NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/20/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Josh Thornton
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Tanner Gentry, T D.J. Tialavea
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: T Jarron Jones
- Released: OL Dan Skipper
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DT Marcus Hardison
- Released: T Jeremiah Poutasi
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Jack Tocho
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Jason King
- Released: DB Jomal Wiltz
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Ed Eagan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OL Jake Rodgers
- Released: WR Justin Thomas
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Brad Seaton, LB Tony Washington
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Philip Wheeler
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Ravens‘ practice squad: CB Reggie Porter
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on NFI: OL Chris Hairston
- Signed off Titans‘ practice squad: OL Tyler Marz
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted to active roster: DT David Parry
- Placed on IR: DT Mitchell Loewen
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted to active roster: WR Zach Pascal
- Placed on IR: LB Aaron Wallace
Ravens Sign Two Offensive Linemen
The Ravens have added two offensive linemen to the 53-man roster. Center/guard Matt Skura was internally promoted from the practice squad while offensive tackle Dieugot Joseph was signed off of the Bears’ practice squad. They’ll fill the roster spots vacated by guard Marshal Yanda (ankle) and inside linebacker Bam Bradley (ACL) now that they’re on IR and done for the season. 
Skura started in all four preseason games for the Ravens over the summer. The Duke product first joined the Ravens in May of 2016 but has yet to get his first taste of NFL action. Joseph, meanwhile, is an undrafted rookie out of Florida International.
In related news, the Ravens also re-signed running back Jeremy Langford to practice squad, along with guard Arie Kouandjio and linebacker Nicholas Grigsby. Langford was promoted to Baltimore’s 53-man roster after Danny Woodhead was placed on IR, but he was released late last week to make room for the promotion of tailback Alex Collins. Kouandjio, a former standout at Maryland high school powerhouse DeMatha, was a fourth round pick of the Redskins in 2015. This marks his first employment since missing Washington’s 53-man cut in early September.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OL J.J. Dielman
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Tyrique Jarrett
Houston Texans
- Released: WR Riley McCarron
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Joshua Perry
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Greg Ward
- Released: T Victor Salako
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Pace Murphy
Ravens Lose Marshal Yanda For Season
Marshal Yanda‘s season is over. The guard fractured his leg in Sunday’s win over the Browns, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. He’ll be placed on IR with no hope of returning in 2017. 
The Ravens have been plagued by injuries for months, particularly on the offensive line. Tony Bergstrom was plugged in at the right guard spot after Yanda exited and that’s where he could remain for the rest of the season, unless the Ravens add a better interior lineman to the mix.
Yanda missed three games in 2016 due to a nagging shoulder injury. Despite the ailment, the 33-year-old graded out as the NFL’s best guard.
“There’s not a word in English dictionary to describe what Yanda is to us,” one player said to Zrebiec (Twitter link).
The Ravens have also lost linebacker Bam Bradley for the season thanks to a torn ACL.
Ravens Promote RB Alex Collins
The Ravens have made several moves this afternoon. Ian Rapoport tweets that the team has signed running back Alex Collins off their practice squad, while Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has also promoted cornerback Tony McRae. To make room on the roster, the team has placed cornerback Sheldon Price on the injured reserve (via Zrebiec) and released running back Jeremy Langford (via ESPN’s Adam Caplan on Twitter).
Collins, a 2016 fifth-round pick, joined the Ravens practice squad earlier this month. The 23-year-old spent his rookie season with the Seahawks, where he ultimately appeared in 11 games. He finished the campaign with 125 rushing yards and one touchdown on 31 carries, and he hauled in another 11 receptions for 84 yards. With Danny Woodhead and Kenneth Dixon currently on the injured reserve, Collins will presumably serve as the team’s third running back behind Terrance West and Javorius Allen.
That spot was previously held by Langford, who was promoted from the practice squad earlier this week. The 25-year-old does have plenty of experience, as he appeared in 28 games (five starts) and compiled 210 carries between 2015 and 2016. While he does have 737 career rushing yards and 10 career rushing touchdowns, his 3.5-yards-per-carry mark is rather underwhelming, probably explaining why the Bears moved on from him following last season.
Price, 26, joined the Ravens back in 2015. The 2013 undrafted free agent out of UCLA has six career games with the Colts and Ravens, compiling a single tackle. He spent the majority of the 2016 season on the injured reserve after suffering a biceps injury. McRae, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of North Carolina A&T, will likely take Price’s spot on the depth chart. The 26-year-old figures to compete with Jaylen Hill to be the team’s fourth cornerback behind Brandon Carr, Jimmy Smith, and first-rounder Marlon Humphrey.
Kenneth Dixon Gets Additional Suspension
The NFL has added an extra two games to Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon‘s four-game suspension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Dixon’s latest ban came after he violated the league’s substance abuse policy. The NFL first disciplined him for a performance-enhancing drugs offense.
Given that Dixon’s out for the season because of a torn meniscus, this suspension isn’t going to have an on-field effect for the Ravens. Before his injury, the 23-year-old was slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Javorius Allen and Danny Woodhead. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes as a rookie last season, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.
Already without Dixon and now Woodhead, who’s on injured reserve, the Ravens are down to West, Allen and Jeremy Langford as their RB options. West and Allen were effective in the Ravens’ 20-0 win over the Bengals in Week 1, combining for 151 yards on 40 carries.
Ravens Place RB Danny Woodhead On IR
The Ravens have placed running back Danny Woodhead on injured reserve with a hamstring) injury. To take his place on the 53-man roster, the Ravens have promoted Jeremy Langford from the practice squad. 
The Ravens initially thought they would be without Woodhead for 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, further tests showed that his condition was worse than initially thought. He’s now facing a 6-8 week timetable, meaning that the Ravens were essentially forced to clear out his roster spot. Per league rules, Woodhead can become one of two players to return from IR for the Ravens, but he’ll first have to sit out for a full eight weeks.
Woodhead joined the Ravens on a three-year, $8.8MM deal with $4.25MM guaranteed back in March. It was a surprisingly large investment considering Woodhead’s age, injury troubles in 2016, and how weak the RB market has been.
A former fourth-round pick, Langford rushed for 537 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie with the Bears. At one point it looked like his future was bright in Chicago, but he was displaced from the roster altogether in early September. The Bears cut Langford in favor of UDFA Taquan Mizzell, who ironically was released by the Ravens. In 2016, he had only 62 carries in 12 games.
Ravens Could Place Danny Woodhead On IR
Danny Woodhead‘s injury is worse than the Ravens initially thought. The latest diagnosis on his hamstring malady has left him with a 6-8 week timetable for recovery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That would make him a candidate for the injured reserve list.
League rules dictate that two players can return from IR each season. The Ravens’ best bet might be to park Woodhead on IR for the next two months and promote former Bears standout Jeremy Langford or second-year pro Alex Collins from the practice squad.
Woodhead missed the majority of the 2016 season with the Chargers and the injury bug has apparently followed him to Baltimore. He is under contract with the Ravens through 2019 at a total of $8.8MM, but the Ravens could conceivably cut him before the start of next season, leaving just $1.5MM in dead money against the cap.
At minimum, Woodhead will miss games against the Browns, Jaguars, Steelers, Raiders, Bears, and Vikings.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/17
Tuesday’s practice squad moves…
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Josh Woodrum
- Cut: TE Ryan Malleck
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Malachi Dupre
- Cut: WR Daikiel Shorts
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Johnathan Calvin, WR Devin Lucien
- Cut: WR Fred Brown, S Ronald Martin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Rickey Hatley
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Daniel Lasco
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Max Valles
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: T Victor Salako, CB De’Vante Bausby
- Cut: CB C.J. Smith, WR Greg Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Jarnor Jones
- Cut: LB Ben Boulware
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: WR Kenny Lawler, OT Jarron Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Tim Semisch, OL Cody Wichmann
- Cut: TE Jerome Cunningham, OL Steven Moore