Seahawks Not Interested In Dez Bryant?
It doesn’t sound like Doug Baldwin‘s partial MCL tear will lead the Seahawks to sign Dez Bryant. When asked about the ex-Cowboys receiver, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters that he “like(s) the guys they have,” (Twitter link via Mike Vorel of The Seattle Times). 
Through two weeks, previously unknown tight end Will Dissly leads the Seahawks in receiving yards and touchdowns. Meanwhile, receivers Tyler Lockett and Brandon Marshall haven’t exactly set the world on fire. Still, Carroll isn’t panicking, and he apparently is not itching to add Bryant to the fold.
The Seahawks are clearly missing Baldwin, but they’re also facing bigger issues than their receiving personnel. Through two games, the Seahawks’ offensive line has been porous and unable to give Russell Wilson sufficient time in the pocket. On top of that, running backs Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny have been unable to keep opposing defenses honest. Arguably, fixing those issues and getting Jaron Brown more involved in the offense would have a larger impact on the Seahawks’ passing offense than signing Bryant.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/18
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Jalen Simmons
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Makinton Dorleant
Detroit Lions
- Signed WR Keon Hatcher
- Released: LB Alex Barrett
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Brandon Allen, DE Marcus Martin
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Nick O’Leary
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: S Jack Tocho
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Darnell Sankey
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DL Gabe Wright
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Asantay Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Marcus Henry
Jets Waive WR ArDarius Stewart
The Jets have waived wide receiver ArDarius Stewart, according to a club announcement. Stewart was set to return from a two-game PED suspension this week, but the Jets opted to cut Stewart instead of releasing another player to make room for him. 
Stewart, the Jets’ third-round pick in 2017, didn’t impress much as a rookie. He caught just six passes last year and, if not for his suspension, he probably would have been cut on Labor Day weekend.
The Jets also cut Chad Hansen earlier this month, so they’ve now dropped both of the receivers taken in the 2017 draft. The Jets’ WR group now consists of Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Terrelle Pryor, Quincy Enunwa, Andre Roberts, and Charone Peake.
The Stewart-less Jets will be in action on Thursday night against the Browns.
Giants Claim Former Vikings WR Stacy Coley
Vikings wide receiver Stacy Coley was claimed off waivers by the Giants, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Coley was waived by the Vikings on Tuesday and the Giants, using their high waiver priority, jumped at the chance to add him to the roster.
Giants coach Pat Shurmur is extremely familiar with Coley’s skillsets after coaching the former seventh-round pick in Minnesota. Coley barely saw the field in 2017 (and was not in the mix for the Vikings’ first two games of 2018, either), but Shurmur has seen Coley show off his smooth running skills in practice. Some scouts questioned Coley’s passion for the game heading into the 2017 draft, but Shurmur believes that he can get the University of Miami product to harness his talent.
In a related move, the Giants have waived fullback Shane Smith. Smith blew blocking assignments in the Giants’ loss to the Cowboys over the weekend, causing the team to replace him with Elijhaa Penny.
Patriots, Browns Complete Josh Gordon Deal
On Wednesday morning, Bill Belichick told reporters that the Josh Gordon trade was not yet completed, despite the deal being announced by both the Patriots and Browns. Now, the deal is official. 
Gordon suited up for Pats practice after the Browns agreed in writing to send a seventh-round pick to New England along with the talented wide receiver. In return, the Browns will receive a fifth-round pick, one that reportedly comes with no strings attached.
Given Gordon’s immense potential, the trade haul for the Browns is underwhelming, to say the least. However, the Patriots’ offer was said to be the best of the bunch after the club discussed Gordon with a number of other teams, including the Jets and 49ers.
Lions Re-Sign DeShawn Shead
The Lions have re-signed cornerback DeShawn Shead, according to a team announcement. Shead will help fill in the gap while Darius Slay recovers from a concussion. 
Shead was a full-time starter for the 2016 Seahawks, but a knee injury suffered against the Falcons in the playoffs that year has altered the trajectory of his career. This year, he missed the Lions’ final cut, despite being their only notable addition at cornerback.
Shead’s initial deal with Detroit had a base value of $3.5MM with the potential to earn up to $6.5MM through playtime incentives. This time around, his deal likely comes with a lower financial ceiling.
Chargers Work Out DE Kony Ealy
The Chargers are looking for defensive line help. On Wednesday, the club auditioned defensive end Kony Ealy plus defensive linemen Xavier Cooper and Anthony Lanier. 
Ealy hooked on with the Jets last year after being cut by the Patriots and proved to be a quality addition. While he didn’t light up the stat sheet in New York, he graded out as the No. 61 edge defender in the league. This year, he tried to make the Cowboys’ roster, but he was let go on cut weekend.
Cooper, a 2015 third-round pick of the Browns, missed the Jets’ cut earlier this month. He appeared in eight games for Gang Green and five contests for the Niners last year. Lanier, meanwhile, worked out for the Texans on Tuesday but left without a deal.
It seems likely that the Chargers will sign at least one player from this trio as they look to bolster their edge rush.
Bengals Sign RB Thomas Rawls
The Bengals have signed running back Thomas Rawls, according to a club announcement. To make room, fellow running back Tra Carson has been waived/injured. 
Rawls spent the offseason with the Jets and many believed that he would emerge as an active participant in their running back committee. However, he was bounced during the club’s final cuts, and placed back on the free agent pile. Rawls flashed as a rookie with the Seahawks, amassing 830 yards in 2015. Unfortunately, he hasn’t done much in the last two years, so he’s looking to prove himself all over again.
Rawls will provide the Bengals with depth at running back while Joe Mixon heals up from a knee issue. In the interim, Giovani Bernard is expected to serve as the lead back with fourth-round pick Mark Walton as his primary understudy.
Jeremy Maclin Close To Being Healthy
Free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is close to being healthy after suffering a hamstring/glute injury in training, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Garafolo expects Maclin to have some workouts and visits soon as teams have been keeping tabs on his situation. 
Maclin had offers in hand before NFL training camps began, but he was waiting for the “right opportunity” before signing. The Eagles had Maclin on their radar at one point, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll still have interest after turning back the clock with Jordan Matthews.
Maclin, 30, was a dynamic deep threat for the Eagles as he averaged nearly 1,000 receiving yards per season in Philadelphia, including a 1,300+ yard showing in 2014. He topped 1,000 yards in his first season with the Chiefs in 2015, but his production fell off over the last two years. Between those campaigns with the Chiefs and Ravens, Maclin played in just 24 total games and averaged only 42 receptions, 488 yards, and 2.5 touchdowns per year.
The veteran could find employment once he hits the workout circuit, though he’ll probably have to settle for something close to the league minimum.
Vikings Release DL David Parry
The Vikings have released defensive lineman David Parry, according to a team announcement. Parry’s release makes room for the signing of Tom Johnson, who agreed to return to Minnesota on Tuesday.
Parry appeared in each of the Vikings’ first two games and even recorded a sack in their tie against the Packers on Sunday. But, something had to give after Johnson, a fellow interior defensive lineman, was brought back.
Parry started 32 games for the Colts as a nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, but a bizarre incident in February of last year put his football future into jeopardy. Parry was alleged to have attacked a taxi cart driver, car(t)jacked the vehicle, and threatened police officers. At one point in time, Parry was facing jail time with four charges against him. One of the charges was for committing a “Super Extreme” DUI in the state of Arizona, since he operated the cart with a high blood alcohol level.
Last year, Parry hooked on with the Saints, but missed the bulk of the year due to injury. Fortunately, Parry is healthy and has put distance between himself and his embarrassing arrest, so he shouldn’t have trouble finding work.