Clinton-Dix Doesn’t Expect To Stay With Packers
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is in his contract year, and he doesn’t expect to be back with Green Bay in 2019. In a candid conversation with reporters, the safety indicated that he’s in his final days as a member of the Packers. 
“Right now, I’m playing each and every game like it’s my last. I don’t think I’m going to be here next year,” Clinton-Dix said (via Jason Wilde of the State Journal). “That’s how I look at it. I just (have to) be honest with myself. You’ve got to play it game-by-game. Whether we’re losing by 60 points, you’ve got to go out there and perform. This is my biggest interview of my career. So I’ve got to perform, regardless of what the record says.”
The Packers are now 2-2-1 after falling 31-23 to the rival Lions. It’s not the start that Clinton-Dix and the Packers had in mind, but they’ll have a chance to get over the .500 mark when they face the 49ers on Monday night.
The fifth-year safety was retained for this season via the fifth-year option, which is paying him $5.957MM. He stayed away from voluntary OTAs in hopes of getting a long-term deal, but that never came together, and Clinton-Dix doesn’t seem optimistic about that happening now. Clinton-Dix has come to terms with his future prospects in Green Bay, but he’s far from unhappy with the team.
“I like [defensive coordinator] Mike Pettine a lot. He’s given me a chance to fly around and make plays,” Clinton-Dix said. “When guys are doing what they’re asked to do, we don’t look too bad out there. There are little mistakes we make, but other that, we’re all having fun out there and once we all get in a rhythm and start catching interceptions, it’s only going to bring us together. I’m actually having fun — regardless of what the record says — because of the defense and the way it is right now. We’re going to get better. Once we get rolling, we’re going to be hard to stop, if you ask me.”
Clinton-Dix, 26 in December, is tied for the league-lead in interceptions with three. He also ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 ranked safety through five weeks of the season, so he’s building a strong case for himself as he approaches free agency for the first time in his career. A big payday could be in the Alabama product’s future, though a repeat of this year’s depressed free agent safety market could limit his prospects.
Extra Points: Bucs, Eagles, Steelers, Bell
The Buccaneers and offensive lineman Ali Marpet agreed to a five-year extension earlier today, with the deal expected to be worth $55MM ($27.125MM guaranteed). General manager Jason Licht last said that one of the top items on the front office’s to-do list was signing the 25-year-old to a long-term deal.
“One of our top priorities heading into this season was to secure our core players to long-term deals and I am thrilled to add Ali to that list,” Licht said (via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter). “In his first four seasons, Ali has developed into one of the league’s best offensive guards and we believe he will only continue to improve. His ability to play multiple positions across the line, along with his strong work ethic and overall leadership abilities, were all important factors in our decision to ensure he remains a Buccaneer for the long term.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…
- While previous reports had indicated that the Eagles had given “serious consideration” to a Le’Veon Bell trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter clarified that that wasn’t actually the case. Yahoo’s Charles Robinson echos that sentiment, writing that the Eagles hadn’t been in pursuit of the Steelers running back. However, Robinson notes that Bell “is a viable option” for Philly after they lost Jay Ajayi to a season-ending injury. For the time being, the Eagles will turn to one of Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Darren Sproles (once he returns from injury).
- Two more practice squad players got raises this week after other teams tried to poach them, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Jets center Nico Falah and 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley are now making $28,235 a week, well above the taxi squad minimum. Given the way they are valued by their respective teams, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either player promoted to the main roster soon.
- The Lions expect to see offensive lineman T.J. Lang back on the field at some point this season.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Tank Carradine Meets With Lions
Former Raiders defensive end Tank Carradine, who was released last week at his request, will visit the Lions on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former second-round pick of the 49ers is looking for more playing time, and he could have that opportunity in Detroit as Ezekiel Ansah continues to rehab from a shoulder injury. 
Carradine has yet to live up to his 2013 draft status and notched just 1.5 sacks and 19 tackles last season. His best season came in 2014 when he had three sacks in nine games. On the plus side, Carradine has done a decent job of generating pressure off of the edge, despite his low sack totals. Last year, his production would have placed him among Pro Football Focus’ top 50 edge defenders if he had enough snaps to qualify.
Without Ansah, the Lions are working with a defensive end group that includes rookie Da’Shawn Hand, Romeo Okwara, Eric Lee, and Kerry Hyder. Okwara has three sacks and Hand has two sacks and two forced fumbles, but the Lions have interest in Carradine for depth.
Cardinals Shopping Deone Bucannon
The Cardinals are “stepping up their efforts” to trade former first-round pick Deone Bucannon before the deadline, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. JLC reported that Bucannon was on the block over the weekend, but it sounds like the Cardinals are pushing even harder now to get a deal done. 
Bucannon was a first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014 and broke out in 2015 with a team-high 112 tackles plus three sacks and three forced fumbles. Injuries have slowed him down since then, and he has failed to find a consistent role in coach Steve Wilks‘ defense. Bucannon saw time on 66.57% of the Cards’ defensive snaps last year, but has played on just 53.04% of Arizona’s snaps this year. Over the last three weeks, he’s been in on less than a quarter of the plays.
The Cardinals are 1-4 and also have Haason Reddick on the block, so they could be extremely active between now and the Oct. 30 trade.
Bengals Sign Matt Lengel
The Bengals signed tight end Matt Lengel off of the Texans’ practice squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Lengel will give the Bengals another tight end to work with following Tyler Eifert‘s season-ending injury. 
Lengel, 28 in December, first entered the league as a UDFA with the Bengals in 2015. In 2016, he hooked on with the Patriots where he caught his only NFL touchdown to date. Last year, he was waived/injured by the Pats and found his way to the Browns practice squad. He earned a promotion midway through the year and saw time in a December loss to the Bears. Lengel was picked up by the Texans after the Browns waived him in April, and he joined their practice squad after missing the final cut. Now, he’s back where it all started.
Lengel has appeared in seven career NFL games and hopes to add to the total in Cincinnati. For now, he’ll be playing behind Tyler Kroft, C.J. Uzomah, and Mason Schreck.
Chiefs Sign Nate Orchard
The Chiefs signed free agent linebacker Nate Orchard, according to a team announcement. Orchard will help to fill in for Justin Hosuton, who may miss multiple games with a hamstring injury. 
At minimum, it sounds like the Chiefs will be without Houston on Sunday night when they face the Patriots. Houston is one of the club’s defensive leaders and has has three sacks and two forced fumbles so far this year. The Chiefs will be hurting without him, but the injury could pave the way for Orchard to see the field.
After spending three seasons with the Browns, the 2015 second-round pick was released by the team in September. Orchard was plenty productive during his rookie campaign, compiling 36 tackles and three sacks in 15 games (11 starts). Unfortunately, the Utah product was limited to only three games in 2016 after suffering an ankle injury, and he settled into more of a reserve role in 2017. He ultimately finished last season with 25 tackles and two sacks in 16 games (one start).
Orchard, a darling of this year’s “Hard Knocks,” hooked on with the Bills after being cut by Cleveland, but lasted only three weeks. He’ll try to make it a longer stay in Kansas City.
Cardinals Release LB Arthur Moats From IR
The Cardinals have released linebacker Arthur Moats from injured reserve, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). Moats is now free to sign with any club of his choosing, provided that he is healthy.
The Cards signed the 30-year-old defender in July after a four-season run with the Steelers. Unfortunately, he suffered a sprained MCL in Arizona’s third preseason game and was subsequently placed on IR. Because he was placed on IR before the start of the season, he was not eligible to return in 2018 for Arizona.
Moats has started 45 games over the last eight years in the NFL. The 2010 sixth-rounder appeared in 14 games for the Steelers last season, finishing with eight tackles. Between 2014 and 2016, Moats compiled at least 3.5 sacks per season, so the veteran may still have something left in the tank.
With Moats officially out of the picture, the Cardinals are a bit thin at linebacker. The team is currently rostering only three outside linebackers in Haason Reddick, Deone Bucannon, and Dennis Gardeck, although they could give a look at backup middle linebackers Gerald Hodges and Joe Walker.
Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/18
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Keith Towbridge
- Released: CB Michael Hunter
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Brandon Chubb
- Released QB: Connor Cook
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: RB Bo Scarbrough
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Tra Carson, WR Keon Hatcher
- Released: RB Joel Bouagnon
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: CB Lenzy Pipkins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Pharoah McKever
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed On PS-IR: LB Robert McCray
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OT Rick Leonard
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Kenneth Farrow
New York Giants
- Signed: K Marshall Koehn
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Matthew Dayes, OL Najee Toran, DB Tyvis Powell
- Released: DB Dexter McCoil, WR Frank Stephens
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Nigel Harris
- Released: OL Coleman Shelton
Chiefs Place LDT, Watts On IR
The Chiefs formally placed guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and defensive back Armani Watts on injured reserve. In a related move, the club brought back outside linebacker Frank Zombo. 
Duvernay-Tardif was injured in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ 30-14 win over the Jaguars. As coach Andy Reid explained, the fibula is a non-weight bearing bone, so LDT should be able to heal up before the end of the season. Per league rules, he’ll have to spend at least eight weeks on the sidelines, meaning that he cannot return until Week 14, when the Chiefs face the Ravens. The Chiefs have their bye in Week 12, so Duvernay-Tardif might only miss seven games in total.
Watts, a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, recorded one sack and two total tackles in five games this year. He’s just the latest Chiefs safety to succumb to injury thanks to a groin tear suffered against the Jaguars.
Zombo, 31, appeared in all of the Chiefs’ regular season games between 2013-2017. He started in 27 of those contests for KC and racked up 7.5 sacks for them in total.
Texans Place Kayvon Webster On IR
The Texans will place Kayvon Webster on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s currently unclear whether Webster will be a candidate to return later this year. 
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Webster spent the first four years of his career as a reserve with the Broncos, but signed a two-year deal with the Rams last spring. The reunion with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips did not go as planned, and neither has his reboot with the Texans. Webster joined the club in late August, but an Achilles injury prevented him from playing in the first four games of the season. He returned this past week to face the Cowboys, but he suffered a quadriceps injury that will shut him down for a while.
On Tuesday, the Texans elevated defensive back Mike Tyson from the practice squad to help fill in for Webster. The Texans could elevate Shareece Wright to the starting lineup to replace Webster, or they could shift Kareem Jackson over from safety and use Justin Reid as a first-stringer in the middle.