Colts C Deyshawn Bond Suffers Torn Quad
Colts center Deyshawn Bond, who left Sunday night’s game on the second play, has suffered a torn quad, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Mike Wells (Twitter link). It’s too early to have an exact timetable on Bond’s return, but a torn quad will likely rule him out for the season. 
[RELATED: Colts Make Practice Squad Moves]
Bond ascended to the starting center job when Ryan Kelly broke his foot late in training camp. His injury is unfortunate, but the good news is that Kelly started practicing last week and the team is hoping that he’ll be back in action before long. With some luck, he may be able to go next Sunday against the 49ers.
“I mean, the last time that I actually really got down in a stance like that and hit somebody was against Detroit, so it’s been seven, eight weeks or so. But I think it’s kind of like riding a bicycle, so once you’re a couple practices in or so you start getting used to it,” Kelly recently said of his recovery (link via team website). “But I think just conditioning-wise and getting back into football shape, it’s amazing how fast you can get out of it. So that will certainly come with time. But (I’m) working every day just to stay in shape and get stronger, so looking forward to it.”
In three games this year (excluding this Week 4 contest against Seattle), Bond was on the field for 104 passing snaps and 85 run snaps, per Pro Football Focus’ data. He earned a poor 42.2 score from PFF in that limited sample, but Kelly liked what he saw from his understudy.
“He’s played really well — a real strong guy,” said Kelly. “It’s awesome we got him out of (college) free agency, and to see how hard he’s worked every single day to come in and prepare, and he’s been a real pro. Every day he’s gotten better, and it’s awesome to see.”
Poll: Will The Giants Make The Playoffs?
The Giants are off to an 0-3 start and the odds of a huge turnaround are not mathematically in their favor. As Tom Canavan of The Associated Press points out, only five teams that started the season 0-3 since 1980 have managed to reach the playoffs. It’s a feat that has not been pulled off since 1998 when the Bills went winless through the first three weeks of the regular season but managed to reach the postseason. There’s also this to consider: the Giants entered the year tied for the league’s eighth highest strength of schedule. It doesn’t necessarily get easier from here. 
The Giants were not everyone’s pick to win the NFC East, but few expected them to be this putrid. Last year, their spending spree gave their defense a major boost and they finished out with the second best defensive DVOA in the league. And, on the other side of the ball, the G-Men went out and got Brandon Marshall to help keep defenders off of star Odell Beckham Jr. So far, that hasn’t gotten them in the win column.
“We need to keep fighting through,” said coach Ben McAdoo after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. “I believe in this team. I believe in the potential of this team. It starts with me and we need to keep fighting to get better and we need to keep fighting to get the win. Got to get that first one.”
The Giants may also have to shake things up, though their out-of-house options are limited at this juncture. The offensive line continues to be an issue for them and that’s a situation that could be best remedied by moving Ereck Flowers out of the starting left tackle spot, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. Instead, Justin Pugh or undrafted rookie Chad Wheeler could get an opportunity to serve as one of Eli Manning‘s top protectors while Flowers competes with Bobby Hart for the starting job on the right side instead. If that sounds like an uninspiring option, that’s because it is an uninspiring option. The reality is that the Giants blew their wad in the 2016 offseason, leaving little room for much-needed upgrades this year, such as improvements on the O-Line.
Now 0-3 and 0-2 within the division, do you see the Giants rallying to make the postseason? Cast your vote here:
Montreal Als Reach Out To Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick is still without an NFL job as we head into October, but the team holding his rights in Canada has reached out to him him. Montreal Alouettes GM Kavis Reed says that he has spoken with Kaepernick’s agent, as Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette writes. However, the team has not invited Kaepernick to Montreal for a visit or workout yet. 
“He’s in the midst of some very important things,” Reed said. “We understand there’s a movement going on around him. We’re doing our due diligence and making certain they know we want to see where he’s at. It’s a matter of kicking the tires at this stage. To me, he’s a very good player. Take all the movement stuff aside. He’s a young man that we feel has a very good football IQ. He has taken a team to a championship level. The talent’s there. As a GM, you have to look at the talent. It’s incumbent on us to explore it.”
Kaepernick only recently reaffirmed his desire to play in the NFL and there has been no indication that he would consider playing in the CFL at this time. There’s also not much time left in the CFL’s season, so the odds of him going north of the border this year aren’t great.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats once held Kaepernick’s negotiation rights, but they were recently transferred to the Als. The Ti-Cats still hold the rights to quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III, however.
Kaepernick will turn 30 on Nov. 3.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Jets Place WR Charone Peake On IR
The Jets have placed wide receiver Charone Peake on injured reserve. Peake suffered an ankle injury during Sunday’s win against the Dolphins and did not return to action. His roster spot will be filled by the addition of running back Travaris Cadet.
[RELATED: Jets Sign RB Travaris Cadet]
X-Rays on Peake’s ankle came back negative earlier this week, but the Jets are apparently taking the cautious approach with him. In theory, he can return from IR if the Jets choose to use one of their two IR-DTR spots on him, but he’ll have to wait at least eight weeks before suiting up again.
The Jets’ WR group underwent some major changes this year after the team released Eric Decker rising star Quincy Enunwa suffered a season-ending neck injury. Some thought Peake would be in line for an increased role, but he has drawn only one target through three games. The bulk of his playing time has come on special teams.
In 2016, Peake had 19 receptions (35 targets) for 186 yards.
Ravens Sign LB Jonathan Freeny
The Ravens have signed former Patriots linebacker Jonathan Freeny. He’ll take the roster spot of defensive end Brent Urban, who was formally placed on injured reserve. 
Freeny started five games for the Patriots over the last two seasons and signed a two-year extension with the team prior to the start of the 2016 season. Despite that, he was cut during final cutdowns this September. Since then, the Giants, Bears, and Texans worked him out, but none of those auditions resulted in a contract.
The Ravens have signed Freeny to add some needed depth at inside linebacker. They lost a supporting piece recently when UDFA Bam Bradley was placed on IR with an ACL injury. Freeny could see some snaps behind starters C.J. Mosley and Kamalei Correa while also contributing on special teams.
Freeny, a five-year NFL veteran, amassed 60 tackles and one sack for the Pats over the last two years.
Johnny Manziel Won’t Play In CFL This Year
We won’t be seeing the birth of Johnny Canadian Football. At least, not this year. Johnny Manziel has been barred from playing in the CFL in 2017, the league’s commissioner announced on Wednesday. 
“After an extensive process of due diligence and an in-person meeting with Mr. Manziel, the Commissioner has decided that he will not register any contract for Mr. Manziel for this season,” said the league in a statement. “However, Mr. Manziel will be eligible to sign a contract for the 2018 season and, if Mr. Manziel meets certain conditions that have been spelled out by the Commissioner, the CFL will register that contract. The specifics of those conditions are confidential and will not be disclosed. The CFL has extended the stay on the expiry of the 10-day window for Mr. Manziel until Nov. 30, 2017 and therefore Mr. Manziel will remain on Hamilton’s negotiation list until that date.”
Recently, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats worked out Manziel and, depending on who you ask, they may have had some interest in signing the controversial quarterback. The Ti-Cats have Manziel on their 45-man negotiation list, but the league will not green light a signing until next year.
Moments after the league rendered its decision, Manziel issued a statement of his own:
“I recently had a really positive meeting with Commissioner Randy Ambrosie and welcomed the chance for us to get to know each other and have an in-depth talk about a possible future with the CFL. I love this game and want to be back on the field in a situation where I can help a franchise in the long term. Over the past months, my agent helped me vet all of my options for playing, figuring out where I could be most effective and get back to having the most fun with the game I love. I’m ready to play today, but we all agreed with the Commissioner that it made no sense for me to join a team with only a month left in the season – it wouldn’t have been fair to my teammates, coaches or the fan base. I want to come into a team and earn my job day one, like everyone else. I look forward to preparing myself as best I can and look forward to what the future holds.”
Manziel, 25 in December, hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2015 campaign. In eight career starts for the Browns, the former first-round choice completed 57% of his passes for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Jets Sign Travaris Cadet
The Jets have signed Travaris Cadet, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cadet will help fill the gap with Matt Forte likely to miss Sunday with a toe injury. 
Cadet auditioned for the Jets on Tuesday, along with former Chiefs running back Knile Davis. Cadet, apparently, made a stronger impression on the Jets and his pass-catching acumen probably has a lot to do with that.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound tailback has only 26 carries and 84 rushing yards for his career, but he has done some damage catching passes out of the backfield. Over the years, the 28-year-old has caught 102 receptions and scored seven touchdowns through the air. Last year, he set career highs in catches (40) and receiving TDs (four) with the Saints.
After an upset win over the Dolphins, the Jets will look to keep things rolling against the Jaguars at Metlife Stadium.
Dolphins Reinstate LB Lawrence Timmons
Dolphins linebacker Lawrence Timmons has been reinstated by the team, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has learned. With his suspension lifted, he will play on Sunday versus the Saints. 
Timmons went AWOL prior to Miami’s Week 2 contest and was suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. At the time of the ban, the Dolphins gave little indication as to whether Timmons would ever be able to rejoin the squad. We later learned that Timmons left the team in L.A. to visit the mother of his child in Pennsylvania. He did not notify the team of his plans beforehand.
Timmons reportedly visited the Steelers (his former team) during Miami’s Week 1 bye and watched the club practice. We don’t know exactly what is going on with the veteran, but it sounds like homesickness is at least part of it.
The Dolphins managed to beat the Chargers without Timmons in Week 2, but they lost to the Jets on Sunday. Miami will look to get back on the right track this weekend against the Saints in London, England.
Miami signed Timmons to a two-year, $12MM deal in the offseason. In 2016, he racked up 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions for the Steelers. When he went AWOL in Week 2, he missed his first game since 2009.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Anthony Denham, LB Earl Okine
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Reggie Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Jamaal Jones
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Tre McBride, CB Doran Grant
- Cut: OL D.J. Tialavea
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Bug Howard
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Tre’von Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Marcus Lucas, G Ian Silberman
- Cut: OLB Johnathan Calvin, TE Henry Krieger-Coble, T Andrew Wylie
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Arthur Maulet
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Robert Nelson
- Cut: WR Kalif Raymond
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Branden Jackson
- Cut: DB Tyvis Powell, TE Gabe Holmes
Trent Richardson Signs With CFL Team
The CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed running back Trent Richardson, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The former first-round pick has not played in an NFL game since 2014. 
Last summer, Richardson vowed to turn over a new leaf and embark on an unprecedented comeback path that would end with his induction in the Hall of Fame. Those plans hit a snag when Richardson was released by the Ravens in August and arrested in February of this year.
The CFL’s league office reportedly blocked teams from pursuing Greg Hardy due to his history of domestic violence. They have not gotten in the way of the Roughriders signing Richardson, though the allegations against him were also ugly. Richardson’s victim was found with scratches and bruises on her face when Alabama cops responded to a 911 call. Apparently, the pair started arguing in an Alabama Walmart before things turned physical in their hotel room.
Richardson, the former No. 3 pick in the 2012 draft, has never done much at the NFL level. He appeared in 46 games for the Browns and Colts and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry.