NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/24
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Ahmarean Brown
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Travis Bell
- Placed on practice squad injured list: DL Sam Roberts
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Messiah Swinson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Jody Fortson, RB Keaontay Ingram
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Baylor Cupp
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Braeden Daniels
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Neil Farrell
Fortson will make his way back to Missouri, doing so after the Dolphins released him in August. Fortson combined to catch 14 passes for 155 yards and four touchdowns during the 2021 and ’22 Chiefs seasons, but he spent the 2023 campaign on IR. An effort to latch on in Miami did not pan out, but the Chiefs have the reserve tight end back as insurance. Fortson, 28, initially caught on with the Chiefs as a 2019 UDFA.
Ingram will fill the same purpose, switching spots with Kareem Hunt, whom the Chiefs bumped up to their 53-man roster this week. Waiving Ingram to make room for the Hunt reunion, Kansas City circled back to the former Arizona draftee. Ingram joins UDFA Emani Bailey as RBs on the Chiefs’ P-squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/25/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Austen Pleasants
- Placed on IR: OT Jackson Barton
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Sam Pinckney
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Ameer Speed
- Released: DB Ro Torrence
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez, OT Ricky Lee III, DE Elerson Smith
- Released: LB Luiji Vilain
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Gottlieb Ayedze
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR John Jiles
New York Giants
- Signed: FB Jakob Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Shakel Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: P Trenton Gill
Trenton Gill has caught on with the Buccaneers practice squad after getting cut by the Broncos back in August. Gill spent the previous two seasons as the Bears full-time punter, with the 25-year-old averaging 46 yards per punt while landing 28.6 percent of his punts inside the 20. As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes, this addition is a sign that Bucs punter Jake Camarda may be on the hot seat. The former fourth-round pick is averaging a career-low 39.8 net yards per punt.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/24
Here are Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: LB Joe Evans
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Alex Cook, Justin Hardee
- Released: OLB Eku Leota
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Teagan Quitoriano
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DB Morice Norris
Green Bay Packers
- Released: TE Johnny Lumpkin
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Josiah Bronson, DE Derek Rivers
- Placed on IR: QB Jason Bean
- Released: CB Kelvin Joseph
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: TE Luke Benson, CB Nehemiah Shelton
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR John Jiles
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Joel Wilson
- Placed on IR: TE Lawrence Cager
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Brandon Smith
- Released: S Jaylen Key
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR John Ross
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Marcus Haynes
- Released: TE Matt Sokol
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Tracy Walker
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Ty Hall, DT Matt Gotel
- Placed on IR: RB George Holani
- Released: S Marquise Blair
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: P Trenton Gill, CB Keenan Isaac
- Released: P Seth Vernon
This year’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ Key did not make the Jets’ initial 53-man roster. The 24-year-old was retained via the practice squad, but he did not see any regular season action. Now a free agent, Key will look to latch on with another organization.
Ross signed with the Eagles in May as part of his bid to return to the NFL. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder was released during roster cutdowns, however, after he was unable to carve out a depth role on offense. Ross will rejoin the team in a bid to provide Philadelphia with a complementary receiving option as the team deals with a number of injuries at the WR spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/24
Tuesday’s minor moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Stephen Carlson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Tim Patrick
- Placed on IR: DE Marcus Davenport (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Sam Webb
- Placed on IR: S Marcus Epps (story)
New York Giants
- Released: FB Jakob Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jack Stoll
- Placed on IR: WR Britain Covey
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB James Pierre
- Placed on IR: DB Cory Trice Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: LS Zach Triner
- Placed on IR: LS Evan Deckers
Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts but he quickly landed a deal with the Lions on their practice squad. Healthy after back-to-back years featuring major injuries, the 30-year-old has twice been a gameday elevation so far this year and logged a 44% offensive snap share. He will aim to remain in a depth role while now permanently on the active roster.
Covey will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks given today’s move. His injury is particularly notable given the fact A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both injured at the moment, thinning out the team’s receiver room. Covey, 27, received seven targets across the past two games and Philadelphia will need to turn to other options for a complementary role at wideout (along with the return game).
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/24
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: T Jackson Barton, T Charlie Heck
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Chris Collier, CB Ka’dar Hollman
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: DE DeShawn Williams
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DE Byron Cowart, WR Collin Johnson
- Placed on IR: RB Travis Homer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Gary Brightwell, TE Blake Whiteheart
- Elevated: CB Tony Brown, TE Geoff Swaim
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DE Carl Lawson, LB Nick Vigil
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: WR Tim Patrick, WR Allen Robinson
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: QB Sean Clifford, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor, LB Zeke Turner
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Sam Webb
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Shaquille Quarterman
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic, WR Xavier Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: QB Tim Boyle
- Elevated: WR Dee Eskridge, WR Erik Ezukanma
- Placed on IR: WR Grant DuBose
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: OLB Bo Richter, TE Robert Tonyan
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Stalbird
New York Giants
- Elevated: CB Art Green, LB Ty Summers
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Parris Campbell, TE Jack Stoll
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DL Mike Greene, WR Sterling Shepard
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: LB Luke Gifford, RB Jabari Small
Players like Hollman, Vigil, Webb, and Quarterman will now be getting called up for the third time this season. The NFL rules limit a practice squad player to three standard gameday elevations per contract. If their teams want to get them into more games in the future, the normal route is for them to be signed to the active roster after this weekend then released/waived and signed to new practice squad deals, starting their three-game count over.
Shy Tuttle‘s foot injury will keep him off the field for Week 3, as the Panthers announced that the defensive tackle has been downgraded from doubtful to out. The Panthers called up Williams to temporarily take the open roster spot. The defensive end started 10 of his 16 appearances for the Panthers last season, and he landed back on Carolina’s practice squad last month after spending the preseason with the Bills.
The Browns announced a handful of moves ahead of their game with the Giants tomorrow. Notably, the team didn’t promote any offensive tackles, which provided some optimism surrounding the availability of their injured tackles. While Jedrick Wills Jr. is expected to play (per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal), Jack Conklin will not (per Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland). Conklin hasn’t played since Week 1 of the 2023 season while recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. He practiced this week and was initially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, but it sounds like a new hamstring injury is the culprit for his Week 3 absence.
With both Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce set to miss Sunday’s trip to Minnesota, the Texans are bringing up Taylor off the practice squad. Taylor will back up Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale against the Vikings this weekend.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/24
Today’s practice squad updates:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR John Jackson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DE Justin Hollins
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Eku Leota, TE Jordan Matthews
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT Dashaun Mallory
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Cornelius Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB David Anenih
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Miles Boykin, RB Brittain Brown
- Released: S Marquise Blair, NT Quinton Bohanna
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/24
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed from practice squad: OLB Dondrea Tillman
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: OL Justin Dedich
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: RB Myles Gaskin
- Placed on IR: TE Nick Muse
New England Patriots
- Signed from Bears’ practice squad: DE Jamree Kromah
- Placed on IR: OLB Oshane Ximines
A five-year Giants contributor, Ximenes logged 14 defensive snaps through two Patriots games. A rookie UDFA out of James Madison, Kromah has not played in a regular-season game yet. Because the Pats poached Kromah from the Bears’ P-squad, he must remain on New England’s 53-man roster for three weeks.
Additionally, free agent defensive back Alex Brown received a three-week suspension, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Brown has not been on an NFL roster since 2021 and has not played in a game since 2019.
AFC North Notes: Fields, Steelers, Wilson, Taylor-Britt, Bengals, Browns, Ravens
Another Justin Fields start is likely on tap for the Steelers, who are 2-0 with the fourth-year passer at the controls. Russell Wilson is not scheduled to log a full practice Wednesday, and Mike Tomlin said (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the team is “readying a plan that features Justin.”
The Steelers have not exactly been prolific on offense with Fields, scoring all of 31 points in two games. But the trade acquisition — who entered the offseason as the clear backup — has gained enough ground on Wilson it is believed to have put the starting job in question. The 25-year-old passer has completed 69.8% of his passes, albeit at just 6.3 yards per attempt, but has managed two pilot Pittsburgh to two wins despite questions about the team’s pass-catching group after the much-discussed Brandon Aiyuk trade fell through.
Fields helping the Steelers to a win over the Broncos boosted his case, and Wilson may be running out of time due to a calf issue sidelining him — save for some preseason time — since the start of training camp. A report before that Denver matchup suggested Wilson would not lose the job he won due to injury, but it may well be up in the air now.
Here is the latest from the AFC North:
- Stepping into the No. 1 cornerback role to start his third season, Cam Taylor-Britt pulled down a spectacular one-handed interception of Patrick Mahomes in the Bengals‘ Week 2 loss. With the Bengals expecting a big year from Taylor-Britt, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. notes this would put the former second-round pick on the extension radar come 2025 (subscription required). Taylor-Britt will be eligible for a second contract next year, and while the Bengals are poised for a second round of Ja’Marr Chase negotiations in 2025, a quality Taylor-Britt showing this year would leave them an easier extension to complete.
- Attempting to move from a decorated wrestling career to the Bills, Gable Steveson did not turn that bid into a spot on Buffalo’s active roster or practice squad. The former Olympic gold medalist is not shutting down football aspirations, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo noting he worked out for the Ravens this week. The 24-year-old wrestling convert competed as a defensive lineman in Buffalo, with Bills preseason games doubling as Steveson’s first football games at any level.
- The Browns and Bears completed a trade for defensive tackle Chris Williams just before the season. The pick-swap deal involved the Bears sending the Browns a 2025 sixth-round pick (originally from the Vikings) for Williams and a conditional 2025 seventh-rounder, Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer notes. The sixth that went to Cleveland was originally a Miami selection.
Bears Place G Ryan Bates On IR
As the Bears prepare for a Week 2 trip to Houston, they will be doing so without a key depth piece on the offensive line. According to Bears senior writer Larry Mayer, interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates will find his way to injured reserve. 
Bates was traded to Chicago early in the offseason this year after five seasons with the Bills. Since entering the league in 2019, Bates has made 19 starts in 73 game appearances, spending only one season as a full-time starter. Upon arriving in Chicago, Bates immediately entered into a position battle at center, losing out to current Bears starter Coleman Shelton.
Even though he lost out on the center job, Bates became an instant competitor for snaps at an uncertain right guard spot. Despite seeing Nate Davis start at right guard, Week 1 saw Bates split time at the position, actually dominating the snaps in the game 38 to 18. With Bates going on IR, Davis will be relied upon more heavily in Week 2.
Taking Bates’ spot on the active roster will be long snapper Scott Daly. This transaction felt inevitable after the Bears placed long-time long snapper Patrick Scales on IR back in August. Daly was elevated off the practice for Week 1, but practice squad players can only be elevated twice off of one contract. With a roster spot opening up, Chicago took advantage and promoted Daly, as Scales will be forced to miss at least three more games.
Joining Daly from the practice squad will be wide receiver Collin Johnson, who will come up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. Johnson flashed in this year’s Hall of Fame Game, catching two touchdowns from quarterback Brett Rypien but missed the rest of the preseason with an injury. The former fifth-round pick out of Texas will get another regular season opportunity tomorrow before being relegated back to the practice squad after the game.