NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/16
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Blake Sims (link via Matt Zenitz of AL.com)
- Cut: RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Marquis Bundy (via team announcement)
- Cut: WR Chris Hubert (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB/KR Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)
- Cut: RB Senorise Perry (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune), OL Laurence Gibson (Twitter link via Biggs)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Sammy Seamster (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com)
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut: LB Kyle Kragen (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post)
Indianapolis Colts:
- Signed: CB Tay Glover-Wright (Twitter link via Wilson), S Lee Hightower (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut: DT Kelcy Quarles, OL Adam Redmond (Twitter link via Wilson)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cut: WR Shaq Evans (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Tre Roberson, CB Julian Wilson (via team announcement)
- Cut: OT Carter Bykowski, S Shamiel Gary (via team announcement)
New England Patriots
- Cut: DB Mike Hilton (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Taveze Calhoun (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate), TE Jake Stoneburner (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com)
- Cut: FB Austin Johnson (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Times-Picayune), DE Bobby Richardson (Twitter link via Erickson)
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Deontae Skinner
- Cut: QB Logan Thomas (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via reps at Precision Sports)
- Cut: LB Jason Fanaika (Twitter link via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: QB Aaron Murray (via team announcement)
- Cut: WR Marcus Johnson, TE M.J. McFarland (injury settlement, Twitter link via Wilson)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Tylor Harris (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle), QB Jake Heaps (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times), OL Michael Ola (Twitter link via Condotta)
- Cut: WR Kasen Williams (Twitter link via Condotta), DT Justin Hamilton (Twitter link via Condotta) and WE Rodney Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Cameron Lynch (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of WFLA News Channel 8), DT Rodney Coe (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough (Twitter link via Auman)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Alex Tanney (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com)
- Cut: OL Ronald Patrick
Washington Redskins
- Cut: OL Nila Kasitati (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s John Keim)
Kyle Long To Play Season With Torn Labrum
Kyle Long started for the Bears today in their season-opening loss to the Texans, but the cornerstone guard will be playing through pain this season. The fourth-year starter suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
The injury is expected to affect Long’s performance this season, per Schefter, but the recently extended Chicago blocker will attempt to play through the malady.
Schefter reports the tear occurred last month, so the Bears gave the three-time Pro Bowler a four-year extension worth $40MM after the diagnosis surfaced. Long was able to practice this past week in a limited capacity for the first time since the injury.
The move back to guard after spending the 2015 season at right tackle will serve Long better overall, since that is the position at which he’s performed better. But the relocation back inside might affect him more this season due to the strength requirements of the guard spot. Nevertheless, the Bears have bet on Long to be their anchor up front for the decade’s remainder. He’s missed just one game in his four-year career, playing all 16 in both 2013 and ’15.
Chicago now houses one of the league’s premier guard tandems after its 11th-hour acquisition of Josh Sitton, who is under contract through 2018 after the Packers release enabled a signing with their chief rivals.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Contract Details: Sitton, Barth
- Guard Josh Sitton‘s three-year accord with the Bears is worth $21MM, $9.5MM of which guaranteed, as Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune tweets. Sitton can earn an additional $250K per season if he makes the Pro Bowl, something he did three time in Green Bay.
- Kicker Connor Barth‘s agreement with the Bears is for one year and $885K, relays Biggs (Twitter link). Barth’s predecessor, Robbie Gould, was scheduled to make $3MM this season before the Bears released him.
Former Bears K Gould Not Retiring
- Former Bears kicker says he’s Robbie Gould definitely not retiring, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Gould still plans to kick this year and beyond, Jahns adds, and he has a few teams vying for his services. The Bears cut Gould earlier this week.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/16
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Gerald Christian, DT Deandre Coleman
- Cut: S Damian Parms (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OT Laurence Gibson (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB P.J. Dawson (Twitter link via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Chris McCain (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Devon Cajuste (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0565217041112373473-4
- Cut: LB Beniquez Brown
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Quentin Gause
- Cut: DE Rufus Johnson (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Ashaad Mabry (link via Herbie Teope of the Times-Picayune)
Bears Sign Kyle Long To Extension
WEDNESDAY, 11:37am: The Bears have officially announced the deal.
SATURDAY, 3:48pm: The Bears have signed guard Kyle Long to a four-year, $40MM extension, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Long will receive $30MM in guaranteed money.
Long, 27, has been a Pro Bowler in each of his three seasons since entering the league, starting all but one game for the Bears over the last three years. After playing at right guard to start his career, the former 20th overall pick shifted over to right tackle during the 2015 season.
As Pro Football Focus’ data suggests, Long wasn’t quite as effective on the end of the offensive line as he was on the interior, and he figures to return to that familiar right guard spot in 2016. Long’s status Week 1 is entirely unclear as he deals with a labrum issue, so if he is absent, the club will have some shuffling to do. For the time being, the Bears have moved free agent signing Ted Larsenfrom center to right guard, while installing Cornelius Edison at the pivot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lions Claim Khari Lee Off Waivers
The Lions have claimed tight end Khari Lee off waivers from the Bears, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Lee, 24, was waived by the Bears on Sunday to make room for fellow tight end Logan Paulsen. Last year, Lee appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Bears and even logged seven starts, though his role didn’t involve a ton of pass-catching. On the year, he was targeted just three times and had only one reception for seven yards. However, Lee is known as a strong in-line blocker.
To make room for Lee, the Lions will have to bump one player from the roster. Currently, the Lions have Eric Ebron, Orson Charles, and Cole Wick at tight end on the depth chart.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Josh Sitton
Behind-the-scenes issues likely factored into the Packers’ surprising decision to release guard Josh Sitton on Saturday, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com details.
Cracks may have started forming in the relationship between Sitton and the Packers when he was critical of their offensive game plan last December, leading irked head coach Mike McCarthy to tell reporters, “Josh Sitton needs to play guard.” Months later, the team informed Sitton in training camp that it wouldn’t discuss a contract extension with him during the season, which may have worsened the two sides’ relationship. Before the Packers released Sitton, he was set to earn $6.15MM in 2016 to conclude the five-year extension he signed in 2011.
While there might be acrimony between Sitton and his former employer, the 30-year-old explained Monday that he wasn’t trying to get back at Green Bay by signing with the NFC North rival Bears.
“Honestly, it didn’t have anything to do with sticking it to the Packers,” the three-time Pro Bowler said (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). “I’m more familiar with the division. [Chicago is] close to where I was. I like the weather up here. We had a few other teams interested. It’s too damn hot in the south.”
One of Sitton’s new teammates, fellow guard Kyle Long, said Monday that he heavily recruited Sitton.
“I wouldn’t get out of his ear,” Long stated.
Both Sitton (three years, $21.75MM) and Long (four years, $40MM) inked expensive deals with the Bears over the weekend, though it was an extension in the latter’s case. Those two should comprise one of the top guard tandems in the league, while the Packers will move forward with the inexperienced Lane Taylor and the excellent T.J. Lang. Taylor, who’s replacing Sitton on the left side, picked up just two starts during his first three seasons.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears Swap Long Snappers, Cut Silatolu
- The Bears swapped long snappers this morning, cutting Aaron Brewer and signing Patrick Scales (via ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson on Twitter). Brewer joined Chicago this offseason after having spent the past four seasons with the Broncos. Scales, 28, played in a career-high five games for the Bears in 2015.
- To make room for guard Josh Sitton, the Bears released offensive guard Amini Silatolu (via Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs on Twitter). The 27-year-old lineman started three games for the Panthers last season. ESPN’s Adam Caplan notes that Silatolu signed a one-year, $840K deal ($100K guaranteed) with the Bears this offseason.
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Bears Place Ego Ferguson On IR
After being waived/injured yesterday, Ego Ferguson will remain on the Bears. Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that the defensive tackle will be placed on the injured reserve. General manager Ryan Pace indicated that Ferguson will need shoulder surgery.
Ferguson, a former second-round pick, was reportedly being shopped by the team earlier this week. Pace has shown a real willingness to install his own defense in Chicago, and he’s been looking to move members of the previous administration. Will Sutton and Christian Jones were among the other Bears defenders being shopped around.
After appearing in all 16 games as a rookie, Ferguson only made four appearances in 2015. The lineman was placed on the IR early in the year, and he was slapped with a four-game suspension in November. In 20 career games, the 24-year-old has compiled 26 tackles, two sacks, and three passes defended.