Bears’ Jeremy Langford Out For 4-6 Weeks?
The Bears expect running back Jeremy Langford to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with sprained ankle, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Langford, an NFL sophomore, was thrust into the starting role this season following the departure of Matt Forte. Through three games this season, Langford has amassed 116 yards off of 31 carries with two touchdowns. His 3.7 yards-per-carry average has been roughly in line with his 3.6 ypc posting last season.
With Langford sidelined for multiple weeks, the Bears will likely turn to Jordan Howard, a fifth-round pick out of Indiana. “The Bulldozer” has looked sharp in a limited sample size, posting a 5.6 ypc average off of 12 attempts. The Bears also have Ka’Deem Carey on the depth chart, but he is dealing with an injury of his own.
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Latest On Colin Kaepernick, 49ers
Colin Kaepernick, who has yet to attempt a pass in 2016, has made headlines for unexpected reasons this season. Kaepernick could soon be getting attention for football reasons once again, but that won’t happen until he gets healthy, coach Chip Kelly told reporters today (Twitter links via team account and Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group). 
Kaepernick needs to “continue to work on the physical aspects” and get into better game shape to move up from the No. 2 job, according to Kelly. The coach went on to say that he is the No. 2 QB because he’s not at 100%, which strongly implies that he would have the role over Gabbert if he were healthy.
No. 7 helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl berth and a place in the NFC title game in his first year and a half as a starter. However, in 2014, his play began to trend downward. Last year, Blaine Gabbert wound up as San Francisco’s starter, but his early season struggles have put his starting job in jeopardy. If Kaepernick can demonstrate that he is in football shape, he could be the main man under center once again.
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Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/16
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
- The Lions announced that they have waived linebacker Zaviar Gooden. Gooden was bumped from the practice squad to the main roster on Sunday and played in 27 of the team’s 54 snaps.
- The Jaguars have released offensive tackle Rashod Hill, according to agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter). If he clears waivers, Tessler says that Jacksonville will re-sign him to the practice squad. Taking his place will be wide receiver Bryan Walters (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com).
- The Jets waived linebacker Julian Stanford, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
- Former Kansas City seventh-round wide receiver Da’Ron Brown visited the Jaguars, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Colin Kelly
- Cut: OL Jason Weaver (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DL Kristjan Sokoli (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)
- Cut: DL Sterling Bailey (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of CBS4)
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Brandon Wilds (via press release)
- Cut: RB Dominique Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Robert Myers (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)
Browns OL Alvin Bailey Arrested
Browns offensive lineman Alvin Bailey was arrested early this morning for operating a vehicle under the influence, as Allison Wood of The Royalton Post writes. The Browns effectively confirmed the news in speaking with Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link) and expressed “extreme disappointment” in his actions. 
Bailey tested over the legal limit on a portable breath test and officers also spotted green flakes in his car which were believed to be marijuana. The lineman “was cited for failure to comply, drug abuse, drug paraphernalia, and speeding. Bailey has a Sept. 29 court date with regards to these charges.
Bailey joined the Browns on a free agent deal after spending previous years as a depth player with the Seahawks. Recently, he took on a larger role as Cameron Erving was sidelined. If Bailey is disciplined or cut, the Browns will have yet another hole to address.
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Greg Hardy Arrested On Drug Charge
Former Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy was arrested late Sunday night on a drug possession charge, according to Claire Z. Cardona of The Dallas Morning News. Hardy has been a free agent since the conclusion of the 2015 season. 
The former Pro Bowler was stopped shortly before midnight on a traffic violation. When cops pulled Hardy over, they found that he was in possession of a “group 1” controlled substance. In the state of Texas, there are a number of drugs that fall within that category, so it is not immediately clear what Hardy was caught with.
In terms of pure talent, Hardy is arguably the most fearsome defensive free agent in the NFL. Of course, it is his off-the-field baggage that has left him without a job. Hardy’s well-publicized domestic violence incident kept him out of the game for most of 2014 and the first quarter of the 2015 season. In 12 games for the Cowboys last season, Hardy totaled 35 tackles, six sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. While those aren’t bad numbers by any means, they weren’t in line with Hardy’s previous work. Between 2011 and 2013, the former sixth-round pick averaged 56 tackles and 10 sacks a season.
Hardy was already facing an uphill battle to get back into the NFL, but that possibility seems more remote than ever.
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Jets To Meet With C.J. Spiller
C.J. Spiller is headed out to visit the Jets tonight, a source tells freelance NFL reporter Rand Getlin (on Twitter). The running back is set to work out for Gang Green tomorrow. 
Spiller appeared in 13 games for the Saints in 2015 before being placed on IR. Spiller struggled during his lone Saints season, totaling just 112 rushing yards on 36 carries. However, he did contribute in the passing game, hauling in 34 receptions for 239 yards and a pair of scores. Spiller’s best= season came in 2012, when he finished with 1,244 rushing yards and six touchdowns (along with 43 receptions for 459 yards and two scores). Earlier this month, the Saints released the veteran.
The Packers kicked the tires on Spiller last week but the running back left without a deal. It’s not immediately clear if the Jets have a spot for him either, but they could be evaluating him as an alternative to No. 3 RB Troymaine Pope. It’s also possible that the Jets simply want to evaluate Spiller in the event of an injury to Matt Forte or Bilal Powell.
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Raiders Cut FB Marcel Reece
The Raiders have released fullback Marcel Reece, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Reece was scheduled to return from suspension this week. 
Reece, who was in Oakland since making his NFL debut in 2009, violated the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. The multi-game ban cost him a trip to the Pro Bowl after last season and, apparently, led the Raiders to finding his full-time replacement. Reece was scheduled to play out the 2016 season at a cap number of $3.53MM, but Oakland has opted against taking on that cap hit.
In 2015, Reece caught 30 passes for 269 yards and three TDs and also added 36 rushing yards. Most importantly, he served as a solid blocker for quarterback Derek Carr and running back Latavius Murray in the backfield. Now, Jamize Olawale is being counted on to do the dirty work for Oakland.
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Jets Claim Austin Seferian-Jenkins
The Jets have claimed Austin Seferian-Jenkins off waivers from the Bucs, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Seferian-Jenkins was waived by Tampa Bay late last week.
In the wake of his second DUI arrest since 2013, the Bucs cut bait with their talented tight end. Seferian-Jenkins, a second-round pick in the 2014 draft, has been looked at as a potential star in the making, though he has not been able to put it all together on the field. The Bucs decided that they had enough after ASJ’s latest off-the-field indiscretion and he certainly didn’t help his standing with the club this offseason when he got into it with coaches during practice.
It will be interesting to see where the Washington product fits in with the Jets. Currently, the tight end depth chart is headlined by Kellen Davis with Brandon Bostick and recent addition Braedon Bowman in support.
Jenkins, who turns 24 later this week, had 21 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. In 2015, he had a similar stat line across seven games as he caught 21 balls for 338 yards and four scores. This year, Seferian-Jenkins recorded three catches and one touchdown for the Buccaneers. He’ll now hope to boost those numbers with Gang Green.
The tight end probably won’t face any discipline for his most recent arrest until 2017, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter).
DeAngelo Hall Done For Season
Redskins defensive back DeAngelo Hall is done for the season. The cornerback suffered a painful leg injury on Sunday and an MRI today confirmed that he has torn his ACL, Erin Hawksworth of ABC 7 tweets. Now, Hall must wait until the swelling goes down before Dr. James Andrews can operate on him. 
Hall, 32, hurt his knee in the second quarter of Washington’s 29-27 victory over the Giants. He paced the sidelines hoping to get back in the game, but he was ruled out for the rest of the contest.
The veteran was a cornerback for his entire career up until this offseason when the Redskins asked him to transition over to safety. Now, the Redskins are down a starter and they’ll likely bump Will Blackmon or Duke Ihenacho to the starting spot opposite David Bruton Jr. We can also expect the Redskins to look outside for help.
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