Seahawks’ Earl Thomas Skips Practice Again
Recently, Earl Thomas skipped two Seahawks practices inside of a week. Unfortunately for Seattle, this could be the start of a pattern. On Wednesday, Thomas missed yet another team practice for non-injury reasons, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. 
Thomas is in the final year of his contract and is frustrated after unsuccessfully pushing the team for a new deal. Thomas has said that he would like to stay with the Seahawks “if they want him,” but if they don’t want to pay him at the top of the safety market, he would likely prefer a trade elsewhere.
The veteran’s warm feelings towards the Cowboys have been well-documented and were underscored last week when he bowed to the Dallas bench after an interception. There are conflicting reports as to whether the Cowboys are likely to trade for him, though it’s believed that the Chiefs could make a play for Thomas. If Thomas continues to express his frustration by skipping practice, the Seahawks could be motivated to move on from him before the Halloween deadline.
Titans Unlikely To Trade Rishard Matthews
On Wednesday night, wide receiver Rishard Matthews asked the Titans for his release. The transaction has yet to be processed, but it’s “doubtful” that the team will find a trade partner for him, Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky hears (on Twitter). 
Presumably, then, it’s a matter of time before Matthews’ request for a release is granted. Once he’s cut, Matthews will be free to sign with any club of his choosing since he is a vested veteran.
Matthews surely has his reasons for wanting out of Tennessee, but the perception around the league may be that he quit on his team. With that in mind, it’s hard to see another team giving up a draft pick, even a late one, to add Matthews in the middle of the season. Instead, interested clubs are likely willing to wait things out and try to sign the receiver to a cheap one-year deal.
Cowboys, Packers Tried To Sign Brian Price
Recently, the Cowboys and Packers both tried to reunite with defensive tackle Brian Price, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. To keep him from being poached from their practice squad, the Browns quadrupled his salary, boosting his pay from $7,600 a week to $37,058 a week. 
Price missed the Cowboys’ final cut this year and subsequently hooked on with the Raiders. But, after the Raiders added interior defensive linemen Johnathan Hankins and Clinton McDonald, he was squeezed out. The Browns signed him to the taxi squad last Friday, and calls from two of his former teams – the Cowboys and Packers – soon followed.
The Browns are leaning on recent additions Carl Davis and Devaroe Lawrence as their reserve defensive tackles behind starters Larry Ogunjobi and Trevon Coley. Both have talent, but neither offers the pedigree of Price, who was on track to be a high draft pick in 2016 before he tossed an official to the ground in a fit of rage. The pay bump for Price indicates that he may not be far off from a promotion to Cleveland’s varsity squad.
Chargers’ Joey Bosa Likely Out Until Week 9
It’ll be a while before the Chargers get defensive end Joey Bosa back in action. On Wednesday, Bosa told reporters that he likely will be out at least until his team’s bye week, which is Week 8. That timetable would put Bosa in line for a Week 9 return when the Chargers face the Seahawks on Nov. 4. 
Bosa had his cast removed this week and was expecting good news after having his protective boot removed. Unfortunately, he’s still experiencing instability in a major tendon, which means that he’ll need some more time to heal up.
The Chargers ranked third against the pass last season thanks in large part to Bosa, and they’ve clearly missed him in 2018. The Chargers are 1-2 after failing to provide adequate pressure against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Rams QB Jared Goff.
The good news for the Chargers is that their schedule gets significantly easier starting this week when they take on the Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers.
Patriots Work Out WR Jeremy Kerley
The Patriots worked out wide receiver Jeremy Kerley on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former Jets draft pick was released by the Bills a few weeks ago and could provide an experienced pair of hands – as well as some intel on the Pats’ divisional rivals. 
After spending the 2016 campaign with the 49ers, Kerley signed with the Jets last season, returning to the organization where he had spent the first five years of his career. Kerley ended up seeing the field for eight games, hauling in 22 receptions for 217 yards and one score. He was suspended for a PED violation in November, and he was released by the organization following his reinstatement. He signed a one-year deal with the Bills back in April, and he hauled in a pair of catches for seven yards during the team’s season-opener. Then, in a surprise move, the Bills cut him loose.
The Patriots recently bolstered their receiver depth by acquiring Josh Gordon from the Browns, but they’re not necessarily done adding to that group. The club is still one game away from getting Julian Edelman back and Gordon’s Week 4 status is murky due to hamstring trouble, so Kerley could be a viable option for them.
Rams Place CB Aqib Talib On IR
The Rams have placed cornerback Aqib Talib on injured reserve with an ankle injury, according to a team announcement. Talib will have surgery on Thursday, but the good news is that he has not been ruled out for a return later this year. 
Talb suffered a high ankle sprain in the Rams’ win over the Chargers on Sunday. It’s a tough blow to a Rams D that may also be without fellow starting corner Marcus Peters for a period.
Nickell Robey-Coleman and Sam Shields are the next men up, but Robey-Coleman is the team’s slot specialist and Shields has hardly played over the last two years due to severe concussion trouble, though he has been active in the Rams’ first three contests.
Talib has not missed more than three games in a season since his 2012 campaign with the Buccaneers and Patriots. Unfortunately, that streak has come to an end.
To take Talib’s place on the roster, the Rams have promoted fellow cornerback Dominique Hatfield.
Raiders Place Mike Nugent On IR
The Raiders placed kicker Mike Nugent on injured reserve, per a team announcement. Nugent will be replaced by Matt McCrane, who was signed on Tuesday.
Nugent was off to a strong start this year, but a hip injury on Sunday will likely cost him the season. In three games, Nugent nailed all six of his field goal tries and went 4-of-5 on PATs.
Enter McCrane, who has never attempted a regular season kick, though he did perform well in a limited sample with the Cardinals in the preseason. The Kansas State product will make his debut against the Browns on Sunday as the Raiders search for their first W of the season.
After previously losing long snapper Andrew DePaola to a torn ACL, the Raiders are now lacking experience when it comes to their specialists. Jon Gruden tends to favor veteran savvy, but he’ll just have to hope for the best when it comes to the third facet of the game.
Practice Squad Updates: 9/25/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Robertson Daniel
- Released: DE Myles Humphrey
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Christian Ringo
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Jerome Cunningham
- Released: RB Donnel Pumphrey
New England Patriots
- Signed: S David Jones
- Released: WR Jace Billingsley
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Arrion Springs
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Amba Etta-Tawo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Ryan Delaire
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Azeem Victor
Texans’ Andre Hal In Remission
Andre Hal‘s doctors have determined that his Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is now in remission, according to an announcement from the Texans. Hal was diagnosed with the disease over the summer but he has made “dramatic improvements” over the last few months. 
There’s even hope that the safety will be able to return to the field this season. On Wednesday, Texans head athletic trainer Geoff Kaplan was asked about the possibility and said, “I think everything’s on the table.”
Hal, 26, has been with the Texans since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2014. Eventually, he cracked the starting lineup and was rewarded with a three-year, $15MM extension prior to the 2017 season. Last year, Hal started in all 16 games for Houston and set a new career high in total tackles (71) while notching three interceptions.
Patriots To Place RB Rex Burhhead On IR
The Patriots will place running back Rex Burkhead on injured reserve with a neck injury, according to Jim McBride of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). The Pats will also place rookie linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley on IR with an unknown ailment. To fill Bentley’s place on the roster, the Pats have signed outside linebacker John Simon, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. 
Burkhead, 28, had to be cleared from concussion protocol prior to the Patriots’ Week 3 game against the Lions. Unfortuantely, he was forced out of that game with a neck injury, putting the rest of his season in jeopardy. It’s currently unknown whether Burkhead is a candidate to return from IR later this year or if this is a definite season-ender.
In three games, Burkhead failed to get going on the ground with 24 rushes for 86 yards. Last year, he averaged 4.1 yards per carry in a limited sample.
Burkhead’s injury should mean a larger workload for rookie Sony Michel and more carries for James White. Kenjon Barner is back in the fold, so the club may opt to stand pat with those three active running backs plus fullback James Develin.
Bentley, meanwhile, is the just the latest Patriots 2018 draft pick to be placed on IR this season, joining first round tackle/guard Isaiah Wynn, second-round cornerback, sixth-round wide receiver Braxton Berrios, and others.
Simon spent one season with the Colts, but in their new 4-3 defense, he was not viewed as an ideal fit. He spent the prior five seasons of his career with 3-4 teams — the Ravens and Texans — and has worked in a starting role for the past three years.