Dashaun Phillips

Steelers Cut QB Landry Jones, Others

The Steelers have reached the 53-man roster limit by cutting a number of players, including quarterback Landry Jones.

Jones, 29, hasn’t played much during his six-year NFL career, as he’s attempted just 169 passes in relief of Roethlisberger. In that span, Jones has been a middling option, completing 63.9% of his passes for 1,310 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

The Steelers also placed wide receiver Eli Rogers on the Reserve/PUP List, which will keep him off of the field for at least the first six weeks of the season.

Here’s the full rundown of the Steelers’ moves:

Released:

  • QB Landry Jones
  • S Nat Berhe

Waived:

In addition to those moves, the Steelers designated the following players waived/injured:

NFL Future/Reserve Contracts: 1/15/18

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

Cleveland Browns

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

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 12:00pm CT 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

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers’ Roster Now At 53

The Steelers have reduced their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:

Cut:

Waived/injured:

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/22/16

The latest minor moves from around the NFL:

  • The Falcons waived two defenders – lineman Malliciah Goodman and safety Robenson Therezie – and promoted linebacker Josh Keyes and tight end D.J. Tialavea to the active roster. With the exception of the 2014 season, in which he appeared in all 16 of the Falcons’ games and started 10, Goodman hasn’t seen much action during his four-year career. Therezie, a second-year man, has 25 appearances with the Falcons to his name, though he didn’t make much of an impact with the team before it cut him.
  • The Redskins waived wide receiver Rashad Ross, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post (on Twitter). To take his place, the team promoted cornerback Dashaun Phillips from the practice squad. Ross has just nine receptions in three seasons (one this year), but he did catch a touchdown and score on a kick return in 2015.
  • The Titans promoted cornerback D’Joun Smith to their active roster Tuesday. Smith played in four games as a rookie last year for the Colts, who chose him in the third round (65th overall) of the draft.
  • The Rams waived cornerback Steve Williams and placed defensive back Marqui Christian on reserve/injured Tuesday. The club also signed safety Isaiah Johnson from the practice squad. Williams, the most notable member of the trio, has moved on and off the Rams’ roster multiple times this year. He has racked up six appearances this season (five with San Diego) after playing in 14 games with the Chargers and intercepting two passes last year.
  • The 49ers signed offensive lineman Andrew Gardner and waived center Josh Allen. Gardner, whom the Dolphins selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft, most recently took the field with the Eagles from 2014-15. During that two-year span, he started in 11 of 19 appearances.
  • The Buccaneers promoted wide receiver Bernard Reedy from the practice squad to the active roster and placed fellow wideout Donteea Dye on IR.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Redskins Bring Kory Lichtensteiger Off IR

SATURDAY, 5:35pm: Washington activated the ninth-year veteran and seventh-year Redskins starter in advance of their Week 14 game, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). He’s expected to serve as the backup behind Sullivan against the Eagles. To make room for Lichtensteiger’s return, the team cut defensive lineman A.J. Francis, per Jones.

WEDNESDAY, 12:20pm: The Redskins announced that Kory Lichtensteiger will return from injured reserve. In related news, cornerback Dashaun Phillips has been signed to the practice squad.

Lichtensteiger was placed on IR in September after suffering a calf injury. That was a tough blow for a Redskins team that was already thin at the center position. When he went down, Washington turned to Spencer Long and added veteran John Sullivan as a backup. So far, Long has done a decent job, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ No. 21 center out of 37 qualified players. Sullivan, with just 43 total snaps, is not among those qualifying players, but he has a similar grade in his smaller sample size. Ditto for Lichtensteiger, who has 159 snaps on the year.

Phillips started the year as the Redskins’ primary nickel cornerback. Earlier this week, he was released, but he’s now on call in case a spot opens up again in D.C.

Redskins Cut CB Dashaun Phillips

The Redskins announced that they have released cornerback Dashaun Phillips. The move will make room for the return of Trent Williams to the 53-man roster, Mike Jones of The Washington Post tweets. Dashaun Phillips (vertical)

Phillips started the year as the Redskins’ primary nickel cornerback. Eventually, he fell out of favor, got cut, and was signed to the practice squad. He was promoted to the taxi squad late last week, but his latest 53-man run did not last long. He was a healthy scratch against Arizona on Sunday.

Williams received a four-game ban in November for missing a drug test. That was a huge hit for the Redskins as Williams is ranked as Pro Football Focus’ top tackle in the NFL this season. After the suspension was announced, Williams accused the union of not following the proper protocol with regards to his situation.

Redskins Waive David Bruton

The Redskins announced that they have waived safety David Bruton from the reserved/injured list. In related moves, cornerback Dashaun Phillips has been promoted to the active roster and tackle Blaine Clausell has been waived.

David Bruton (vertical)

After spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Broncos, Bruton joined the Redskins on a three-year, $9MM deal in March. In 2015, he set career highs in several categories, including tackles (43), interceptions (two), and passes defended (seven). Unfortunately, he was not able to keep the momentum going in D.C. and was placed on IR in early October because of a concussion.

Bruton ended up collecting $3.4MM from the Redskins for four appearances, all starts, to go with 28 tackles and a sack. Assuming he clears waivers – and it’s a good bet he will – Bruton will be eligible to sign with another club.

Phillips, 25, started in two of three appearances with the Redskins earlier this year, and has seen action in nine of Washington’s games since last season. The 2014 undrafted free agent from Tarleton State previously spent time with the Cowboys and Jets organizations.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/16

Today’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

  • Signed: RB Kenny Hilliard

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed: OL Arturo Uzdavinis

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/16

Here are today’s minor moves.

  • The Bears promoted fullback Paul Lasike to their active roster, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Lasike’s been active in four of Chicago’s eight games this season and has taken two handoffs, gaining three yards. The 26-year-old blocking back’s previous stay on the 53-man roster concluded when the Bears waived him to promote Pernell McPhee last month.
  • The Buccaneers promoted defensive end Ryan Russell to their active roster, where he’ll take running back Russell Hansbrough‘s spot, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports (on Twitter). Doug Martin being set to return to action made Hansbrough expendable, though with the team short on healthy backs he could return to the practice squad. A former fifth-round Cowboys pick, Russell played in one game for Dallas last season. He has yet to suit up in a game this year.
  • To make room for the recently activated Derek Carrier on the 53-man, the Redskins waived cornerback Dashaun Phillips, the team announced. Phillips started two games for Washington this season and saw action in three.