NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Blaine Clausell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: T Pierce Burton
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Kyle Carter, T Marquis Lucas
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Justin Zimmer
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Adam Gettis
- Cut: OL Laurence Gibson, RB George Winn
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Anthony Denham
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Shaquille Riddick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Mitchell Van Dyk
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB David Fluellen
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DL A.J. Francis, DB Shakiel Randolph
- Cut: DL Trevon Coley, DB Lee Hightower
Cardinals Sign Scooby Wright To Active Roster
The Cardinals have signed linebacker Scooby Wright to the active roster, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Wright was previously with the Browns’ practice squad. 
[RELATED: Cardinals WR Michael Floyd Arrested For DUI]
This marks a homecoming for Wright, a former star at the University of Arizona. Wright, 22, was a seventh-round draft selection of the Browns this year but at one point in time he had the makings of a much higher draft pick. In 2013, Wright received Freshman All-American honors from multiple scouting services. As a sophomore, Wright was an absolute monster as he tallied 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and six forced fumbles. Unfortunately, he was slowed by injuries in 2015 and his draft stock suffered as a result.
The Cardinals hoped to sign Wright as an undrafted free agent, but the Browns beat them to the punch by taking him at No. 250 overall. It took a little while, but the Cardinals got their man. Wright will help provide depth at linebacker after Deone Bucannon was placed on IR.
2017 NFL Draft Order Through Most Of Week 14
The final month of the regular season will dictate the playoff futures for teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Chiefs, and Raiders. For other teams, the postseason is a statistical impossibility. Already, the Jets, Jaguars, Browns, Rams, Bears, and 49ers have been mathematically eliminated. The Chargers, Saints, Panthers, Eagles, Bengals, and Cardinals are not technically out of it, but their chances are remote.
Here’s where those teams and the others not currently ticketed for the playoffs stand in the draft order (Note – Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 0-13
- 49ers 1-12
- Jaguars 2-11
- Bears 3-10
- Rams 4-9 (pick belongs to Titans)
- Jets 4-9
- Panthers 5-8
- Chargers 5-8
- Saints 5-8
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 5-8
- Cardinals 5-7-1
- Bengals 5-7-1
- Bills 6-7
- Colts 6-7
- Titans 7-6
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-6
- Packers 7-6
- Redskins 7-5-1
- Ravens 7-5 (Note – The Ravens play their Week 14 game tonight against the Patriots.)
- Dolphins 8-5
Strength of schedule via SB Nation.
Browns Eyeing Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett
The Browns are increasingly likely to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft (Football Outsiders gives Cleveland an 80.5% chance of picking first), and instead of targeting a quarterback, the club may look to improve its defense with the selection. The Cleveland front office has an “astronomical grade” on Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
[RELATED: Browns Extend CB Jamar Taylor]
Garrett, 20, is listed as the top 2017 collegiate prospect on nearly every draft guru’s big board, and is a lock to be chosen in the top-five of next year’s draft. At 6’5″, 265 pounds, Garrett should have the ability to play either defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or outside linebacker in a 3-4 look, and the Browns (who play the latter front), are reportedly “enamored” with the Aggie junior, per Schefter.
Although he’s been hampered by an early-season ankle injury, Garrett has still managed to post 8.5 sacks in nine games this year, bringing his career total to 31 in 33 contests.A first-team All-American in 2016, Garrett has previously been compared to NFL pass rushers such as Von Miller, Joey Bosa, and the retired Javon Kearse. “Generational player. Nothing he can’t do. Scheme-wrecker. Complete player,” one area scout told Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com earlier this year.
The Browns aren’t completely abandoning the idea of drafting a quarterback early, however, and scout Lake Dawson has been spending an “inordinate” amount of time in South Bend scouting Notre Dame signal-caller DeShone Kizer, reports Schefter, who notes that Cleveland does hold an extra first-round pick thanks to a trade with Philadelphia. Previous reports have also indicated that the Browns are focusing their efforts on North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky, another projected first-round pick.
Grossi: Browns Could Try To Trade Haden
- Today’s extension for Jamar Taylor could mean the new Browns regime is eyeing a trade of Joe Haden. The veteran corner has struggled in back-to-back seasons, and Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets the Browns will potentially see what kind of market exists for the veteran corner on draft weekend. Pro Football Focus rates Haden as its No. 96 overall corner, and the former first-round pick — signed to a five-year, $67.5MM deal in May of 2014 — played in just five games in 2015.
John Greco Thinks He'll Need Lisfranc Surgery
- Placed on IR recently, John Greco suspects he suffered the same mid-foot Lisfranc injury Joel Bitonio did, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. The Browns‘ starting right guard, Greco would likely undergo surgery just as Bitonio, Cleveland’s left guard starter, did in October. The 31-year-old Greco’s been a Browns starter since 2012 and is optimistic about a 2017 return, just like Bitonio. He will visit Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C., next week to determine the next course of action. Despite entering what would be his 10th NFL season, Greco is under contract for just $975K in 2017.
- Jamar Taylor and the Browns agreed to a three-year deal worth $15MM, and Joel Corry of CBSSports.com argues (on Twitter) this is a team-friendly pact despite the former Dolphins corner finishing the 2015 season as a healthy scratch for his former employer. This salary rests $2MM per year less than displaced starter Tramon Williams is making, leading Corry to believe Williams won’t be around next season (Twitter link) after Taylor supplanted him in the lineup. Williams will turn 34 in March and, as part of a three-year deal worth $21MM, would stand to make $7.5MM in 2017 — all but $500K of which is nonguaranteed, pointing to a cap-casualty future for the former Packers cog.
Browns, Jamar Taylor Agree To Extension
The Browns stand to possess plenty of funds to spend come 2017, and the team has identified one free agent-to-be to keep off the market. Cleveland and Jamar Taylor have agreed to terms on a three-year extension worth $15MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Taylor’s deal includes a $3MM signing bonus and $10.05MM over the first two years, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
While the fourth-year cornerback wasn’t exactly challenging Terrelle Pryor or Jamie Collins for top-priority status among the Browns’ impending free agents, the 2016 trade acquisition has played a consistent role for the team, starting 10 games.
This extension comes a year after the Dolphins were making the former second-round pick a healthy scratch. Garafolo points out (via Twitter) Browns secondary coach Louie Cioffi called Taylor an “unbelievable acquisition,” so the team clearly placed a priority on the corner remaining in Cleveland.
The Dolphins traded Taylor to the Browns for a seventh-round pick — the 250th overall selection, at that — so this represents a remarkable turnaround for the 5-foot-11 corner. Miami banished Taylor from its starting lineup after six games last season and opted to take whatever it could get for the Boise State product on draft weekend. This season, the 26-year-old talent has performed like the Browns’ top outside stopper in the opinion of Pro Football Focus, which has Taylor ranked as its No. 37 overall corner.
Through three seasons with the Dolphins, Taylor did not record an interception and started in just nine games. In 2016 for the winless Browns, he has two starts and two picks to go along with eight pass deflections and 40 tackles. The Browns, who entered Saturday with the most cap space in the league at $50MM-plus, now have Taylor and Joe Haden signed through 2019.
Considering the Browns stand to possess more than $64MM in cap room in 2017, this deal shouldn’t preclude them from retaining Pryor or Collins, should they choose to do so.
Could Jimmy Garoppolo Be An Option For The Browns?
Where will Jimmy Garoppolo be playing next season? Well, if you ask former Browns and Patriots executive Mike Lombardi, he believes the young quarterback will be playing in Cleveland.
“The next quarterback that’ll be the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback perhaps is Jimmy Garoppolo in New England,” Lombardi said on FS1’s Speak for Yourself (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “I think Cleveland understands, [coach] Hue Jackson specifically understands he needs a quarterback. I think they’ll be very aggressive. I think Jimmy Garoppolo’s on top of their list, and I think they’ll go hard after him.”
The Browns are stocked with picks for the upcoming draft, including a pair of firsts and a pair of second-rounders. Furthermore, the two teams have already made a pair of trades this year in the Barkevious Mingo deal and the Jamie Collins deal.
Assuming the Browns aren’t going to pursue some of the available veteran options, Garoppolo could be the most attractive option. In two full games this season, the former second-rounder completed 70-percent of his passes for 496 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The 25-year-old will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2017.
Browns WR Jordan Payton Suspended
The NFL announced that Browns rookie wide receiver Jordan Payton has been suspended four games for violating the league’s PED policy. Given that Cleveland won’t be appearing in the postseason, Payton’s first NFL campaign is now officially over.
[RELATED: RG3 To Start For Browns]
Payton, 23, was selected in the fifth round of out UCLA this spring as one of the Browns’ league-leading 14 draft picks. Cleveland selected four wide receivers in this year’s draft (five including Seth Devalve, a collegiate WR who has since been converted to tight end), and Payton has been the least effective thus far. While Corey Coleman, Ricardo Louis, and Rashard Higgins have all contributed something, Payton had managed just three yards and one reception in four games.
As a mid-round rookie, Payton is earning minimum salaries for the duration of his contract, but he’ll still forfeit about $105K in base salary and roughly $15K in prorated bonus money as a result of the four-game ban.
Browns Waive Matt McCants
- Having already signaled that he would start this weekend, the Browns announced that they’ve officially activated quarterback Robert Griffin III from injured reserve and waived offensive lineman Matt McCants.