Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
With practices resuming following the weekend’s games, and teams having a better of idea of how serious its players’ injuries are, Tuesdays are often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as clubs replenish their rosters and swap in players at potential positions of need. As such, we expect to update this post plenty of times throughout the day, with the latest news of practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. Here’s the latest:
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano, who was waived by the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to stay with New England on its practice squad, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Vellano is the beneficiary of the new practice squad rules that allow a second-year player to be eligible despite playing in 16 games in 2013.
- Defensive back Chandler Fenner and wide receiver Julian Talley, both waived by the Giants yesterday, have been re-signed to the practice squad, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- The Eagles re-signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn to their practice squad, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
- The Packers signed Joe Kruger, the brother of Paul Kruger, to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Former Ravens defensive tackle A.J. Pataiali’i has been added to the Browns’ taxi squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- As noted below, cornerback Mike Harris has signed with the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing fellow defensive back Josh Victorian, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- The Jets have released cornerback LeQuan Lewis from their practice squad, signing another cornerback – Dashaun Phillips – in his place, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- One wide receiver has replaced another on the Cowboys‘ practice squad, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as Tim Benford has been cut and LaRon Byrd has been signed.
- The Rams are down to nine players on their practice squad, having cut wide receiver Justin Veltung today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Lions have signed defensive back Mike Harris to their taxi squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Detroit had a full 10-man unit, so a corresponding cut will be necessary to finalize the move.
- Offensive tackle Ryan Miller has been cut from the Broncos‘ practice squad, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- The Browns have cut long snapper Charley Hughlett from their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Hughlett was brought in to provide competition for the team’s regular long snapper, Christian Yount, but Cleveland has opted to continue on with Yount.
- The 49ers have swapped one offensive lineman for another on their practice squad, cutting tackle John Fullington in order to bring aboard guard Andrew Tiller, according to the club.
- Guard William Campbell and defensive tackle Jeremy Towns are the newest members of the Bills‘ practice squad, replacing fullback Lonnie Pryor and tight end Jamie Childers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Three days after cutting him from their active roster, the Jaguars have re-signed tight end Mickey Shuler to their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the squad, wide receiver Kerry Taylor has been cut.
- Last week’s promotion of quarterback Chandler Harnish to the active roster suggested the Vikings were more confident in him than McLeod Bethel-Thompson in an emergency scenario, and the team’s moves today reflected that as well. The Vikes announced in a press release that Bethel-Thompson has been let go from the practice squad, with Harnish, wideout Donte Foster, and defensive back Pierre Warren joining the unit.
- To keep tabs on all 32 practice squad rosters, be sure to check out our complete list.
Ravens Claim Ryan Taylor Off Waivers
The Ravens have claimed tight end Ryan Taylor off waivers from Green Bay, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reports (via Twitter) that the team cut fellow tight end Phillip Supernaw in order to make room for the incoming ex-Packers. Wilson adds (via Twitter) that the club also filled out its practice squad by adding defensive end Steven Means.
Taylor, who turns 27 next month, wasn’t been a huge part of the Packers’ passing game since being drafted in the seventh round in 2011, but he had been with the team since then and contributed on special teams, so his release was somewhat surprising. Tight end looked like an area of strength for the Ravens heading into the season, but Dennis Pitta‘s season-ending injury left the depth chart looking much thinner. Supernaw was originally added to the active roster when Pitta went down, but it’ll now be Taylor providing depth alongside Owen Daniels and Crockett Gillmore.
As for Means, the spot on the practice squad opened up for him earlier today, when the Texans signed John Simon away from the Ravens’ squad, leaving the team one player under the 10-man limit.
Texans Sign John Simon, Put Sapp On IR
3:22pm: The Texans have confirmed the moves noted below in a press release, adding that fullback Toben Opurum has been cut to clear space on the practice squad for Ankrah.
8:36am: Ricky Sapp will be placed on injured reserve to make room on the Texans’ roster for Simon, according to Jayson Braddock, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is also signing outside linebacker Jason Ankrah to the practice squad.
8:13am: The Texans are set to snatch a player off the Ravens’ practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reports (via Twitter) that Houston will sign outside linebacker John Simon to its 53-man roster. As Wilson observes (via Twitter), the move reunites Simon with Texans linebackers coach Mike Vrabel, after the two spent time together at Ohio State.
Simon, 24, was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Ravens, and spent some time on the club’s active roster last season, contributing primarily on special teams. After failing to earn a spot on the 53-man roster this year, Simon re-signed to Baltimore’s practice squad, and had some incentive to do so — his $10K weekly salary was more than most taxi squad players earn, though he’ll still be in line for a nice raise now that he’s making the move to an active roster.
The Texans don’t currently have an opening on their 53-man roster, so a player will have to be cut or placed on injured reserve in order to clear room to officially sign Simon.
North Notes: Moore, Rice, Packers
The Steelers signed Moore to a two-year, $3.5MM contract shortly after his release from the Saints but five games into the season the 5-9, 190-pounder has just two catches for 38 yards. He’s not thrilled about that, writes ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. “I came here to play football and not practice football and to get in the game and make plays and show (the coaches) I can make plays,” said Moore, who is admittedly frustrated with the limited snaps he has received. More from the AFC and NFC North..
- Robert Mueller’s investigation of the handling of Ray Rice case is expected to be completed by end of this month, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the former Ravens running back is going through the appeals process.
- The Packers hosted a number of players for tryouts today, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Tight end Jacob Pedersen (Washington), defensive tackle AJ Pataiali’i (Utah State), linebacker Chris Young (Arizona State), running back Dom Williams (Wagner) and wide receivers Jeremy Gallon (Michigan), and Eric Thomas (Troy).
- The two safeties who started for the Packers Week 1 of the 2013 season are out of football. A year later, safety has become an area of strength for Green Bay, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. In Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Micah Hyde and even Sean Richardson, the Packers have solid help for veteran Morgan Burnett.
Injury Updates: Monday
As is typically the case on Mondays, teams around the NFL are receiving updates on injured players, and while in some instances that news is reassuring, that’s not always the case. Here are a few items related to injuries that may force clubs to make roster moves:
- As feared, Titans safety Bernard Pollard has a ruptured Achilles and will miss the rest of the season, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. While the team has yet to officially make a move, we can expect Pollard to hit IR at some point this week.
- A pair of Ravens are expected to miss multiple weeks, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com, who writes that cornerback Asa Jackson suffered a severly sprained toe, while defensive end Chris Canty is dealing with an infection in his wrist. Head coach John Harbaugh indicated today that the club’s current plan is to place Jackson on the injured reserve with the designation to return. The team will also look to add a cornerback in his absence, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Broncos running back Montee Ball suffered a strained groin, and could miss up to three weeks, head coach John Fox said today (Twitter link via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com).
- The Giants figure to be without running back Rashad Jennings for the near future, as the offseason signee confirmed today that he sustained a sprained MCL (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News). While Jennings should remain on the 53-man roster, the team could bolster the running back position by promoting Michael Cox from the practice squad, notes Vacchiano (via Twitter).
- The Jets got a scare when linebacker David Harris injured his shoulder, but an MRI showed no structural damage and he’s considered day-to-day, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post.
AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Ravens, Raiders
Let’s take a look at the latest from the AFC:
- The Dolphins are fielding a completely revamped offensive line, along with several new starters on defense, leading Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald to examine how the new Miami players are faring in comparison to last year’s starters. Using Pro Football Focus’ data, Jackson notes the results are mostly positive, especially along the front five, where tackles Branden Albert and Ja’Wuan James are playing extremely well.
- At 1-3, the Jets sit in last place in the AFC East, and Manish Mehtha of the New York Daily News places the blame for New York’s struggles squarely on the shoulders of general manager John Idzik. Despite having more than $24MM of cap space with which to work, Idzik opted to sign second- and third-tier free agents, and failed to bring in a top notch corner, says Mehta.
- Safety Will Hill, who is in the midst of six-game suspension, probably won’t start for the Ravens immediately, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Hill was signed to one-year deal in July after being waived by the Giants. There was speculation that his ban could be reduced under the terms of the new drug agreement, but any alteration has yet to be announced.
- Raiders interim head coach Tony Sparano will continue to serve as the team’s offensive line coach, according to Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times (Twitter link).
- Robert Mays of Grantland looks at the roster construction of the Bills, as well as the decision to start Kyle Orton at quarterback, and argues that Buffalo has a decent chance at winning the AFC East.
AFC Mailbags: Dolphins, Ravens, Raiders, Chiefs
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s take a look at notes from the AFC…
- LaMichael James‘ best chances of making the Dolphins 53-man roster is via a role on special teams, according to James Walker.
- The “slower-than-antcipated” development of Ravens linebacker Arthur Brown has resulted in him being labeled a disappointment, writes Jamison Hensley. However, the writer says that it’s too early to give up on the former second-rounder.
- Bill Williamson can envision the Raiders giving Charles Woodson one more season if the cornerback wants to continue playing.
- Adam Teicher says there’s a possibility the Chiefs could cut Dwayne Bowe after the season, but it’s far from a guarantee.
- The Chiefs should be in no rush to extend linebacker Justin Houston, writes Teicher. The team has until March to reach an agreement, and Teicher notes that the Chiefs have leverage with their franchise tag.
AFC Notes: Ravens, Dobson, Raiders
New Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr. is leading the Ravens in receptions and receiving yards and he’s happy to see fellow 35-year-old Reggie Wayne doing the same with the Colts, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “Yeah, I love that,” Smith said. “Reggie’s doing his thing, we’re from the same class. I think it’s awesome, man. I think it’s unbelievable and I think also when he went down with the knee injury, he comes back. You know, this is a young man’s game and you’ve got two older guys playing well. That’s great.” More from the AFC..
- Former judge Barbara S. Jones appears to be an ideal choice to serve as the hearing officer in the appeal of former Ravens running back Ray Rice, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. In fact, Florio writes that she’s so ideal for the assignment that she probably should have been hired to be the independent investigator instead of Robert Mueller whose impartiality has been questioned.
- The usually guarded Bill Belichick promised comment on the reports that Aaron Dobson mouthed off to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and he delivered one early this afternoon via the Patriots‘ website. “In my year and a half with Aaron Dobson, he has always been respectful to me and to the rest of the coaching staff. He has never once been argumentative or confrontational. The suggestion and reporting that his playing time was in any way the result of a ‘loud disagreement’ with a coach is completely false,” Belichick said in the statement.
- Dobson told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter links) that he went to Belichick when he heard about the report and the coach promised to release a statement and “kill the story.”
- In a perfect world, Raiders owner Mark Davis would be able to bring back Jon Gruden, but that doesn’t appear likely at this juncture. Oakland needs a seasoned, offensive-minded coach (the inverse of Dennis Allen) and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com suggests Darrell Bevell or Pat Shurmur as possible fits. Still, landing Gruden would be the crown achievement.
- The Ravens are devoting over 30 percent of their salary-cap toward their front seven, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Wilson gives the full breakdown of the salary cap by position and notes that they have $6.434MM available in salary cap space.
AFC North Notes: Rice, Browns, Thompson
When Terrell Suggs lifted himself off of Cam Newton on the final play of the Panthers’ first drive last Sunday, he thought sack-less streak was over. However, the Ravens linebacker learned later that he only got credited for a half sack, sharing it with fellow outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil. “I’m definitely fighting the NFL on that,” Suggs said laughing, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. “I’m definitely sending [the tape] in.” More from the AFC North..
- The NFLPA announced that former United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones has been appointed by commissioner Roger Goodell to hear and decide the appeal filed on behalf of Ravens running back Ray Rice. “We are grateful to Judge Jones for taking on this role,” said commissioner Goodell. “She will have our full cooperation as she hears and decides this appeal.”
- It’s too early to say that Browns first-year defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil is “under fire,” but his side of the ball has underperformed through three games this season, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Reporters asked O’Neil about a number of the Browns’ issues today, from Joe Haden‘s early struggles to whether Barkevious Mingo has fallen short of his expectations as a pass rusher.
- Wideout Deonte Thompson is currently earning a weekly salary of $17K on the Ravens‘ practice squad, well above the standard rate of $6.3K, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. As Brian McIntyre notes (Twitter links), several other practice squad players are also earning above the minimum rate, including Browns guard Ryan Seymour ($10K), Vikings fullback Zach Line ($10K), Seahawks receiver Phil Bates ($7.3K), and 49ers cornerback Leon McFadden ($6.5K).
NFC North Notes: Olsen, Bears, Suh, Lewis
Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings knows there’s a good chance he’ll get booed when he plays at Lambeau Field tomorrow night, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I can’t concern myself with that,” Jennings said. “I was on that side when Brett [Favre] came back, so I understand the reaction he got. So I don’t expect it to be anything better than that. I mean, it is what it is. I’m the opposition. I’m an opponent. I want to win.” Here’s more from the NFC North..
- Greg Olsen was Jay Cutler‘s favorite target when the two were teamed up on the Bears, but he was ultimately dealt to the Panthers after the 2010 season for a third round pick. Even though that pick wound up being turned into Brandon Marshall via another trade, then GM Jerry Angelo admitted earlier today that trading Olsen was a mistake. “He’s met [expectations],” Angelo said on the “Kap and Haugh Show” Wednesday, as CSNChicago.com’s Tony Adracki writes. “It was a mistake to trade him. I understand he wasn’t the ideal fit in the scheme, but we let our best receiver go. Obviously, it was Cutler’s favorite receiver at the time, and we let him out the door.”
- Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is refusing to talk about his 2015 plans and teammates say that the speculation hasn’t seeped into the locker room, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
- It’s hard to picture Ray Lewis as anything but a Raven, but he was nearly drafted by the Packers in 1996, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Lewis was on the phone with the Green Bay front office at the time the Ravens were selecting, one spot ahead of the Packers. The Packers had scouted Lewis, a University of Miami product, heavily, but Ozzie Newsome swooped in and got him first.
- In a speech at Marquette Law School, Packers president Mark Murphy admitted that the NFL has taken “a real hit in terms of credibility,” writes Bob Wolfley of the Journal Sentinel.