Cardinals, DeAndre Hopkins Nearing Deal
The Cardinals and DeAndre Hopkins are nearing agreement on a contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Hopkins – who left CAA earlier this summer – negotiated the contract himself. 
Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it could very well position him as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. That title currently belongs to Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, who’s earning $23.5MM per season. Anything over $22MM per year on average would vault Hopkins to the top of the wide receiver list, ahead of Falcons star Julio Jones.
Hopkins has three years to go on his original Texans deal, which pays him just $12.5MM this year. Beyond that, he’s got two more seasons of below-market, non-guaranteed pay. The three-time First-Team All-Pro has averaged 90+ catches, ~1,230 yards, and eight touchdowns per year in the NFL. Meanwhile, he ranks ninth among all wide receivers in average annual value, behind Jones, Amari Cooper, Michael Thomas, A.J. Green, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, and Brandin Cooks.
The Cardinals knew that extension talks were on the horizon with Hopkins when they pulled off their stunning trade in March. It won’t come cheap but, on the plus side, they didn’t give up much to acquire one of the game’s most dangerous offensive players. For a net cost of David Johnson and a second-round pick, they now tout Hopkins as their top receiver ahead of Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk.
Raiders Place Marcus Mariota On IR, Add DeShone Kizer To P-Squad
The Raiders have placed quarterback Marcus Mariota on injured reserve, per a club announcement. For added insurance, the club has added one-time Notre Dame star DeShone Kizer to the Raiders’ practice squad. 
Mariota’s strained pectoral muscle will keep him out for at least three weeks, per the league’s modified rules for 2020. Without him, the Raiders are rolling with two QBs on the active roster – Derek Carr and Nathan Peterman. Mariota’s temporary absence may take a little bit of pressure off of Derek Carr, who has certainly heard the footsteps. Mariota, who was leapfrogged by Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, finished the year with a career-low 59.4% completion rate and just 1,203 yards.
Kizer has been on the workout trail ever since he was cut by the club in May, but those tryouts didn’t land him a deal. Now, the 2017 second-round pick will stick around in Las Vegas as he waits for his next opportunity. Kizer, 24, has made 18 appearances over the course of his NFL career, most of which came during the Browns’ winless season. All in all, he’s got eleven touchdowns against 24 interceptions.
Here’s the full rundown of the Raiders’ practice squad after Monday’s move:
- WR Marcell Ateman
- TE Nick Bowers
- S Jordan Brown
- WR Keelan Doss
- K Dominik Eberle
- LB Kyle Emanuel
- S Madre Harper
- DE Datone Jones
- QB DeShone Kizer
- C Dylan Mabin
- OL Erik Magnuson
- RB Theo Riddick
- OT: Kamaal Seymour
- DE Chris Smith
- LB Javin White
Steelers Sign Devlin Hodges To P-Squad
Devlin Hodges wasn’t gone for long. After waiving the quarterback over the weekend, the Steelers inked him to a practice squad deal on Monday, per a club announcement. With Duck under contract, and running back Wendell Smallwood on the way, the Steelers have their initial taxi squad in place. Here’s the full rundown: 
- WR Deon Cain
- WR Amara Darboh
- TE Kevin Rader
- OT Anthony Coyle
- RB Trey Edmunds
- OT Jarron Jones
- OG Derwin Gray
- DE Henry Mondeaux
- NT Daniel McCullers
- OLB Jayrone Elliott
- CB Trajan Bandy
- S Antoine Brooks Jr.
- RB Wendell Smallwood
- S Curtis Riley
- P Corliss Waitman
The Steelers were set to roll with Hodges as their QB3, up until they claimed Josh Dobbs off waivers from the Jaguars. Last year, Hodges went from an unheralded UDFA on the practice squad to a fill-in starter after Ben Roethlisberger went down. He wasn’t able to keep his momentum after a hot start, but coaches still like him as an emergency option.
Smallwood was one of the Eagles’ main running backs in 2018, but didn’t much action with Washington in 2019. In 15 games, he registered 22 carries for 81 yards, good for a 3.7 yards per tote average.
Texans Place Gareon Conley On IR
The Texans will be without Gareon Conley for at least a little while. On Monday, Houston placed the cornerback on injured reserve, which will rule him out for a minimum of three games per the league’s modified rules for 2020. 
[RELATED: Texans Sign Deshaun Watson To $177MM Extension]
Conley was activated from the PUP list in August after making strides in his recovery from arthroscopic ankle surgery. The move to IR is a frustrating setback for Conley, who was neck-and-neck with second-year pro Lonnie Johnson for a starting job. Once he’s back, Conley will push for playing time as he makes his case ahead of free agency.
The Texans declined Conley’s fifth-year option for 2021, which would have paid him $10.24MM. Still, the Texans were excited to see what he could bring to the table this year. After a rocky tenure in Oakland, Conley managed eleven pass breakups in Houston. That gave him the second-highest total on the team, just two shy of team leader Jonathan Joseph. Without Conley, the Texans will move forward with Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreaves, Lonnie Johnson, John Reid, Keion Crossen, and Phillip Gaines as their cornerbacks.
In related moves, the Texans placed wide receiver Isaiah Coulter on IR while re-signing tacke Brent Qvale and long snapper Jon Weeks.
Oregon’s Penei Sewell Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell announced that he has opted out of the 2020 season. Citing health concerns, Sewell will now turn his attention to the 2021 NFL Draft.
[RELATED: LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase Opts Out Of 2020 Season]
Sewell has long been regarded as one of the top prospects in the ’21 draft. Most boards have Sewell as a Top 5 prospect and some even him positioned as a Top 3 choice. The 6’6″, 330-pound prospect did not allow a single sack last year and allowed just seven quarterback pressures in 2019. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were fond of him, too — Sewell finished first with a run-blocking grade of 95.3 and while placing third in pass-blocking (91.1).
“There are no words to adequately express how blessed I feel for having played football for the past two seasons at the best school in the country, the University of Oregon,” Sewell wrote (Twitter link). “The love and support I received has been overwhelming, and I could not be more grateful. But ever since I was little, I have dreamt of playing professional football. Accordingly, after long thought, prayer and many conversations with my family, I have decided to opt out of the 2020-21 college football season and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.”
The Outland Trophy winner is just the latest top prospect to skip out on the upcoming NCAA season. Late last month, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase – the draft’s consensus top wide receiver – made the same call.
Bengals Place Trae Waynes On IR
The Bengals have placed Trae Waynes on injured reserve, per a club announcement. To fill his place on the roster, they’ve re-signed fellow cornerback Torry McTyer.
[RELATED: Bengals Waive G Alex Redmond]
Waynes has not been completely ruled out for the year, though he is expected to be out for a “sizable portion” of the season. Rather than clogging up a roster spot, the Bengals will park the star CB on IR to preserve their flexibility. By waiting until Monday to make the move, the Bengals will technically reserve the right to activate Waynes after as just three games. However, his pectoral tear will almost certainly keep him out of action for a longer stretch.
The Bengals signed Waynes to a three-year, $42MM deal earlier this year, one that pays $20MM in 2020. Former fifth-round pick Darius Phillips will move into the starting lineup to fill-in for him, while McTyer offers some CB support in reserve. McTyer, entering his fourth pro season, has history with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo dating back to their time together in Miami.
The Bengals, sans Waynes, will kick off their season at home on Sunday against the Chargers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/7/20
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Colin Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB C.J. Goodwin, LB Justin March, LB Joe Thomas
- Placed on IR: WR Ventell Bryant
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: DT Beau Allen
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: WR Jeff Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Cre’Von LeBlanc
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Nick Bellore
- Placed on IR: G Phil Haynes
Bills Meet With Lamar Miller
Lamar Miller will meet with the Bills today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). For Miller, it’s a chance to reassert himself after a lost season and get some revenge against the Patriots for dropping him over the weekend.
The Patriots opted to forge ahead with Damien Harris, Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead as their RBs heading into the season. There was some thought that Miller could return to New England as Bill Belichick does his usual roster shuffling. That’s still a possibility, but no one would be surprised to see Miller land a deal in Buffalo if he’s healthy.
As it stands, the Bills have Devin Singletary as their primary back, followed by third-round pick Zack Moss, T.J. Yeldon, and Taiwan Jones. Miller, meanwhile, offers tons of experience and impressive credentials. In 2018 – his last healthy season – Miller notched 973 rushing yards, averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and five rushing touchdowns. He also added 25 catches, 163 receiving yards, and one TD through the air for good measure en route to a Pro Bowl nod.
Bills Re-Sign WR Andre Roberts
Andre Roberts wasn’t out of work for long. On Monday morning, the Bills re-signed the veteran wide receiver, along with safety Dean Marlowe. In related moves, the Bills have placed guard Jon Feliciano and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins on injured reserve.
[RELATED: Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal]
Roberts averaged 8.0 yards per punt return and 26.6 yards per kickoff return for the Bills last year. His release came as a surprise, especially since he was coming off of his second career Pro Bowl nod. As it turns out, the Bills weren’t actually discarding the capable and experienced return man/receiver.
Instead, the Bills appear to have made a wink-and-nod arrangement with Roberts to take advantage of the league’s modified IR rules. By waiting until today to place Feliciano and Hodgins on IR, the Bills will leave the door open to bringing them back after just three weeks. Had they made the move over the weekend, both players would have been subject to the usual eight weeks of non-activity before being eligible to return.
Roberts, 30, hasn’t been a significant offensive contributor to any team since 2014, but his return skills are unquestioned. In 2018, his last season with the Jets, Roberts led the NFL in yards per return on punts and total yardage on kickoffs, scoring a touchdown in each capacity.
Mike Glennon Joins Jaguars’ Practice Squad
Mike Glennon missed the Jaguars’ final roster cut, but he’s found a home on Jacksonville’s practice squad, per a club announcement. The 30-year-old quarterback will be joined by former Washington wide receiver Trey Quinn, plus 14 other players to reach the max. Here’s the full list:
- RB Nathan Cottrell
- TE Ben Ellefson
- LB Nate Evans
- TE Matt Flanagan
- LB Joe Giles-Harris
- WR Terry Godwin
- WR Josh Hammond
- CB Amari Henderson
- CB Sidney Jones
- OL K.C. McDermott
- OL Austen Pleasants
- DL Caraun Reid
- OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
- P Brandon Wright
Glennon seemed like a natural choice to backup young starter Gardner Minshew, but he ultimately lost out to sixth-round pick Jake Luton. The veteran has 22 starts to his credit, but he’s been relegated to a backup at this stage of his career. Since entering the league, Glennon has thrown 36 touchdowns with 20 interceptions. Over the last two years, he’s thrown just 31 passes in total.
The Jaguars’ drop to the 53-man limit also included the release of fellow QB Joshua Dobbs, who was quickly scooped up by his old friends in Pittsburgh. Talented veteran cornerback Tramaine Brock was also pulled from the active roster thanks to a season-ending injury.