Bengals Tried To Claim Austin Calitro
- The Jaguars claimed linebacker Austin Calitro off waivers from Seattle, but other AFC teams wanted to add the recently cut defender. Both the Broncos and Bengals submitted claims for Calitro, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. But the Jags’ higher waiver priority, No. 7, won out. Both Denver and Cincinnati are thin at inside ‘backer presently.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/3/19
Here are today’s workout updates, all courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter) unless otherwise noted. The Saints had several recognizable players in for workouts.
Arizona Cardinals (Twitter link via veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer)
- RB Justin Davis, RB Devontae Jackson
Carolina Panthers (Twitter link via Balzer)
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB Malik Carney, C Ryan Groy, LB LaRoy Reynolds, LB Sutton Smith, LB Connor Strachan, OT Josh Wells, OT T Bryan Witzmann
Detroit Lions
- WR Victor Bolden Jr., RB Nick Brossette, WR Terry Godwin, DL Geneo Grissom, WR Marvin Hall, QB Taylor Heinicke, RB Darius Jackson, DE Anthony Johnson, QB Chad Kanoff, RB David Williams
New Orleans Saints
- RB Cameron Artis-Payne, LB James Burgess, LB Tre Crawford, RB Darius Jackson, TE Ben Koyack, RB Marcus Murphy, TE Brian Parker, LB Tegray Scales, LB Tre’ Watson, TE Luke Willson, RB Zach Zenner
New York Jets
- G Brandon Hitner
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins (Twitter link via Balzer)
- LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, OLB Davin Bellamy, LB Reshard Cliett, LB Te’von Coney
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/3/19
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Kyle Sloter
- Re-signed: OLB Pete Robertson
- Released: CB Nate Brooks, OLB Vontarrius Dora
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DT Trevon Coley
- Released: OL Marcus Applefield
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: C Brad Lundblade
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Hardy Nickerson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Jordan Leggett, DL Pat O’Connor
- Released: RB Bruce Anderson
Bengals, Giovani Bernard Agree To Extension
The Bengals are signing Giovani Bernard to a two-year, $10.3MM extension, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The deal will give him a raise to $5.9MM this year and $11MM over both years, including a $600K guaranteed bonus due in March. 
Bernard is no longer the go-to running back in Cincinnati – that’s the role filled by Joe Mixon – but Bernard is still a locker room leader and an important part of the game plan. With the new deal, he’s locked down through 2021.
The 27-year-old (28 in November) was limited to only 12 games in 2018, compiling 211 rushing yards and three scores on 56 carries. He also added another 35 receptions for 218 yards.
Mixon may be the man, for now, but Bernard is always one play away from resuming top billing. Years ago, everyone thought Jeremy Hill would leave Bernard in the dust, and we all saw how that turned out.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/19
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Brynden Trawick
- Placed on IR: CB Iman Marshall
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: G John Jerry
- Placed on IR: G O’Shea Dugas
Detroit Lions
- Waived/Injured: WR Andy Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Released: LB James Crawford
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: S Rolan Milligan
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: C Coleman Shelton
- Placed on IR: OLB Justin Lawler
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Albert McClellan
- Placed on IR: OL Brent Qvale
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Josh Mauro, LB Kyle Wilber
- Placed on IR: Isaiah Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Nick Bellore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed: RB T.J. Logan (from Cardinals) Waived: DL Pat O’Connor
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DT Treyvon Hester
- Claimed: LB Tanner Vallejo (from Cardinals)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/2/19
We’ll keep track of Monday’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jamal Carter, WR Brandon Powell
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: G Sam Jones
- Released: QB Drew Anderson, WR A.J. Richardson
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: QB Davis Webb, WR Tyron Johnson, LB Nate Hall
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OT Wyatt Miller
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Ventell Bryant, QB Clayton Thorson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Jason Cabinda
- Released: TE Austin Traylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jamal Davis, RB Quinton Flowers, DT Brian Price, WR Chad Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: QB Chase Litton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DB Alex Brown, LB Emmanuel Smith, DE Cameron Malveaux, DB Torry McTyer
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OT Zach Sterup, LB Terrill Hanks
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Davion Davis
New England Patriots
- Signed: DE Gerri Green, G Najee Toran, G Colby Gossett
- Released: OT Tyree St. Louis
New York Giants
- Signed:CB Corn Elder, WR David Sills
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Josh Adams and TE Ian Bunting WR/KR Greg Dortch
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: WR Marcell Ateman, DE Quinton Bell, G Lester Cotton, Sr., RB Damarea Crockett, WR Rico Gafford, CB Dylan Mabin, CB Nick Nelson, LB Justin Phillips, DT Anthony Rush, TE Eric Saubert
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Craig James
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Johnny Holton
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Ryan Pope
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Ryan Neal, OL Kahlil McKenzie, DE Jachai Polite
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Jordan Leggett, RB Tony Brooks-James
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Chris Odom
Four Teams Wanted Wendell Smallwood
Of all the players to hit the waiver wire over the weekend, Wendell Smallwood was the most popular. Before the former Eagles running back was ultimately grabbed by the Redskins, the Colts, Jaguars, and Bengals all placed claims on him, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
The Redskins quietly boast a deep running back group with redshirt rookie Derrius Guice, future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson, pass-catching specialist Chris Thompson, Byron Marshall, and Smallwood. Fun fact: No Eagles RB had more rushing yards over the last three years than Smallwood.
He would have been a logical fit for the Colts, Jags, and Bengals as well. For the Bengals, Smallwood would have provided depth behind Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard in the wake of Rodney Anderson’s season-ending torn ACL. The Colts, meanwhile, only just got Jordan Wilkins back on the practice field and they still await Jonathan Williams‘ return. And the Jaguars, who just had to place Alfred Blue on IR, likely preferred Smallwood to Tyler Ervin and Devine Ozigbo, the two RBs they picked up on Sunday.
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North 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 Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 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 North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Aaron Adeoye
- OL Marcus Applefield
- CB Maurice Canady
- FB Christopher Ezeala
- WR Sean Modster
- LB Donald Payne
- OL R.J. Prince
- TE Charles Scarff
- DE Zach Sieler
- RB De’Lance Turner
- WR Antoine Wesley
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed:
- WR Pharoh Cooper
- RB Samaje Perine
- Waived:
- RB Josh Malone
- LB Hardy Nickerson
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Moritz Böhringer
- CB Anthony Chesley
- LB Noah Dawkins
- HB Jordan Ellis
- TE Jordan Franks
- S Trayvon Henderson
- WR Stanley Morgan
- TE Mason Schreck
- G Keaton Sutherland
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed:
- Waived:
- Placed on IR:
- OL Drew Forbes
- Signed to practice squad:
- DT Brandin Bryant
- TE Stephen Carlson
- WR Shelton Gibson
- LB Willie Harvey
- S J.T. Hassell
- CB Robert Jackson
- DB Tigie Sankoh*
- WR Derrick Willies
- C Willie Wright
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to practice squad:
- S Marcus Allen
- RB Trey Edmunds
- OL Derwin Gray
- WR Tevin Jones
- S Trevon Mathis
- DL Henry Mondeaux
- OL Patrick Morris
- TE Kevin Rader
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
- LB Robert Spillane
* = International Pathway Program player
A.J. Green Not Going On Injured Reserve
Some moderately good news for Bengals fans. Star receiver A.J. Green will not start the season on injured reserve, per Geoff Hobson of the team’s official site (Twitter link).
New Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor apparently said he “feels like he’ll be back before eight weeks.” While it’s good to know Green isn’t going on IR, that doesn’t exactly sound like a ringing endorsement of his health. Last we heard a month ago, the feeling was that he would miss a few regular season games with his ankle injury. If he had started the year on injured reserve, he would’ve had to have missed at least the first eight.
Green is important enough to the Bengals’ offense that it’s obviously worth it to save his roster spot for a few weeks rather than making him miss two months. Green is still one of the league’s better receivers when healthy, but he’s 31 now and dealing with a significant injury for the second straight season. In 2018, foot issues limited the Georgia product to just nine games. The Bengals will be leaning heavily on Tyler Boyd, who they extended this offseason, in his absence.
Bengals Trim Roster To 53
The Bengals announced their final 53-man roster. One of the moves will be, as expected, placing Darqueze Dennard on their reserve/PUP list. Dennard now must miss at least the first six games of the season. This comes after the Bengals re-signed their former first-round pick on a one-year, $5MM deal. The team knew Dennard needed a post-signing knee surgery, but the arthroscopic procedure was performed several months ago.
Cincinnati is also placing Jonah Williams on its PUP list instead of season-ending IR. While the first-round tackle was believed to be set to miss the season, this move is a way of retaining a chance he can recover. Williams would revert to IR if he cannot recover from the shoulder injury he sustained this offseason.
Here’s the full list of the Bengals’ moves to meet the 53-man limit:
Placed on Reserve/Injured list:
- RB Rodney Anderson (rookie, Oklahoma; knee injury)
- QB Jeff Driskel (fourth-year player, Louisiana Tech; hamstring injury)
Placed on the Reserve/PUP list:
- CB Darqueze Dennard (sixth-year player, Michigan State; knee injury)
- OT Jonah Williams (rookie, Alabama; shoulder injury)
Released:
- G John Jerry (ninth-year player, Mississippi)
Waived:
- TE Moritz Böhringer (first-year player, Aalen [Germany])
- CB Jordan Brown (rookie, South Dakota State)
- WR Ventell Bryant (rookie, Temple)
- CB Anthony Chesley (rookie, Coastal Carolina)
- WR Cody Core (fourth-year player, Mississippi)
- LB Deshaun Davis (rookie, Auburn)
- LB Noah Dawkins (rookie, The Citadel)
- HB Jordan Ellis (rookie, Virginia)
- OT Justin Evans (first-year player, South Carolina State)
- HB Quinton Flowers (first-year player, South Florida)
- TE Jordan Franks (second-year player, Central Florida)
- CB Davontae Harris (second-year player, Illinois State)
- S Trayvon Henderson (second-year player, Hawaii)
- LB Malik Jefferson (second-year player, Texas)
- S Tyree Kinnel (rookie, Michigan)
- C Brad Lundblade (first-year player, Oklahoma State)
- WR Stanley Morgan (rookie, Nebraska)
- CB KeiVarae Russell (fourth-year player, Notre Dame)
- TE Mason Schreck (third-year player, Buffalo)
- WR Hunter Sharp (first-year player, Utah State; injury settlement)
- G Keaton Sutherland (rookie, Texas A&M)
Suspended:
- G Alex Redmond (third-year player, UCLA, suspended for four games)
All of the waived players, except for Core, will be practice squad eligible if they clear waivers.