NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/26/19
One practice squad move to report today:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Damion Willis
- Released:CB Anthony Chesley
Trade Notes: Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Jets, Redskins, Giants, Eagles, Bills, Packers
Teams continue to ask about Austin Hooper, whose 526 receiving yards sit 11th in the NFL entering Week 8. However, the Falcons have spurned suitors who’ve called about the emerging tight end, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Hooper is in a contract year, but the Falcons believe they have a chance to re-sign him. The Falcons, though, are the team doing the contacting regarding Vic Beasley. Atlanta is shopping its former All-Pro defensive end, who is playing out a $12.8MM fifth-year option. Pass rushers are obviously valuable, but with Beasley’s play having fallen off since that 2016 breakthrough, the return might not be what the Falcons seek.
Here is the latest from the trade market:
- The Redskins continue to respond with hard nos when asked about Trent Williams, but Breer adds Josh Norman‘s name has been floated around. With Norman having not lived up to the $15MM-AAV contract he signed in 2016, it would be hard to imagine the Redskins getting much value for the eighth-year cornerback.
- A cornerback performing better continues to look likelier to stay put. Chris Harris does not expect to be traded, and Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the Broncos are not as motivated to deal their four-time Pro Bowler as they were to ship out Emmanuel Sanders. A second-round pick would likely be necessary here, per Breer. Considering the Broncos’ issues finding corners as of late, dealing Harris would create a massive offseason need in Denver.
- The Bengals are 0-7, and A.J. Green continues to come up in trade rumors. But the old-school organization isn’t budging. Mike Brown has not signed off on a firesale, Breer adds, instead preferring to provide first-year HC Zac Taylor with a foundation. That project is not going well so far, with the veteran-laden team performing poorly. Cincinnati’s potential trade chips also include franchise sack leaders Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. Neither appears to be a departure candidate. Tyler Eifert is a name Breer mentions could be dealt, but the tight end obviously has a significant injury history that would limit a return.
- As for the expensive New York corners, Janoris Jenkins has generated more interest than Trumaine Johnson. The Giants have shopped Jenkins around some, per Breer, while Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes it would require “a miracle” for a team to take Johnson’s salary off the Jets‘ payroll. Jenkins is signed through 2020, with $5.37MM remaining in 2019 salary.
- In addition to the Saints exploring receiver additions, the Bills, Eagles and Packers are as well, Breer notes. This could heat up the Robby Anderson market, but Breer adds Browns wideout Rashard Higgins has been discussed in advance of Tuesday’s deadline. The backup is in a contract year. However, Higgins has battled knee issues and has only played in one 2019 game.
- With Mark Andrews having outproduced Hayden Hurst, the Ravens have received calls on their 2018 top pick. As of now, however, Hurst is not believed to be available, per Breer.
AFC Notes: Dareus, Broncos, Green, Chiefs, Darnold
Marcell Dareus will undergo surgery today to repair a core muscle injury, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The defensive lineman is expected to miss 4-6 weeks for Jaguars.
Here’s more around the AFC:
- Broncos coach Vic Fangio said it was “possible” that CB Bryce Callahan will miss the rest of the season, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic tweets. Callaham underwent stem cell treatment on his foot last month and the original projection was 4-to-6 weeks.
- A.J. Green did not practice today for the Bengals and isn’t expected to play against the Rams in London, Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets. LT Cordy Glenn will also not play in the contest.
- DE Frank Clark (neck), DT Chris Jones (groin), LB Darron Lee (illness) and CB Kendall Fuller (thumb) all missed practice for the Chiefs today, Herbie Teope of Kansas City.com tweets. Patrick Mahomes is practicing again for the second-straight day.
- Sam Darnold was limited in practice today, Brian Costello of the New York Post relays (Twitter link). Darnold was a non-participant for the Jets on Wednesday because of a toe ailment.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/19
Here are today’s minor transactions:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: WR Damion Willis
Denver Broncos
- Claimed: DL Jonathan Harris (from Bears)
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: RB Paul Perkins
Houston Texas
- Promoted: WR Steven Mitchell Jr.
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Justin Bethel
- Released: DB Jordan Richard, TE Eric Tomlinson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Stephone Anthony, CB Johnson Bademosi
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: G Jordan Roos
2019 NFL Cap Space, By Team
With eight days to go before the 2019 trade deadline, here’s a look at the cap space possessed by each team, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):
1. Colts: $43.5M
2. Browns: $32.9M
3. Dolphins: $28M
4. Bills: $24.7M
5. Cowboys: $24M
6. Titans: $23.7
7. Chiefs: $23.1M
8. Raiders: $22.4M
9. Eagles: $22.2M
10. Texans: $21.6M
11. Lions: $18.9M
12. Bears: $17M
13. 49ers: $14.4M
14. Panthers: $14.2M
15. Bengals: $13.6M
16. Redskins: $13.5M
17. Jaguars: $10.3M
18. Broncos: $10M
19. Packers: $9.5M
20. Seahawks: $7.8M
21. Buccaneers: $6.5M
22. Jets: $6.1M
23. Rams: $4.6M
24. Cardinals: $4.1M
25. Chargers: $4.1M
26. Steelers: $3.4M
27. Patriots: $2.5M
28. Giants: $2.2M
29. Ravens: $2.1M
30. Saints: $1.9M
31. Falcons: $1.7M
32. Vikings: $623K
Bengals Sign Anthony Zettel
The Bengals have signed defensive end Anthony Zettel, per a club announcement. Zettel takes the place of offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, who is serving a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
[RELATED: Bengals Suspend Glenn]
Glenn was cleared to practice last week following his concussion, but he felt the Bengals were trying to rush him back prematurely. He clashed with Bengals head coach Zac Taylor on Wednesday and, amongst other things, insisted upon his release. Glenn was fined $200K and suspended for “internal disciplinary reasons.” It remains to be seen whether he’ll be a member of the team beyond the Tuesday Oct. 29 deadline.
In the meantime, Zettel will earn at least one paycheck as the Bengals seek out their first win of the year against the 4-3 Rams.
Latest On Bengals’ A.J. Green
It could be a while before the Bengals get A.J. Green back on the field. The star wide receiver says he still has “a ways to go” before making his return, as Laurel Pfahler of the Dayton Daily News writes. 
[RELATED: Bengals Won’t Trade Green]
“If I can go, I can go,” Green said. “If I can’t, I can’t. It’s no big thing. Like I said from Day 1, if I’m healthy enough to play then I’m going to play. Right now, I still have a ways to go…There’s no need to rush this thing. Like I said from Day 1, I’m gonna have to feel good to get back out there to where I can play at a high level to where I know I can. Just don’t want to rush it back like I did with my toe (last year).”
Green has yet to play this year and the Bengals have yet to win a game. They’re 0-7 after Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Jaguars and one can’t help but wonder if they’d at least be in the win column by now if Green was on the field – especially with an opportunity to exploit the Jaguars’ Jalen Ramsey-less defense.
There has been progress for Green, but also new setbacks. Green participated in individual drills ahead of the team’s Week 6 game, but was unable to practice before the Jags’ game. Between this ankle issue and last year’s toe injury, Green has missed eleven straight games.
Green is in his contract year, but the Bengals say he won’t be moved before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. Even if the Bengals did want to trade him for draft capital, it’s not clear what they could get for him, given his current condition.
Injury Updates: Green, Mahomes, Newton
It doesn’t look like A.J. Green is going anywhere. Despite Bengals head coach Zac Taylor insisting that the team would not trade its injured star prior to the October 29 deadline, there was still plenty of speculation that Cincinnati would make a deal if it got the right offer. But Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Green, who returned to practice on a limited basis earlier this month, will not be ready to play until after the deadline.
Green is progressing nicely in his return, per Schefter, but the Bengals want to ensure a complete recovery before bringing him back, which makes it sound as though they have every intention of re-signing him this offseason (and, as Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets, it’s an interesting contrast to the dispute between Cincinnati and Cordy Glenn). So if your team is looking for a WR upgrade, you can probably go ahead and scratch Green off your wish list.
Now for two more high-profile injury updates:
- Ian Rapoport of NFLcom (video link) has positive news on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Per RapSheet, surgery (even in the offseason) has not been discussed, which contradicts a report from several days ago. Rapoport says Mahomes will miss at least the next three games, which means he will be sidelined for matchups against the Packers, Vikings, and Titans. Then, Kansas City travels to Mexico City for a game against the Chargers, and as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report observes, the field surface at Estadio Azteca could be questionable (Twitter link). The Chiefs have a bye after their sojourn across the border, so, in keeping with the earlier reports, it seems like a Week 13 return against the Raiders is the safest bet. Schefter says Mahomes could be back even sooner than the three-week minimum that Rapoport detailed, though that would seem like a very risk move on the Chiefs’ part. Luckily, Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star tweets that Mahomes’ visit for a second opinion went well, though Teope does not offer a timeline for the star QB’s return.
- The Panthers are perfectly content for Cam Newton to take as much time as necessary to recover from his foot injury given that the club is 4-0 under backup Kyle Allen. Carolina is on a bye this week, and Newton is expected to return to the practice field in the coming days, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says the team has not yet begun to discuss the QB situation, even privately. That means that, as long as Allen keeps performing, he may keep playing, which is consistent with reports from last week. In any event, the Panthers will not address the issue until Newton is back to 100%.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/19/19
A couple of practice squad moves to report as we await kickoffs tomorrow:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: RB Samaje Perine
- Released: OT Dino Boyd
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Paul Perkins
- Waived: RB Wes Hills
A couple of somewhat notable running backs latched back on today in Perine and Perkins. They’d been waived by the Bengals and Lions respectively in the past couple of days. Perkins was a fifth-round pick of the Giants back in 2016, while Perine was taken in the fourth-round by the Redskins in 2017. Both players received plenty of buzz in their rookie years, but fizzled out quickly. Perkins went to UCLA, while Perine is an Oklahoma product.
Bengals Activate CB Darqueze Dennard
After a long hiatus, Darqueze Dennard is ready to return for the Bengals. The team, which re-signed the former first-round cornerback in March, activated him on Friday, Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets.
Dennard will take Cordy Glenn‘s roster spot, with the Bengals having suspended their left tackle. This will provide a key cornerback reinforcement for the 0-6 team, especially with both Dre Kirkpatrick and William Jackson III out against the Jaguars.
Prior to re-upping with the Bengals, Dennard underwent a left knee surgery that was believed to be minor at the time. But he ended up missing the first six games of the season, due to the stay on Cincinnati’s PUP list.
The Bengals re-signed Dennard, their 2014 first-round pick, to a one-year deal worth $4.5MM. He will now have a chance to make an impression in another contract year.