- The Broncos are breathing a sigh of relief — after initially fearing rookie left tackle Garett Bolles broke his foot on Sunday, Denver learned that Bolles has only a bone bruise, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bolles is now considered week-to-week, which almost assuredly means he’ll be sidelined for the Broncos’ Week 3 contest against the Bills. Both Donald Stephenson and Allen Barbre played left tackle in Bolles’ absence yesterday, and both will likely be options for Denver going forward.
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OL J.J. Dielman
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Tyrique Jarrett
Houston Texans
- Released: WR Riley McCarron
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Joshua Perry
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Greg Ward
- Released: T Victor Salako
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Pace Murphy
Garett Bolles left the Broncos’ blowout win over the Cowboys because of a leg injury and used crutches to walk out of the stadium. The team is worried about a possible severe injury.
The Broncos fear their starting left tackle broke his left ankle, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). They’re hoping it’s a high-ankle sprain. The first-round pick will undergo an MRI on Monday morning, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Bolles exited the stadium in a walking boot, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post relays (Twitter link).
The X-rays weren’t conclusive, Cole notes, and Mike Klis of 9News tweets Bolles does not have an Achilles injury. Bolles has helped the Broncos out to a 2-0 start behind an offense that’s looked much better than it did for much of last season. The Utah product is already 25, despite being a rookie, so a lengthy absence would deprive him of much of a prime season.
Donald Stephenson entered the game for Bolles, but the Broncos used different combinations up front due to multiple injuries. Allen Barbre, who has seen time at tackle in recent years, lined up there as well. Denver traded Ty Sambrailo to the Falcons before the season and cut Michael Schofield, leaving its tackle corps thinner.
The Broncos allowed Russell Okung to depart in free agency after a middling year and used their first-round pick on Bolles, the first tackle they’ve taken in Round 1 in nine years.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Vikings outbid multiple suitors to sign Kyle Sloter to their practice squad, and the move ended up seeing the former college wide receiver promoted to the active roster in advance of Week 2. In addition to the Broncos, the Vikings presented a better offer than the Redskins or Bills in order to land Sloter, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports. A wide receiver at Southern Miss before a transfer to Division I-FCS Northern Colorado put him loosely on the quarterback radar come UDFA signing time, Sloter played extensively for the Broncos during the preseason. John Elway hoped the Broncos could pass him through waivers to Denver’s practice squad, but the GM preferred more experience to start the season. This led to the Broncos’ decision to reunite with Brock Osweiler for the time being.
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Jason Verrett‘s impending injury absence will cause the Chargers to add cornerback depth. The Bolts signed cornerback Michael Davis from their practice squad and cut wideout Geremy Davis, Eric Williams of ESPN.com reports. The Chargers signed Geremy Davis on Monday as Dontrelle Inman insurance, but he didn’t play in Los Angeles’ Week 1 game. Michael Davis is a rookie UDFA out of BYU.
- The 49ers promoted cornerback Asa Jackson from their practice squad and waived fellow corner Keith Reaser to clear a roster spot, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. A fifth-round 49ers pick in 2014, Reaser played in 29 games for the team — including last week’s loss to the Panthers — but didn’t start any. San Francisco signed Jackson, an ex-Ravens starter, in August and stashed him on the practice squad after the preseason.
- Nose tackles Kyle Peko and Tyrique Jarrett will once again trade places with the Broncos. Denver will promote Peko from its practice squad and waive Jarrett, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. A rookie UDFA out of Pittsburgh, Jarrett saw Week 1 work on a depleted Broncos line. Peko, a cousin of Broncos starting nose Domata Peko, was waived last weekend.
- The Colts promoted linebacker Darnell Sankey from their practice squad, cutting wide receiver Matt Hazel to make room, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com reports (via Twitter). Both Antonio Morrison and Anthony Walker are dealing with injuries, making this an insurance addition.
- The Jets signed outside linebacker Freddie Bishop and defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas from their practice squad, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. The team also waived linebacker Edmond Robinson with an injury settlement.
Broncos defensive end Jared Crick is having surgery on his back, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He is looking at a lengthy absence, Rapoport adds.
The Broncos placed Crick on IR.
[RELATED: Broncos To Sign DT Ahtyba Rubin]
Crick went from the Texans to the Broncos when he signed a two-year, $4MM deal with Denver prior to the 2016 season. He appeared in all 16 games last year with Denver including 15 starts and finished out with 53 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and six pass deflections. This year, Denver was hoping to start him at left defensive end, but they’ll have to get by without him for at least a couple of months.
To help soften the blow, the Broncos signed former Seahawks defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin on Friday morning. Rubin will probably need some time to learn the playbook, but he could be in line for a major role after the Broncos face the Bills on Sunday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Broncos are set to sign defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, according to Peter Schrager of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rubin was let go by the Seahawks in early September. 
[RELATED: Broncos’ Jared Crick To Have Back Surgery]
The Seahawks shopped Rubin after acquiring Sheldon Richardson from the Jets on Friday, but they could not find takers for his contract. After he was dropped from his three-year, $12MM deal, Rubin auditioned for the Bills and 49ers but did not sign with either club. He’ll now join up with a contending team in Denver.
Rubin will help to fill in the gaps for the Broncos while Jared Crick recovers from back surgery. No one knows exactly when Crick will be back in action, but it is clear that he will be out for a while.
The 31-year-old started in all 32 of his appearances with the Seahawks, recording 75 tackles and three sacks. Before that, he started in 75 of 99 games as a Brown from 2008-14.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Cardinals were not willing to enter the same ballpark as the Jaguars or Broncos did in the Calais Campbell sweepstakes in March.
An Uninterrupted video (YouTube link) reveals Campbell wanted his agent, Tom Condon, to take the Jaguars’ $15MM-per-year offer back to the Cardinals to see if they’d match. Condon was fairly certain the Cardinals wouldn’t, and although he did call GM Steve Keim back, both Keim and Cards football administration director Mike Disner told the agent they didn’t want to hear Jacksonville’s updated offer because they did not believe they could match whatever it was.
This video lists the Cardinals’ top proposal at $9MM AAV over three years, and the Cards are categorized as being out of the running early in the frenetic process.
Campbell said $15MM per year would have been enough for the Cardinals to keep him off the UFA market. The 31-year-old defensive end felt his age would keep him off the Fletcher Cox/Muhammad Wilkerson/J.J. Watt tier — each makes north of $16MM annually — but viewed $15MM annually as a reasonable goal.
The Jaguars ended up meeting that standard on the fourth offer. Jacksonville initially offered $11MM per year, which Washington matched, according to the video. Both teams then submitted $12MM-AAV proposals. The Jags improved their proposal to $14.75MM per year, inducing a celebration from Campbell and his inner circle. The video does not show an additional Redskins proposal.
But the Broncos’ offer — one confirmed to be for $13MM annually with $26MM guaranteed in the first two years of the deal (Jacksonville’s pact came with $30MM guaranteed in Years 1-2) — “changed the game” for the Denver native. While some members of his camp thought the Broncos were the better legacy play, Campbell also said the Jaguars were building something. Campbell mentioned earlier in the video the Redskins, on the surface, presented a better chance to win the Super Bowl than the Jaguars.
The Jaguars elevated their proposal to the $15MM-per-year target Campbell sought, though, and he decided to choose the Jaguars over the Broncos. Denver’s three-year offer included a third-year option for $10MM, Campbell said in this piece.
The video also shows Campbell calling former Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets stalwart Chauncey Billups for advice. Condon mentioned the state income tax disparity between Florida and Colorado as a selling point for the Jaguars. Condon chuckled over the phone when Campbell asked him to see if the Cardinals would match the Jaguars’ $15MM-per-year offer, but Campbell insisted his agent make the call anyway.
Campbell played nine seasons with the Cards. His age-31 season’s off to a banner start. He leads the NFL with four sacks after leading the charge in the Jaguars’ 10-sack performance against the Texans.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Monday’s practice squad moves…
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Kyle Peko
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DT Daniel Ross
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Tim Semisch
- Cut: Jerome Cunningham
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Alex Balducci
- Cut: OL Anthony Fabiano
Monday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Philip Wheeler
- Waived: LB Scooby Wright
Carolina Panthers
- Released with injury settlement: WR Brenton Bersin, C Gino Gradkowski, OL Chris Scott
- Waived with injury settlement: S L.J. McCray
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Tyrique Jarrett
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Nick Bellore
- Waived: OT Storm Norton
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Geremy Davis
- Waived: CB Jeff Richards
Minnesota Vikings
- Released with injury settlement: QB Taylor Heinicke
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Adam Bighill
New York Jets
- Released with injury settlement: LB Corey Lemonier
- Waived with injury settlement: WR Lucky Whitehead
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released with injury settlement: S Jordan Dangerfield