NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/6/16
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Aaron Murray, QB Zac Dysert (team announcement)
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Nick Williams (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), DL Joe Vellano (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com)
- Cut: DT Joey Mbu (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB David Fales (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com), G Jarell Broxton (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun)
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Carlos Fields, DB Damian Parms (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Jeremiah George, T Keavon Milton (Twitter link via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News)
- Cut: DE Ryan Russell, LB Deon King
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Brandon Dunn, OL Joseph Cheek (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: ILB Ramik Wilson, G Jordan Devey, CB Julian Wilson, CB Terrance Mitchell (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
- Cut: LB Tyrell Adams, C Daniel Munyer, S Shak Randolph, S Brock Vereen (link via Paylor)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Carter Bykowski (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press)
- Cut: CB Tre Roberson
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Mike Hilton (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN), S Vinnie Sunseri (Twitter link via Kyed)
New York Jets
- Signed: RB/KR Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler), CB Dexter McDougle, S Ronald Martin, and RB Dominique Williams (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY)
New Orleans Saints
- Cut: LB Tony Steward (Twitter link via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Takoby Cofield
Tennessee Titans:
- Signed: WR Tre McBride (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com)
- Cut: WR Ben Roberts
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Houston Texans
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Eric Lee (Link via Wilson)
- LB Shakeel Rashad (Link via Wilson)
- WR Quenton Bundrage (Link via Wilson)
- OL Chad Slade (link via Wilson)
- CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Mark Berman)
- TE Eric Tomlinson (link via Berman)
- RB Akeem Hunt (Link via Wilson)
- OL Joseph Cheek (Link via Wilson)
- DT Brandon Dunn (Link via Wilson)
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed:
- DB Matthias Farley (Link via Pro Football Talk)
- DB Neiko Thorpe
- Waived:
- CB Jalil Brown
- Te Chase Coffman
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL Adam Redmond (link via his agent)
- DE Sterling Bailey
- LB Trevor Bates
- S Lee Hightower
- TE Mike Miller
- CB Christopher Milton
- DT Kelcy Quarles
- WR Tevaun Smith
- T Jeremy Vujnovich
- Waived:
- CB Jalil Brown
- TE Chase Coffman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed:
- LB Arthur Brown (Link via Pro Football Talk)
- DB Maqueston Huff
- Waived:
- RB Joe Banyard
- Placed on IR:
- T Josh Wells (Link via Ryan O’Halloran)
- Signed:
- WR Arrelious Benn (Link via O’Halloran)
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL Jeremiah Poutasi (Post via NFL.com)
- OL Rashod Hill (link via Ryan O’Halloran)
- TE Alex Ellis (Link via Terry McCormick)
- DT Richard Ash
- WR Shaq Evans
- WR Rashad Lawrence
- CB Nick Marshall
- WR Shane Wynn
- OL Jeremiah Poutasi (Link via Adam Caplan)
- LB Sean Porter (Link via Caplan)
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed:
- TE Jace Amaro (Link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
- Waived:
- Signed to practice squad:
- C/G Ronald Patrick (link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
- T Taylor Marz (Link via Terry McCormick)
- RB David Fluellen (Link via McCormick)
- DT Antwaun Woods
- TE Jerome Cunningham
- LB Justin Staples
- DB Curtis Riley
- WR Ben Roberts
- CB Kalan Reed
- DE Mehdi Abdesmad (Link via Jim Wyatt)
Titans Cut Justin Hunter, Bishop Sankey
4:00pm: The Titans have made more cuts this afternoon, including another big name. Running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster has been let go. McCluster averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season in Tennessee and averaged 8.4 yards per reception, but the Titans saw a better use for his roster spot. McCluster already pocketed a $350k roster bonus earlier this year, but the Titans will save $2.275MM in cash by cutting him.
Here is the full, updated list of Titans cuts so far:
- WR Justin Hunter
- RB Bishop Sankey
- RB/WR Dexter McCluster
- G Jeremiah Poutasi
- FB Sam Bergen (via ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky on Twitter)
- LB J.R. Tavai (via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com on Twitter)
- TE Alex Ellis
- TE Jerome Cunningham
- RB David Fluellen
- DT Antwaun Woods
- WR Ben Roberts
- CB B.W. Webb (Twitter link via McCormick)
- LB Curtis Grant (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- OL Will Poehls (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- CB Kalan Reed (via McCormick on Twitter)
- WR Ben Hunter (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- DB Marqueston Huff (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com on Twitter)
- C Ronald Patrick
- T Tyler Marz (Twitter link via McCormick)
- WR Andrew Turzilli
- LB Justin Staples
- S Curtis Riley
- K Aldrick Rosas
11:07am: The Titans have jettisoned a pair of notable players from the old front office regime. Wide receiver Justin Hunter and running back Bishop Sankey have both been cut, as Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports (Twitter links). 
Hunter, an exceptionally talented receiver, was drafted 34th overall in 2013. Since then, the Titans have been frustrated with Hunter and there have been rumblings that his work ethic was not up to par. Days ago, the Titans shipped out another talented wide receiver with perceived motivation problems when they traded Dorial Green-Beckham to the Eagles.
“It is still going to be hard (to make the team) because we have a lot of talented receivers in the group. We are fighting for spots, and you have to keep up and progress at the same time,” said the 25-year-old Hunter last month, acknowledging that his spot on the roster was not guaranteed.
Hunter has an uninspiring 68 receptions and eight touchdowns in 35 career games (13 starts). While Hunter has averaged an impressive 16.8 yards per catch, that number dropped to a career-worst 12.0 on 22 grabs last season. The 2015 campaign was a short one for Hunter, who only appeared in nine games as a result of a mid-November fractured ankle.
Sankey was once viewed as the Titans’ best running back and was expected to break out as a rookie in 2014. Sankey, 24 later this month, appeared in all 16 games for the Titans as a rookie but amassed only 569 yards off of 152 carries. Last season, Sankey’s role was reduced even further has he had only 47 rushing attempts for 193 yards in 13 games.
The surprising cuts didn’t stop there. The Titans are going to waive guard Jeremiah Poutasi, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Poutasi was an early third-round pick of the Titans last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Titans Waive Zach Mettenberger
The Titans have waived quarterback Zach Mettenberger, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online (via Twitter). 
Mettenberger was once viewed as the team’s potential signal caller of the future, but that was before Marcus Mariota came into the picture. When the Titans used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft to tab the Oregon standout, Mettenberger’s future in Tennessee became murky. Now, he’s free to pursue a starting job elsewhere.
Mettenberger, 24, was a sixth-round pick of the Titans in the 2014 draft. In his rookie season, Mettenberger saw time in seven games (six starts) and threw for eight touchdowns with seven interceptions. Not long ago, Mettenberger probably would have fetched a lower-round draft pick in a trade. However, the Titans likely shopped the QB around in recent days without finding a taker.
With Mettenberger out of the picture, the Titans now have quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Alex Tanney behind Mariota.
In addition to Mettenberger, the Titans have waived defensive end Iosia Iosia, tight end Kevin Greene, and wide receiver Rashon Ceaser (link). The Titans have signed four rookies from their tryouts (link): fullback Sam Bergen, wide receiver Ben Roberts, defensive end Mike Smith, and cornerback Bennett Okotcha.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
