NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: S Dean Marlowe
- Released: OL Ruben Holcomb
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Bo Scarbrough
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Malcolm Lewis
- Released: WR Travis Rudolph
East Notes: Giants, Manning, Eagles
Is Eli Manning to blame for the Giants’ 1-4 start? That’s not necessarily a new question in New Jersey. People in the Giants organization began wondering if Manning was hindering the offense as early as four or five years ago, sources with knowledge of the club’s thinking tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
Recently, Odell Beckham Jr. made waves by questioning Manning’s effectiveness, among other things. One could argue that the offensive line is hindering the passing game, but that excuse might not hold up after the Giants signed left tackle Nate Solder to a four-year, $62MM deal with $34.8MM guaranteed.
Last year, Giants fans revolted when the club benched Manning in order to audition backup Geno Smith. Ultimately, the Giants reversed course by reinstate Manning as the starter and tossing GM Jerry Reese and coach Ben McAdoo on the Turnpike. If the Giants continue to struggle this year, the new regime might be able to move on from Manning without fan interference.
Manning’s contract runs through the end of the 2019 season, but the Giants can release him this offseason with just $6.2MM in dead money versus a cap savings of $17MM. The $17MM savings won’t be enough to sign an elite quarterback (if there is one available), but the Giants could find their signal caller of the future in the draft, particularly if they’re picking in the top five.
Here’s more from the East divisions:
- Eagles running back Jay Ajayi is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s protected thanks to a unique insurance policy, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes. Ajayi’s loss-of-value insurance policy will cover him up to $5MM, tax free, in the event that his open market value dips to the point where he is a lower-level free agent. The exact parameters of his policy are unknown, but if Ajayi was valued as being able to earn a four-year, $16MM deal before the injury, but nets just $8MM over four years after the ACL tear, the policy will nearly make up the difference. Most players do not have policies such as this, but it’s something that pending free agents should probably look into. Rapoport hears that this type of insurance can cost between $80K-$100K, and that’s a relative drop in the bucket for players who are in the mix for mega deals.
- Jets head coach Todd Bowles says that defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers visited the team facility on Thursday and there is a “small chance” that he will coach this weekend (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). Rodgers is dealing with an undisclosed medical issue that Bowles says is “serious.”
Jaguars Planning London Move?
Could the Jaguars turn their one yearly game in London to a full-fledged move? That’s the master plan, according to a former employee of owner Shad Khan. 
Former assistant director of football Craig Kline alleges that Khan told him to keep quiet over his plans to buy Wembley Stadium and move the Jaguars to London in 2022. (via The Telegraph). Khan is on the verge of purchasing the iconic stadium for $792.5MM, but the club denies any planned move.
“This is nothing more than the same ongoing nonsense and bogus claims made by a former employee who left the club in 2017. Nothing here merits a further response,” Khan spokesman Jim Woodcock said.
Meanwhile, a separate report from the Daily Mail suggests that Khan is exploring a scenario in which the Jaguars play their home games in London, but remain based out of Jacksonville for tax purposes. The workaround, in theory, would allow Khan and his players to avoid pricey UK taxes.
Even if that is true, it’s far from certain that the NFL, the state of Florida, and the city of Jacksonville would be on board with the proposal. Finances aside, the idea of a team playing eight games in London – or even four – would present a logistical travel nightmare for the teams playing against the Jaguars.
Steelers’ Antonio Brown Facing Two Lawsuits
Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is facing a pair of lawsuits stemming from an incident in April (via ESPN.com). Brown is being accused of throwing items from the balcony of a South Florida apartment which nearly hit a 2-year-old child who was outside near the pool area. For his part, Brown says the accusations are bogus. 
“It has now been made public that two lawsuits containing false claims have been filed against me,” Brown said in a statement. “The facts will soon come out that prove my innocence. My focus will remain on football and I will not let the cases serve as a distraction.”
Meanwhile, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy says that the league is monitoring the civil suits. The NFL reserves the right to punish players even when courts find in their favor, so Brown could be subject to a suspension if the league office finds that the accusations have merit. League investigations are usually lengthy and often do not conclude before the legal process wraps up, so Brown is unlikely to face NFL discipline during the 2018 season. If anything, Brown could be looking at some sort of punishment in 2019, depending on how things play out.
This isn’t the first potential distraction that Brown has faced this year. In September, Brown missed a Steelers practice after getting into a social media spat with a former employee. Brown made reference to a trade in that exchange on Twitter, but he has since reaffirmed his desire to stay in Pittsburgh.
Brown had some down games this year (at least, by his standards) and some communication issues with Ben Roethlisberger, but everything seems to be back on track after he had six catches for 101 yards in two scores on Sunday against the Falcons. The Steelers won that game 41-17, bringing them to 2-2-1 on the year.
Chargers Sign K Michael Badgley
The Chargers are signing free agent kicker Michael Badgley, league sources tell Field Yates and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Badgley will kick while veteran Caleb Sturgis nurses a strained quad. Sturgis, meanwhile, will remain on the team and the club will carry both kickers on the main roster. 
Badgley spent time with the Colts this offseason after finishing up his time at the University of Miami. With the Hurricanes, Badgley connected on 794.% of his field goal tries and 96.1% of his extra point attempts. As a senior, he earned first-team All-ACC honors as he made 17-of-23 field goal attempts and 42-of-43 extra point tries for the Hurricanes. Meanwhile, 32 of his 75 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks in 2017.
Badgley’s first test will come against the Browns on Sunday. Depending on Sturgis’ recovery, his audition could last a bit longer.
Latest On Cowboys’ David Irving
Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving has yet to suit up for the Cowboys this season and an ongoing issue could prevent him from contributing to the club going forward, as Brandon George and David Moore of the Dallas Morning News write. Irving is entangled in a custody battle for his daughter and was recently served with a restraining order from the mother of his child.
Irving was served with the temporary restraining order in early October. He did not take kindly to it, and reacted angrily towards the female processor. The defensive tackle yelled at the woman, waived the paperwork in her face, and may have made contact with the processor using the documents. Authorities are investigating the incident and may charge him with “offensive touching,” a misdemeanor.
Irving’s ex-girlfriend Angela Sanchez is seeking full custody of their child and wants the ability to take her daughter back to her home in California. That doesn’t sit well with Irving, and perhaps doesn’t bode well for his ongoing efforts to remain sober. Irving’s marijuana use landed him a four-game suspension to start the season, but he has not been consistently practicing with the team since being reinstated. His Cowboys teammates are understanding, but are also eager to see him rejoin the club.
“He’s got to show up,” defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford said. “He’s got to show up to practice to play. He knows that. We know that. It’s obvious you have to know what we’re doing during the week. I feel like when he comes in he’ll get everything he needs to know to get out there on Sunday. “The issues that are going on with David are things that have to be handled, and that’s what he’s doing. He’s handling that. I don’t fault the man for handling what he has to handle as a man.”
Luckily for Crawford and the Cowboys, it sounds like things are trending in the right direction. Irving reported to the team on Thursday and coach Jason Garrett expects him to practice (Twitter link via Clarance Hill of the Star Telegram). If all goes well, it’s possible that Irving will rejoin the Cowboys for their Sunday showdown with the Jaguars.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Deatrick Nichols
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Brandon Chubb
- Released: QB Connor Cook
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DB Demetrious Cox
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Jeremiah McKinnon
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Darius Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Tray Matthews, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: FB Dimitri Flowers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Leon McQuay, TE David Wells
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Jeff Richards, LB Tre’von Johnson
- Released: CB Channing Stribling, T Jamar McGloster
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Travis Rudolph
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Jordan Morgan, WR Roger Lewis, RB Dalyn Dawkins
Lions Claim Pipkins, Cut Flowers
The Lions have claimed cornerback Lenzy Pipkins off of waivers from the Colts, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. To make room, the Lions have cut veteran linebacker Marquis Flowers.
Pipkins, an Oklahoma State product, appeared in 12 games for the Packers last season. He started out the 2018 season on the Colts’ practice squad, but earned a promotion in early October and actually started in his lone game with the varsity squad, a 38-24 loss against the Patriots in primetime.
Flowers is out of work, but he’s no stranger to the transactions wire. This offseason, he missed the Pats’ final cut before reuniting with old defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in Detroit.
Flowers mostly played special teams for the Bengals in 2016, but he saw time on 361 snaps for the Patriots in 2017. The 26-year-old finished out the regular season with 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks and even started in two games. In the playoffs, he added another six tackles and one sack.
Jaguars To Meet With Ereck Flowers
Former Giants tackle Ereck Flowers cleared waivers on Wednesday and will visit the Jaguars on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter hears that other teams are also interested in Flowers and want him to visit after he’s done in Jacksonville. 
The Giants waived the former first-round pick on Tuesday after they were unable to find a suitable trade for him. The lack of trade interest was not a surprise – Flowers has yet to do much of anything at the pro level and any club willing to take a flier on him was unwilling to absorb the final year of his rookie contract.
Still, the 6’6″, 329-pound tackle holds promise, and other teams are interested in seeing what he can do, particularly given the dearth of quality tackles available. In theory, a positional change could also suit Flowers, and he wouldn’t be the first mediocre tackle to find success at guard.
Flowers’ history with Jaguars football czar Tom Coughlin may have something to do with the club’s interest in him. Coughlin coached Flowers in his rookie season with the Giants before he was ousted in January of 2016.
Lions Work Out TE Clive Walford
The Lions worked out tight end Clive Walford, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Walford has been hitting the workout circuit hard as of late and is coming off of recent auditions with the Seahawks and Bengals. Rapoport expects him to sign somewhere soon, and a deal could come together in Detroit. 
The Lions currently have two newcomers leading their TE group in Luke Willson and Levine Toilolo. Last year’s fourth-round pick, Michael Roberts, is positioned as the team’s third TE, but he’s missed the club’s last three games due to a knee injury. The Lions’ Week 6 bye will give him a chance to rest up, though his status for Week 7 against the Dolphins remains murky.
Walford, a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2015, missed the Jets’ final cut in the offseason. His best season came in 2016 when he hauled in 33 catches for 359 yards and three scores. Last year, he had just nine catches for 80 yards with Oakland.