NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/4/19
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Drew Anderson, WR Saeed Blacknall, DL Lyndon Johnson.
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: G Will Holden
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Bug Howard
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Cole Herdman
- Released: LB Anthony Pittman
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DT P.J. Johnson, WR Tyron Johnson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Nate Wozniak
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: CB Jordan Brown, WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, TE Cole Wick
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Tremon Smith
Ravens Claim C Hroniss Grasu
With Matt Skura out for the season, the Ravens gave the Week 13 center snaps to a player without much experience at the position. On Wednesday, they claimed a former starting center, Hroniss Grasu, off waivers from the Titans, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Patrick Mekari started for Baltimore against San Francisco and played all 65 offensive snaps, but the rookie UDFA out of Cal had not previously started an NFL or college game at center. Grasu provides some insurance.
The former Bears starter has made 13 NFL starts, including one with the Ravens last season, since being a 2015 third-round pick. The Titans waived him earlier this week after not using him in a game this season. The Ravens cut Grasu late last season, leading him to stints with the Dolphins and Titans.
The Ravens waived defensive lineman Zach Sieler to clear a roster spot for Grasu, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
Ravens Sign Patrick Ricard To Extension
The Ravens and fullback Patrick Ricard have agreed to a new deal, per a club announcement. The extension will take Ricard through the 2021 season. 
The two-year add-on is worth $7.3MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). In effect, the deal matches the $3MM+ RFA tender he would have received for 2020, plus one year worth $4MM.
The Ravens have been discussing a new contract with Ricard throughout the year and, with months to spare before free agency, they got it done. Before this, the former undrafted free agent out of Maine was playing out the final year of a three-year, $1.66MM deal. The new pact should give him a pay bump, plus a bit of security in the event of an injury.
Through 12 games this year, Ricard has eight catches for 47 yards and one touchdown. More importantly, he’s provided quality pass blocking, as evidenced by his position leading score from Pro Football Focus.
In other Ravens news, safety Brynden Trawick has been activated from injured reserve. He’ll be eligible to play right away, starting with Sunday’s road contest against the Bills.
Jets Place C.J. Mosley On IR
The Jets have placed linebacker C.J. Mosley on injured reserve, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Mosley inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets in the offseason but, so far, has played just two games in green. 
For a while now, there has been talk of season-ending surgery for Mosley and his groin/abdomen injury. Now, it appears he’ll be going under the knife, even though he tried hard to avoid that scenario.
“If I can do anything to avoid ending my season, I’m going to try it,” Mosley said in November. “That’s really the main reason why I got the shot. I have a 50-50 chance. I’d rather do that than cut my body open. That was the thinking on that. … Worst-case scenario: I’ll have to get surgery if (recovery from the PRP injections) next week doesn’t go well.”
Mosley’s cap number spikes from $13MM to $17.5MM next year on a deal that includes $43MM in fully guaranteed money. It was a record-breaker for off-ball linebackers and the Jets hope it won’t be a backbreaker for them as they look to reshape their defense yet again.
To take his place on the roster, the Jets turned to another ex-Raven: defensive back Bennett Jackson. The 2014 draft pick was waived by Baltimore this week, shortly after he made his long-awaited NFL debut.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: G Parker Ehinger
- Waived: C Jake Brendel
Chicago Bears
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: OL Corey Levin
- Signed off Raiders’ practice squad: TE Eric Saubert
- Placed on IR: DB Sherrick McManis, TE Adam Shaheen
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: S Montre Hartage
- Waived: CB Xavier Crawford
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: LS Colin Holba
- Placed on IR: LS Zak DeOssie
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Chris Odom
- Waived: LB Carroll Phillips
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/19
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: C Jake Brendel
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Placed on IR: WR Marvin Hall
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Da’Mari Scott
- Waived: WR Bennie Fowler
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Rico Gafford
- Waived: OL Erik Magnuson
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: DL Damontre Moore
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Jeremiah Valoaga
Washington
- Signed: OLB Nate Orchard
NFL Workout Updates: 11/27/19
Here is the latest from the workout circuit on Wednesday:
Baltimore Ravens
- OT Seantrel Henderson, OL Matt Kaskey
Cleveland Browns
- LB Asantay Brown, DE Robert McCray (signed), LB Gimel President, FB Sutton Smith
Miami Dolphins
- WR Cyril Grayson, WR Keon Hatcher, WR Reece Horn, WR Jordan Veasy, WR Terry Wright
San Francisco 49ers
- DL Alex Barrett (signed), OLB Trevon Young
Tennessee Titans
- CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, CB Kenneth Durden, K Kai Forbath, K Elliott Fry, Derrick Jones, K Nick Rose, K Ryan Santoso (signed), K Kaare Vedvik
Washington
- DE Kasim Edebali, LB Shane Ray, DE Nate Orchard (signed)
Seantrel Henderson To Visit Ravens
It’s become clear that despite Seantrel Henderson‘s limited work sample over the past two seasons, contenders are interested in the free agent tackle.
After his Seahawks visit, Henderson will meet with the Ravens, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. This will make three meetings in less than a week for the former Bills and Texans blocker. The Bills hosted Henderson late last week.
Henderson has started one game in each of the past two seasons and has only played in five in that span. The Texans benched the 27-year-old lineman after Week 1 this year, doing so despite re-signing him in March. While the former seventh-round pick started 26 games for the Bills from 2014-15, he has been mostly a backup since.
The Ravens just lost starting center Matt Skura for the season and look set to plug rookie UDFA Patrick Mekari into their lineup. That would leave a swing spot open, but Baltimore also employs former starter James Hurst behind current edge blockers Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown. Hurst, however, also has guard experience and could fill in as an interior-line backup as well. Henderson would stand to provide an extra backup.
Ravens C Matt Skura Out For Season
The knee injury that required Matt Skura to be carted off the Los Angeles Coliseum field Monday night will force a key adjustment for the surging Ravens. Baltimore’s starting center will miss the rest of the season, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. He will undergo surgery to repair his right knee.
Given the Ravens’ snapping reins after Ryan Jensen defected to the Buccaneers in 2018, Skura has not missed a start since changing positions last year. The Duke product began his career in 2017 as Baltimore’s right guard starter. Rookie UDFA Patrick Mekari replaced Skura during the Ravens’ 45-6 win.
Not only had Skura not missed a game since taking over for Jensen, he had not missed a snap. The 2016 UDFA had played all 1,889 snaps over the past two seasons, doing so despite the Ravens taking members of their starting offense out during a few fourth quarters this year. Pro Football Focus graded the ex-Blue Devil as this season’s No. 12 overall center. Skura is set for restricted free agency in March.
Baltimore’s offensive line has helped Lamar Jackson become the MVP frontrunner, ranking fourth in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metric. The Ravens’ unorthodox offense leads the league in rushing by a staggering 65 yards. While the Ravens continued to gash the Rams without Skura, this setback will surely be a significant adjustment for the league’s hottest team.
Injury Notes: Ravens, Hockenson, Jones
Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce is doubtful to play in Monday Night’s game against the Rams with an ankle injury, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Peirce started Baltimore’s first nine games before going down. Veteran Domato Peko Sr. will replace Peirce in the lineup.
Also via Zrebiec, wide receiver Chris Moore, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, and offensive guard Ben Powers all remain questionable with injuries of their own. Stanley, who is dealing with an ankle issue of his own, is the only starter of the three, but he would be a substantial loss as the team’s starting right tackle. Moore has started one game this season and played sparingly, while Powers has yet to take the field.
Here’s more Saturday notes on the injury front around the NFL:
- Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson was added to the injury report as questionable with a shoulder injury, according to a team press release. The eight overall pick in this year’s draft practiced all week without any reported issues so the news comes as a surprise. Hockenson has split time at tight end this year with Jesse James, but represents a far superior pass-catching option for quarterback Jeff Driskel. Hockenson has made 26 receptions and recorded 349 yards, while James has only caught 8 of 15 targets and gained 64 yards.
- The Broncos signed cornerback Cyrus Jones last week and he was a healthy scratch against the Vikings. Even if the team wanted to activate him tomorrow, though, Jones has been ruled out with an illness, according to Aric DiLalla of Broncos.com. Jones was a second-round selection by the Patriots in 2016, but was released by New England earlier this season. He then jumped between the Ravens and Patriots practice squads before signing in Denver.