NFL Workout Updates: 12/21/17
Today’s workout updates, with all Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle and veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer:
Arizona Cardinals
- WRs Harvey Binford, Rashad Ross, Brandon Zylstra; DBs Jonathon Mincy, Kacy Rodgers (link)
Cincinnati Bengals
- OL Gabe Ikard, Max Rich, Austin Shepherd, Jerry Ugokwe (link)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Kelvin Taylor; DT Jimmy Staten; LB Max Bullough; CBs Makinton Dorleant, Demetrius McCray, Sheldon Price; DBs James Sample, Earl Wolff (link)
Dallas Cowboys
- WRs K.D. Cannon, Dezmin Lewis, Tevaun Smith; LBs Tyrell Adams, Arthur Miley; DBs Jeremy Boykins, Marcus Cromartie, Marqueston Huff, Ezra Robinson (link)
Denver Broncos
- TE Gavin Escobar; DTs Paul Boyette, Will Sutton; LBs Houston Bates, Jayrone Elliott, Connor Harris, Marcus Rush; DBs Rickey Jefferson, Jordan Moore, J.R. Nelson, D’Joun Smith, Malik Smith (link)
Detroit Lions
- CB Jarnor Jones (link via Balzer)
Houston Texans
- DE Kasim Edebali; DT Rickey Hatley; DB Tracy Howard (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- TE Marcus Lucas (link)
New Orleans Saints
- WR Diontae Spencer (link)
New York Giants
- QB Brandon Burge; WR Nick Demski; OL Freddie Burden; DBs Malik Golden, Ed Reynolds (link)
New York Jets
- G Greg Pyke (link via Balzer)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB James Summers (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- TE Brandon Barnes; OL Erik Austell; DT Euclid Cummings; LB Chris Casher; CB Shaq Richardson (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- RBs Kalif Phillips, Jalen Simmons (link)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted to active roster: OL Kent Perkins
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Deon King
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Adam Gettis, CB David Rivers
- Promoted to active roster: S Isaiah Johnson
Browns’ Josh Gordon Won’t Request Trade
Josh Gordon is back with the Browns, but some have wondered if he’s there to stay. On Thursday, Gordon said that he does not plan to ask for a trade this offseason, an indicator that he may remain in Cleveland if new GM John Dorsey wants to keep him. 
“You can ask for a trade whenever you want to really, but that’s not really on my mind, man,” he said (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “I’m just glad to be back.”
Gordon has spent much of his Browns tenure off of the field. When on the field, he hasn’t been on the winning side of too many games. He’s watched former teammates Joe Haden and Kenny Britt wind up with Super Bowl contenders, but he says he wants to help Cleveland turn things around.
Dorsey, for his part, has indicated that he sees Gordon as a part of the team’s future.
“Josh is a very, very, very talented football player,” Dorsey said in a recent radio interview. “And it always helps to have talented guys on there. The one thing about Josh, what I’ve seen is and I’ve heard, he’s worked very hard to turn his personal life around. My Catholicism has taught me that, you know what, give every man a second chance in life. And as long as he’s committed to the Cleveland Browns, I’ll tell you that the Cleveland Browns are committed to him, to help him not only be a good football player but a good man off the field.”
Gordon, 27 in April, has 12 catches for 201 yards and one score in three games this year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed: LB Jeremy Cash
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: C James Stone
- Waived: LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
Jackson Hesitant On Kizer's Future
Hue Jackson took a step back from championing DeShone Kizer following the Browns‘ 14th loss of the season, and on Wednesday, the second-year coach backed off previous talk that the second-round rookie would be the team’s quarterback of the future.
Jackson has said this season Kizer could be the Browns’ long-term quarterback solution but said Sunday he wondered if the Notre Dame product — who has 19 interceptions, five more than any other passer this season — would ever “get it.” The then-Sashi Brown-led front office may have viewed the 2018 quarterback crop as superior to this year’s, inducing the Browns to bypass a first-round quarterback in order to not block a possible 2018 Round 1 pick. The Browns are almost certainly going to hold the No. 1 overall pick, so they’ll have their chance at the best quarterback prospect come April.
- With the Broncos having little inclination Lynch can be counted on as a potential above-average starter, Troy Renck of Denver7 explores the idea of the team adding Kirk Cousins. While it would surely cost a team Derek Carr or Matthew Stafford money to sign Cousins, should be become a free agent, Renck notes the Broncos’ inability to replace Peyton Manning has cost them dearly. Manning wasn’t even making $20MM per year, so the prospect of Cousins — whom Renck lists as a player who figures to be pursued by the Jaguars, Bills, Browns, Cardinals and Jets as well — would be interesting. The Broncos are projected to have $30MM in 2018 cap space.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/19/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- WRs Corey Brown, Aaron Dobson, DeVier Posey (link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Devine Redding; WRs C.J. Board, Devin Lucien; TE Henry Krieger-Coble; CBs T.J. Lee, Jonathon Mincy; S Kenny Ladler (Twitter links)
Detroit Lions
- WRs James Wright, Brandon Zylstra (Twitter links)
Green Bay Packers
- QBs Garrett Fugate, Matt McGloin; WR Jake Kumerow; C Lucas Crowley; LB Jacob Lindsey; CB Manny Asprilla (link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Zach Conque; CB Dwayne Thomas (link)
Los Angeles Rams
- CBs Dexter McDougle, Taurean Nixon; S Trey Caldwell (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- RB Ka’Deem Carey; DE Kasim Edebali; LB Ja’Gared Davis; DBs Lorenzo Jerome, Kenny Ladler, Stefan McClure (link)
Latest On John Dorsey, Hue Jackson
While Browns ownership has already stated head coach Hue Jackson will return in 2018, new general manager John Dorsey recently sidestepped a question on Jackson’s future, and his response engendered more questions about Jackson’s fate. However, when asked directly today if Jackson will stay on as Cleveland’s head coach, Dorsey was more definitive, telling 92.3 FM “I think ownership has already spoken on that,” per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
[RELATED: Browns Work Out Roberto Aguayo]
“Hue and I have a really good relationship,” Dorsey said. “First off, I think ownership has said that Hue would be back. With that, I’m excited to work with him here. I’ve been really impressed with how Hue messages to the players. I’ve always thought that head coaches should be leader of men, and when I watch Hue talk to the team and how hard guys play for him, that’s exciting.”
Despite repeated statements from Browns ownership, there was a “persistent sense” in league circles that Dorsey would attempt to hire his own head coach. Most general managers are able to choose a new head coach, and few would blame Dorsey for firing Jackson, who has posted a 1-29 record in Cleveland. But both owner Jimmy Haslam and Dorsey now appear to be on the same page regarding Jackson’s 2018 status with the Browns.
Despite his lackluster record, Jackson is reportedly in demand in at least one other AFC North city, as the Bengals may have interest in hiring Jackson to replace Marvin Lewis. Jackson, however, said today that he will not pursue the Cincinnati job if/when Lewis is fired.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/19/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Vontarrius Dora, WR Rashad Ross
- Waived: LB Kevin Snyder
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OL Javarius Leamon, OL Oni Omoile
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Trevon Hartfield
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Adairius Barnes
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: QB Jerod Evans
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Zach Conque
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Arthur Miley
- Waived: DT Jeremy Liggins
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB James Onwualu
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Bernard Reedy
- Waived: DL Marcus Hardison
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Amba Etta-Tawo
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: S Stefan McClure
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Alex Carter, DE Noble Nwachukwu
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Johnny Maxey
- Waived: TE Jerome Cunningham
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DE Tavaris Barnes
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Bronson Hill
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Brittan Golden
Buffalo Bills
- Designated to return from injured reserve: S Colt Anderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB B.W. Webb
- Placed on injured reserve: DB Derrick Kindred
Denver Broncos
- Promoted to active roster: CB Michael Hunter
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Shane Ray (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Broncos‘ practice squad: OL Dillon Day
- Waived: FB Joe Kerridge
New York Giants
- Activated from injured reserve: DE Romeo Okwara
- Waived: LB Jeremy Cash
New York Jets
- Waived from injured reserve: LB Edmond Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: LB Kache Palacio
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted to active roster: LB Nigel Harris, DT Channing Ward
Washington Redskins
- Promoted to active roster: S Fish Smithson
- Placed on injured reserve: S Montae Nicholson
Browns Work Out Roberto Aguayo
The Browns are kicking the tires on some notable names as the season winds down. Kicker Roberto Aguayo and tight end Gavin Escobar were among the players to audition for Cleveland on Monday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Last year, the Bucs traded up to select Aguayo in the second-round. It was a perplexing move at the time and it backfired even quicker than anyone could have imagined. Prior to this season, the Buccaneers waived the kicker.
“You never feel good when you shatter someone’s dream,” GM Jason Licht said at the time. “That is always tough, especially someone you had such high hopes for. You don’t have good feelings about that. It is a little bit of a sense of, I don’t want to say relief, but we’ve ripped off the band-aid, and we move on. We’re moving forward.”
Luckily for the Bucs, the Bears claimed Aguayo and took on the remainder of his contract. He never saw live action in Chicago, however, and the Bears quickly waived him. This time around, there were no takers for his $400K+ salary guarantee. He went on to have a stint on the Panthers’ practice squad, but that too was short lived.
Escobar, also a former second-round draft pick, never blossomed into the downfield threat the Cowboys hoped he’d be. The tight end worked out for roughly one-third of the league’s teams this year and had a cup of coffee with Baltimore before being put back on to the free agent pile. He appeared in two games for the Ravens, but did not record a reception.
In Escobar’s four seasons with Dallas, he started just seven games. His had at least 100 receiving yards in his first two seasons, but combined for just 12 receptions, 94 yards, and two touchdowns in 2015 and 2016.
Quarterback Stephen Morris, punter Jeff Locke, and four other players also worked out for the Browns.