NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/10/24
Here are today’s mid-week practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena
- Released: RB Jake Funk
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Kalon Barnes
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DE Earnest Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Brad Wing
San Fracisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Terrance Mitchell, DE Sam Okuayinonu
- Placed on practice squad IR: S Tayler Hawkins, CB Jason Verrett
After seeing two defensive backs in Hawkins and Verrett suffer injuries that won’t allow them to return for the playoffs, San Francisco made the move to add the veteran cornerback Mitchell. Mitchell had signed with the 49ers just prior to the preseason, but the team was forced to place him on injured reserve a week later. Since being released with an injury settlement, Mitchell has not signed with another team, failing to make an appearance in the 2023 regular season. Still, he provides San Francisco with some experienced depth in the secondary, should they call his number.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/23
Here are Monday’s practice squad moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Mark Webb, OL Cameron Tom
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Shaquan Davis
- Released: CB Anthony Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Jack Colletto, LB Kyron Johnson
- Released: RB Zander Horvath, P Brad Wing
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Tay Gowan, DT Taylor Stallworth
- Released: CB Armani Marsh, DT Jayden Peevy
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Joshua Kalu
- Released: DB Keidron Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/23
Here are the day’s minor transactions heading into Week 5:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Ben Stille
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Xavier Malone
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on IR: DB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram, DT Kendal Vickers
- Placed on IR: CB Tre’Davious White (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: WR Kwamie Lassiter
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: S P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: OLB Julian Okwara
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: WR Jameson Williams
- Elevated: WR Dylan Drummond
- Placed on IR: FB Jason Cabinda
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Parker Washington
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: T Cam Robinson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Tommy Kraemer
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, S Daniel Sorensen
- Waived: RB Tony Jones Jr.
New York Giants
- Elevated: G Jalen Mayfield, T Jaylon Thomas
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Irvin Charles, CB Craig James
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: P Braden Mann, CB Bradley Roby
- Placed on IR: G Cam Jurgens (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: OL Ryan McCollum, P Brad Wing
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DE Austin Bryant, CB Kendall Sheffield
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Kyle Philips
- Elevated: S Dane Cruikshank, DT Jaleel Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23
Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Eric Banks
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Timmy Horne
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Melvin Gordon, WR Laquon Treadwell
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle, S Matthias Farley
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DB A.J. Thomas
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: TE Tanner Hudson
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, QB P.J. Walker
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: C Brock Hoffman
- Elevated: LB Malik Jefferson, TE Sean McKeon
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Ben Niemann, RB Dwayne Washington
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: DT Khalil Davis, T Austin Deculus
- Released: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Elevated: T Geron Christian, OL Jimmy Morrissey
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: G Ike Boettger, WR Amari Rodgers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Jacob Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: LB Kana’i Mauga
- Placed on IR: LB Curtis Bolton
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, OLB Malik Reed
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: S Dean Marlowe, S A.J. Finley
- Placed on NFI list: C Corey Linsley (story), S JT Woods
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, DE Andrew Former
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Royce Freeman, WR Austin Trammell
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: WR Robbie Chosen, LB Cameron Goode
- Elevated: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry
New England Patriots
- Elevated: DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, CB Cameron Dantzler
New York Jets
- Elevated: OL Chris Glaser
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Tristin McCollum, P Braden Mann
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: P Brad Wing
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Willie Snead
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: CB Keenan Isaac, LB J.J. Russell
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: CB Shyheim Carter, TE Kevin Rader
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: RB Derrick Gore
Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.
Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.
Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.
Steelers To Bring Back P Brad Wing
The Steelers held a punting competition this offseason, bringing in Braden Mann to challenge incumbent Pressley Harvin. The team went with the holdover option, becoming the second club to cut Mann this year. But Harvin is now battling an injury.
Harvin sustained a hamstring injury during a strong Week 3 outing in Las Vegas. The Steelers’ contingency plan will involve a blast from the past. Brad Wing, who last punted in an NFL game six years ago, is joining the Steelers on a practice squad deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Wing spent three seasons with the Giants but began his career with the Steelers, who used him as their primary punter in 2014. The Australian specialist punted in all 16 games for the Steelers during his 2014 rookie season, but the team went in a different direction in 2015. Wing, 32, re-emerged on Pittsburgh’s radar this month, however, working out for the Steelers before Week 2.
This year’s XFL reboot opened the door to Wing resuming his career. He caught on with the twice-relaunched league’s San Antonio Brahmas. He had previously punted in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. The Giants rostered Wing from 2015-17 but traded for Riley Dixon in 2018, a transaction that came after Wing’s release.
Harvin, who averaged 44.5 yards per punt in 2022, is off to a nice start. His three-game average checks in at 47.2. While Wing only cleared 45 yards per boot once during his four-year NFL run in the 2010s, he led the XFL with a 47.8-yard average this year. Harvin being unable to go would bring about an interesting chapter in Steelers special teams annals, with Wing now in position to suit up nine years after his previous Pittsburgh cameo.
Vic Beasley, Martavis Bryant, Josh Gordon, Marquette King On XFL Rosters
The XFL will begin its third try next week. The rebooting league’s latest season will begin Feb. 18, nearly two months before USFL 2.0’s second season is scheduled to start.
This setup will make for a strange winter-spring period in which two minor leagues of sorts will be in operation. Considering the short tenures of XFL 2.0 (2020) and the Alliance of American Football (2019), this will be one of the more interesting years for non-NFL football.
Numerous former NFLers line the XFL’s season-opening rosters. Here are some of the players who will be part the league’s latest eight-team configuration. The full rosters can be found here.
Arlington Renegades
- CB De’Vante Bausby
- S Jamal Carter
- DL Doug Costin
- DL Bruce Hector
- P Marquette King
- CB Cre’von LeBlanc
King has not punted since the 2018 season, when the Broncos waived him not long after signing the veteran specialist to a multiyear deal. King, 34, punted for the Raiders for five seasons.
D.C. Defenders
- RB Ryquell Armstead
- S Kentrell Brice
- WR Chad Hansen
- QB D’Eriq King
- K Matthew McCrane
- T Kyle Murphy
- DT Caraun Reid
- DT Gabe Wright
- TE Kahale Warring
Armstead received workout opportunities and landed with multiple teams, but the former Jaguars backup has been unable to regain his footing since missing all of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 complications. A former Packers second-round pick, Murphy has six NFL seasons under his belt. Reid, 31, played eight NFL seasons — most recently suiting up in 2021 — and was a regular for the Lions early in his career. Brice started 10 games for the Packers in 2018; he has not played since.
Houston Roughnecks
- DB Sean Davis
- QB Cole McDonald
Davis started 42 games for the Steelers from 2017-19; he played with three teams during the 2021 season. A
Orlando Guardians
- S Matt Elam
- WR Cody Latimer
- QB Paxton Lynch
- WR Eli Rogers
- P Johnny Townsend
Elam logged 26 starts for the Ravens, but his NFL run stopped after the 2016 season. A former Broncos second-round pick, Latimer played six NFL seasons and ended up a 10-game starter for the Giants in 2019. Lynch was part of the 2016 and ’17 Broncos squads along with Latimer but, despite his first-round status, flamed out of the league after two seasons. He has since spent time in the CFL and USFL.
San Antonio Brahmas
- RB Kalen Ballage
- QB Reid Sinnett
- P Brad Wing
- TE Deon Yelder
Ballage did not play in the NFL this season but saw action in 17 games for the Steelers in 2021. Wing served as the Giants’ punter for three seasons. Sinnett was with the Dolphins this season, joining the team following Tua Tagovailoa‘s Week 4 concussion.
Seattle Sea Dragons
- QB Ben DiNucci
- WR Josh Gordon
- DT Treyvon Hester
- LB Tuzar Skipper
The biggest name in this XFL edition, Gordon became a journeyman in recent years. He was most recently with the Titans, catching on with Tennessee this year before being released in October. The former All-Pro spent the 2021 season with the Chiefs. Suspensions hijacked the 31-year-old pass catcher’s career. The Cowboys cut DiNucci just before this season, and while workout opportunities came, the former emergency Dallas starter will try his hand in the XFL.
St. Louis BattleHawks
- WR Marcell Ateman
- WR Hakeem Butler
- RB Brian Hill
- P Sterling Hofrichter
- QB A.J. McCarron
Although McCarron’s most recent action came with the Texans, he was on the 2021 Falcons. A path toward being Matt Ryan‘s final backup in Atlanta closed after a preseason ACL tear. Workouts in 2022 did not lead to a signing.
Vegas Vipers
- WR Geronimo Allison
- OLB Vic Beasley
- WR Martavis Bryant
- QB Brett Hundley
- RB Rod Smith
A former top-10 pick and NFL sack leader, Beasley has been out of the league since the 2020 season. The ex-Super Bowl starter’s one-year, $9.5MM deal did not work out for the Titans, who cut the edge rusher during the ’20 campaign. Bryant has been out of the league longer, with suspensions altering his path. The talented ex-Steeler spent time in Canada recently. Hundley was on the Ravens’ practice squad until season’s end this year, signing with the team after Lamar Jackson‘s ankle injury.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/16/19
We’ve got another batch of workout updates from the past few days, all via veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer on Twitter (unless otherwise noted):
Detroit Lions
- OT Caleb Benenoch, OL Justin Evans, CB Alexander Myres, CB KeiVarae Russell, OT Zach Sterup
Houston Texans
- OT Caleb Benenoch (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Curtis Akins, S Corrion Ballard, S Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DT Carl Davis, DT Deon Simon, RB David Williams (via Wilson)
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Andrew Dowell, LB Connor Strachan
Oakland Raiders
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Amara Darboh, WR Ryan Davis, WR Ishmael Hyman (via Wilson)
NFL Workout Updates: 11/27/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit, all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer, unless otherwise specified.
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
- S Bennett Jackson (link)
Buffalo Bills
- LB James Burgess, P Matt Darr, LB Obum Gwacham, DE Damontre Moore, P Brad Nortman, P Jake Schum (link)
Carolina Panthers
- CB Dexter McDougle (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio)
Green Bay Packers
- T Gerhard de Beer, DE Geneo Grissom, FB Malcolm Johnson, LB Jacob Pugh (link)
Houston Texans
- WR Deontez Alexander, CB Horace Richardson, WR Devin Smith (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Mack Brown, RB Martez Carter, RB Jarvion Franklin, RB Gerald Holmes, TE Khari Lee, RB Akrum Wadley (link)
Oakland Raiders
- DE Darius Jackson, DE Ja’Von Rolland-Jones (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Tyrell Adams, LB Thurston Armbrister, LS Tanner Carew, LS Jon Condo, LS Lucas Gravelle, LS Colin Holba, WR Max McCaffrey, LS Taybor Pepper, WR Jordan Smallwood, WR Jordan Veasy, LB Michael Wilhoite (link)
Giants Cut Punter Brad Wing
The Giants have terminated the contract of punter Brad Wing, reports Michael Elsen of Giants.com. The move will free up $1.025MM in cap space, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter).
The 2013 undrafted free agent out of LSU seemingly found a home in New York, as he appeared in every game for the Giants since 2015. After being acquired by the organization in a trade with the Steelers, Wing went on to have solid campaigns for his team in 2015 and 2016. However, he took a step back last season, as his 36.7-yard net average ranked last among eligible punters. Elsen also notes that shorts punts against the Eagles and Buccaneers ultimately led to Giants losses.
As ProFootballTalk.com’s Michael David Smith writes, the Giants will likely look to improve their entire special teams core this offseason. Long snapper Zak DeOssie is now the only member of the grouping under contract in 2018.
Giants, Punter Brad Wing Agree To Extension
1:13pm: Wing ‘s three-year extension is worth $6.45MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal also contains $3.725MM in guarantees, $2MM of which are coming to the punter via his signing bonus.
1:03pm: The Giants announced that they have signed punter Brad Wing to a contract extension. The new deal will take Wing through the 2019 season. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
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Wing, acquired in a trade with the Steelers in September 2015, posted a 44.5-yard gross average and a 38.9-yard net average on 76 punts last season. He placed 33 punts inside the 20, had 10 touchbacks, and his long kick traveled 64 yards. As noted in the Giants’ press release, Wing tied a franchise single-season record with 33 punts inside the 20-yard line, matching watermark set by Brad Maynard in both 1997 and 1998.
In college, Wing played alongside Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. at LSU. After his time with the Tigers, he hooked on with the Eagles as a UDFA but wound up being waived at the end of training camp. In January 2014, Pittsburgh inked Wing to a reserve/future deal and he was able to make an impression as a rookie. In his first season with the Steelers, the Australian had a 43.7-yard gross average on his 61 punts with 20 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Still, Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high his ’14 season, ranking him 28th out of the league’s 32 regular punters, with a -7.6 grade.
Wing earned the minimum salary in 2015, which worked out to about $510K for a player with his level of experience. This offseason, Wing was an ERFA, so he did not have the ability to test the open market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.