NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster, OL Marcus Henry
- Released: CB Lavert Hill
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
- Placed on IR: OT Andre Smith
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: QB Brett Hundley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- Released: WR Josh Imatorbhebhe
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: CB Tony Brown
Washington Football Team
- Released: DT T.Y. McGill
Torn ACL For Cowboys’ Jabril Cox
The season is over for Cowboys linebacker Jabril Cox. The rookie will miss the rest of the year with a torn ACL, as Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
[RELATED: Cowboys Activate Joseph From IR]
Cox, a fourth-round pick, began his collegiate career North Dakota State before transferring, choosing LSU over Alabama and other top-tier programs. In his lone year with the Tigers, Cox notched 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
He’s mostly played as a special teamer through the first half of his rookie campaign, but he also offers quality coverage ability for an outside linebacker. In time, his athleticism could translate to consistent pressure off of the edge. But, in the near-term, he’ll have to focus on his rehab program with an eye on 2022.
The Cowboys are 6-1 following yesterday’s win over the Vikings. Next up, a Sunday afternoon showdown with the Broncos.
Titans To Sign Adrian Peterson
The Titans have agreed to a practice squad deal with Adrian Peterson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The practice squad part seems to be a formality, however, as RapSheet hears that he’ll soon be elevated to the 53-man roster. 
[RELATED: Titans’ Henry To Miss Time]
Peterson will help fill in for Derrick Henry, who will miss anywhere between 6-to-10 weeks with a foot fracture. This marks the veteran’s first deal of 2021 and a huge opportunity for him to defy Father Time once again. While Peterson is years removed from his prime years as a top-tier rusher, he was still productive with 604 yards and seven rushing touchdowns for the Lions in 2020.
“The training is going well and I’m going to control the things that I can control right now, and, when that time comes, somebody will give me a call,” Peterson said over the summer (via Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790). “[A chance] is all I’m asking for. My body feels good…I still feel young. I still feel good. I’m ready to play ball.”
Peterson, 36, is just 180 rushing yards shy of 15,000 for his career. Depending on how the Titans use him, he could be just a few weeks away from joining Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders in the elusive 15,000-yard club. He’s also about 500 yards away from leapfrogging Sanders for fourth all time in rushing yards and six rushing TDs away from besting Marcus Allen for third place.
Peterson might not start immediately for the Titans, but he’ll surely stand as their biggest name at RB while Henry is out. Once he’s promoted to the 53-man roster, he’ll slot somewhere alongside Jeremy McNichols on the depth chart.
Colts’ Tyquan Lewis Done For Year
Colts defensive tackle Tyquan Lewis will miss the rest of the year with a patellar tendon injury. Lewis will be placed on injured reserve later today, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster.
“Really unfortunate, he was really playing well yesterday,” head coach Frank Reich said (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
Lewis suffered the injury on Sunday as the Colts fell to the Titans in overtime. The 6’4″ Ohio State product will finish his year with 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss across eight games (two starts). It’s a frustrating setback for Lewis, who finally found his footing in the Colts’ rotation last year. In 2020, Lewis registered 24 stops, four sacks, and two passes defensed while appearing in all 16 of the Colts’ games.
Meanwhile, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (concussion) will be held out of this week’s game against the Jets. Hilton, who has missed much of the season, has six catches for 96 yards in two games this year.
Browns’ Jack Conklin Suffers Dislocated Elbow
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski says Jack Conklin will miss “multiple weeks” with a dislocated elbow (via Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com). Stefanski did not specify a timeline for the right tackle, but it’s likely that he’ll be placed on short-term injured reserve. 
Conklin returned to face the Steelers yesterday after missing the prior two games with a knee injury. The 2020 First-Team All-Pro was expected to provide a big boost to the front five, though his presence wasn’t enough in the 15-10 defeat.
The Browns will likely deploy tackle/guard Blake Hance on the right side, but they may need some reinforcements behind him. Currently, fourth-round rookie James Hudson stands as the team’s only other true reserve tackle.
Conklin remains under contract through 2022 thanks to his three-year, $42MM deal. The former No. 8 overall pick will only be 28 when that deal expires, setting him up for an even bigger payday down the line. In the more immediate future, Conklin will aim for a pre-Thanksgiving return as the Browns fight to salvage their season.
Titans To Place Derrick Henry On IR
Titans running back Derrick Henry will undergo foot surgery on Tuesday morning, head coach Mike Vrabel announced (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). Vrabel didn’t specify a timeline for his recovery, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter) hears that he’ll be out for somewhere between 6-10 weeks. 
Although that’s bad news for the Titans, it’s a better outcome than what was expected just a few hours ago. Henry was feared to have suffered a more serious metatarsal fracture, one that surely would have left him in a boot for the rest of 2021. Now, the Titans could have Henry back as soon as Week 15. Or, if he needs additional time to recover, there’s still a chance that he could suit up for the postseason.
Up until last night’s injury, Henry was on pace for another stellar season. He currently leads the league with 937 rushing yards — 300+ yards more than Browns RB Nick Chubb. Had he stayed healthy, Henry could have potentially matched last year’s eye-popping total of 2,027 yards. At minimum, he probably would have captured his third consecutive NFL rushing title.
Without Henry, the Titans are set to deploy Jeremy McNichols as their RB1 with support from Khari Blasingame and Dontrell Hilliard at RB. However, they’ll also audition a few free agents this week, including Adrian Peterson (Twitter link via Rapoport). Peterson might not be the player he once was, but he still managed 604 yards and seven TDs via ground with the Lions last year.
Saints’ Jameis Winston Done For Year
It’s official. On Monday afternoon, Saints head coach Sean Payton announced that Jameis Winston has been diagnosed with a torn ACL (Twitter link via Saints). 
[RELATED: Brees Won’t Come Out Of Retirement For Saints]
Winston also suffered MCL damage, which may prolong his recovery. The timing is especially unfortunate for the quarterback as he’ll be out of contract in the spring.
Winston, the first-overall pick in the 2015 draft, joined New Orleans in 2020 following five underwhelming years in Tampa Bay. He saw time in four games during his first Saints season, completing seven of his 11 pass attempts for 75 yards. He also came up key during the Saints’ postseason loss to the Buccaneers, completing his lone pass attempt for 56 yards and a score. After that, he returned on a one-year deal with $5.5MM guaranteed and the potential to earn up to $12MM via incentives, most of which he will not earn now that he’s shelved for the second half.
The Saints will either turn the offense over to backup Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill, depending on Hill’s post-concussion status. They could also weigh some out-of-house options, but NBC analyst Drew Brees and free agent Cam Newton will not be among those considered.
Broncos Trade Von Miller To Rams
The Broncos have agreed to trade Von Miller to the Rams (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). In exchange, the Rams will send a second-round draft pick and a third-round selection in upcoming draft. 
The Broncos will assume $9MM of Miller’s remaining salary, allowing the future Hall of Famer to squeeze under the Rams’ salary cap. That also enabled the Broncos to score a much larger haul than they would have otherwise.
The ten-year veteran missed all of 2020 with an ankle injury, prompting the Broncos to ask him for a pay cut earlier this year. Instead, the Broncos exercised his option to guarantee much of his $18MM salary. He’s still on course for unrestricted free agency next year, but he was hoping to finish out the season in Denver.
“I have totally bought into being a Coloradoan for life, let alone a Denver Bronco,” Miller said on Instagram in March. “I want to be here forever, through the thick, the thin, the Super Bowl seasons, the losing seasons. I want to be here forever.”
The Broncos improved to .500 on the year with yesterday’s win over the Washington Football Team, but GM George Paton chose to bolster his long-term prospects by trading Miller. As noted by Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter link), the Broncos would have only received a compensatory 2023 fifth-round pick by allowing Miller to leave via free agency. Instead, they’ve scored a pair of valuable Day 2 picks for the upcoming draft — a clear upgrade for 2022 and beyond.
Meanwhile, Miller will provide a serious boost to the Rams’ already star-studded defense. Even at the age of 32, Miller still has plenty left in the tank, as shown by his performance in September. Miller opened the year with four sacks across the first three weeks of the season to notch AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors. Meanwhile, he’s started in all seven of his games, bringing his career total to 142. All in all, the Super Bowl 50 MVP has 110.5 career sacks to his credit to lead the Broncos’ all-time list.
The Rams will now deploy Miller alongside Aaron Donald on the defensive line, in front of a secondary headlined by Jalen Ramsey. He’ll make his debut at home on Sunday when the Rams face the 6-2 Titans.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: LB Malik Harrison
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: RB Deon Jackson, S Josh Jones
- Released: QB Brett Hundley
- Released from IR: WR JJ Nelson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: LB Javin White
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: WR Tutu Atwell
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: LB Carter Coughlin
San Francisco 49ers
- Designated for return: RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: C Daniel Munyer
Saints Won’t Consider Cam Newton
We can now rule out two big-name quarterbacks for the Saints. Drew Brees won’t un-retire to replace Jameis Winston, nor will the Saints consider free agent Cam Newton as a potential Jameis Winston replacement, according to a team source who spoke with PFT (Twitter link). 
Newton is available and vaccinated, but the Saints seem to prefer their in-house options. Backup Trevor Siemian was solid in Winston’s stead last night while Taysom Hill could be ready to return from his Week 5 concussion.
As the Panthers’ star QB, Newton did some of his best work against the Saints. However, he finished near the bottom of the league in cumulative QBR from 2016-19 and fell flat with the Pats last year. In 2020, the former MVP threw for just 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns with ten interceptions. On the plus side, he displayed his usual rushing talent, collecting 592 yards and 12 TDs on the ground, plus a receiving touchdown.
The Saints will likely be without Winston and definitely be without Newton on Sunday when they face the Falcons. Depending on the outcome of Bucs-WFT, a win could put the Saints in the NFC South lead.