosa On Reserve/Did Not Report List, Pare Roster To 53
The 49ers joined the Chiefs in placing their best defensive player on the reserve/did not report list due to a holdout and joined the other 30 teams in finalizing their 53-man roster. Some changes are expected, with veterans pledged to stay. But here is how the 49ers reached 53:
Released:
- DL Austin Bryant
- WR Chris Conley
- TE Troy Fumagalli
- RB Brian Hill
- DL Kerry Hyder
- DL T.Y. McGill
- RB Jeremy McNichols
- WR Anthony Miller
- WR Willie Snead
Waived:
- DL Alex Barrett
- FB Jack Colletto
- DL Marlon Davidson
- OL Joey Fisher
- OL Alfredo Gutierrez
- S Myles Hartsfield
- OL Keith Ismael
- CB D’Shawn Jamison
- S Qwuantrezz Knight
- OL Corey Luciano
- OL Ilm Manning
- WR Tay Martin
- LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- OL Jason Poe
- LB Curtis Robinson
- CB Tre Swilling
- OL Leroy Watson
- WR Isaiah Winstead
Placed on reserve/did not report list:
- DE Nick Bosa
Placed on IR:
- K Zane Gonzalez
- S Tayler Hawkins
- TE Cameron Latu (story)
- CB A.J. Parker
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
The 49ers are planning to re-sign Hyder and Bryant once they make other roster moves, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Both are vested veterans who are not subject to waivers. With Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu gone, Hyder figures to be a key piece as a rotational defensive end. He is with the 49ers for the third time in four seasons. After an 8.5-sack slate in 2020, Hyder signed with the Seahawks. But Seattle released him in 2021, leading the veteran back to the Bay Area.
San Francisco’s 53-man roster will include Bosa soon, and this holdout does not appear as contentious as the Chris Jones-Chiefs standoff. John Lynch has indicated the 49ers will waive Bosa’s fines for missing training camp — an option the 49ers have due to Bosa being tied to a rookie contract. While the 49ers changed defensive coordinators, bringing in Steve Wilks to replace DeMeco Ryans, D-line coach Kris Kocurek remains in place. Bosa should be able to hit the ground running once he returns, though the 49ers are running short on time here.
Gonzalez suffered a calf injury Kyle Shanahan said would keep him out a few weeks. With the veteran landing on IR, an injury settlement is likely. The 49ers used a third-round pick on Michigan kicker Jake Moody, but Barrows notes the strained quadriceps injury he suffered may keep him out of Week 1. On that note, the 49ers worked out Tristan Vizcaino and Taylor Russolino, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Robbie Gould, the 49ers’ kicker for the past six seasons, remains unsigned.