Trevor Siemian To Play On Thursday
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian told reporters that he expects to start on Thursday against the Chargers. Siemian has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, but he has healed quickly. 
“The last couple of days I’ve made some strides,” the quarterback said (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post).
Siemian, a seventh-round choice in the 2015 draft, got off to a strong start this year before his Week 4 injury. In four starts (with his most recent start cut short), the QB has completed two-thirds of his passes for more than 800 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions while helping the Broncos to a 4-0 launch. Now, the sprained AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder is feeling better and he’ll take the job back from rookie Paxton Lynch.
Heading into their Week 5 matchup, the Falcons ranked 30th in both DVOA against the pass and adjusted sack rate. Still, the Lynch-led Broncos were defeated, 23-16.
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Dolphins To Cut RB Isaiah Pead
They’re cleaning house in Miami today. The Dolphins are releasing running back Isaiah Pead, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (on Twitter). 
Pead reportedly missed a meeting in advance of Miami’s Week 2 matchup against New England, which led him and fellow meeting-skipper Damien Williams to be inactive for that game. That incident didn’t endear him to coaches and his play this season hasn’t done him any favors either. In three games, Pead has eight carries for 22 yards plus one catch for six yards. After his so-so work in an extremely limited sample, Miami is shaking up the RB depth chart.
Earlier today, the Dolphins also cut offensive linemen Billy Turner and Dallas Thomas.
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Cardinals Re-Sign Kerwynn Williams
The Cardinals are re-signing running back Kerwynn Williams, as Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. The Cardinals won’t have to cut anyone since they had an open spot after waiving quarterback Zac Dysert. 
Williams has been yo-yo’d on and off of the Cardinals’ roster this season, so it’s possible that this stint will be short-lived. For now, Williams will serve as Arizona’s No. 4 running back behind David Johnson, Andre Ellington, and Stepfan Taylor. Over parts of three seasons, Williams has totaled 80 rushes for 388 yards and one touchdown.
After topping the Cardinals on Thursday, the 2-3 Cardinals will face the Jets at home on Monday night.
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Dolphins Cut OLs Thomas, Turner
The Dolphins have informed offensive lineman Billy Turner that he’s going to be released, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Dallas Thomas also getting released, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Miami is signing tackle Sam Young. 
Turner started 12 games for the Dolphins last year and the team shifted him to the bench this year. In his five games (two starts), Pro Football Focus rated him as the 75th best tackle out of 76 qualified players this season. He earned a poor overall grade of 31.8 in 63 pass block snaps and 34 run block snaps.
A fourth-year Fins guard, Thomas started every game last season. This year, he was bumped to a reserve role and he made his first appearance of the year last week. For one reason or another, the team decided to part ways with the former third-rounder.
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Lions To Sign RB Justin Forsett
The Lions are signing running back Justin Forsett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Detroit scheduled a meeting with Forsett over the weekend and the two sides reached an accord today. 
Forsett struggled mightily as the Ravens’ feature back during the first three weeks of the season, managing just 98 yards on 31 carries. He lost his starting job to Terrance West in Week 4 and West enjoyed a strong outing in that game, posting 113 yards and a score on 21 carries. Between West’s emergence and the return of rookie Kenneth Dixon, Forsett became expendable.
The Lions are thin at running back with starter Ameer Abdullah on IR and rookie Dwayne Washington dealing with an ankle injury. At 31, Forsett does not appear to have much left in the tank, but he is still a strong pass protector and offers some ability as a receiver out of the backfield. He will likely be used as a secondary option to Theo Riddick, who stands as Detroit’s top RB.
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Browns Cut QB Charlie Whitehurst
The Browns announced that they have promoted quarterback Kevin Hogan and defensive lineman Gabe Wright off of the practice squad. To make room, the team reached an injury settlement with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, dropping him from the roster. Wide receiver Mitch Mathews was also signed to the practice squad. 
After losing Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown to shoulder injuries during their first two games, the Browns signed Whitehurst to give them additional depth. Cody Kessler got the start in Weeks 3-5, but a big hit left him with serious bruises in his chest and ribs. Whitehurst entered the game on Sunday, but he suffered a knee injury of his own. Now, he’s been jettisoned from the roster in favor of Hogan, a fifth-round pick of the Chiefs in this year’s draft.
Kessler is aiming to suit up for the Browns on Sunday against the Titans. Cleveland is still in search of their first win this year.
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Colin Kaepernick To Start For 49ers
It’s Colin Kaepernick time. 49ers coach Chip Kelly announced that No. 7 will get the start on Sunday against the Bills. Former starter Blaine Gabbert will now serve as Kaepernick’s primary backup. 
In Week 5, Gabbert had a rough outing against the Cardinals and soon after, Kelly left the door open to a quarterback change. Kaepernick, the one-time face of the Niners, made headlines around the world this year for his protest of national anthem. Now, he has an opportunity to make headlines again for his play on the field and not his actions on the sideline.
Kaepernick signed a six-year extension with the 49ers prior to the 2014 season, a deal that had the potential to be worth $126MM. The dual threat QB led the Niners to the NFC title game in the previous season, but he has yet replicate the level of play that earned him a long-term deal. Injuries to his left knee, left shoulder, and right thumb held him back this offseason, but he has apparently healed up in recent weeks.
The 49ers and Kaepernick have been working on a restructuring of his contract and today’s news likely means that it’s a done deal. The amended contract will reportedly alleviate concerns regarding the quarterback’s injury guarantees. For what it’s worth, Kelly told reporters that he’s unsure about Kaepernick’s contract situation.
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Dez Bryant’s Status Uncertain For Sunday
The Cowboys might not have Dez Bryant on the field until October 30th. The wide receiver’s status is uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Packers and owner Jerry Jones tells 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link) that the team won’t take any chances with him. The Cowboys have a Week 7 bye, so that means that Bryant wouldn’t take the field until the Week 8 game against the rival Eagles. 
In three games this year, Bryant has tallied 11 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined since Sept. 25th and it’s not immediately clear when the Cowboys will get him back. Hopefully, the wide receiver can recover from the hairline fracture and bone bruise in his knee after a couple more weeks of rest. Reportedly, Bryant hasn’t always done a great job of taking care of himself and his sleep habits have been particularly poor.
Bryant has suited up for just 12 of the Cowboys’ past 20 games.
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Ravens Sign G Vladimir Ducasse
The Ravens announced that they are placing cornerback Sheldon Price on injured reserve. To fill his spot on the roster, the Ravens re-signed guard Vlad Ducasse. 
[RELATED: Ravens Fire OC Marc Trestman]
Price’s season is likely over thanks to a severe thigh injury. The cornerback started for Baltimore on Sunday as Shareece Wright was sidelined, but he was forced to exit in the first quarter. The Redskins went on to win 16-10.
Ducasse, 28, made 78 appearances and 22 starts with three teams from 2010-15. Ducasse, whom the Jets chose in the second round of the 2010 draft, started a career-high 11 games as a member of the Bears last season. The Jets drafted Ducasse based on his raw potential, but he was never able to put it all together in New York. After being cut by the Ravens late in the offseason, Ducasse auditioned for the Lions, but didn’t get a call back. Now, he’s circling back to Baltimore.
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Greg Hardy Transitioning To MMA
Could Greg Hardy go from the gridiron to the octagon? The controversial defensive end says that he’s changing sports and shifting his focus to mixed martial arts. 
[RELATED: Greg Hardy Arrested On Drug Charge]
“I’m very focused and excited to start my MMA career,” Hardy said in a statement provided to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com. “I’m going to do this the right way, I can assure you of that.”
Hardy, once a top defensive player in the NFL, was suspended for the bulk of the 2014 season and part of the 2015 season for a domestic violence incident. The Cowboys gave Hardy a second chance, but he was reportedly a thorn in the side of coaches. This offseason, teams were unwilling to take on all of the headaches that would come with signing Hardy and it now sounds like he is moving on from football altogether.
Hardy does not have a real MMA background to speak of, but his reps claim that several promotions have already expressed interest in signing him. Hardy’s team says that he currently weighs around 285 pounds and plans to fight as a heavyweight when he debuts, most likely in 2017. Under the unified rules of MMA, heavyweights weigh-in between 206 and 265 pounds.
It’s not immediately clear whether the UFC would consider signing Hardy, but the company has shown a willingness to sign non-traditional celebrity fighters in the past. In 2010, the UFC signed boxer James Toney for a one-off fight against ex-champ Randy Couture. Last month, former WWE superstar C.M. Punk made his octagon debut when he fought Mickey Gall in a welterweight bout. The UFC may not want to put on another “freak show” fight so close to Punk’s unsuccessful debut, but another major promotion such as Bellator would likely have serious interest in the former defensive end.
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