NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/14/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Marquez Stevenson, LB Storey Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush
- Released: OLB Malik Jefferson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, OLB Wyatt Ray
Houston Texans
- Restored from practice squad injured list: T Jordan Steckler
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Jalen Camp
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Khalil Davis, S Richard LeCounte
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR DaeSean Hamilton, CB Ka’dar Hollman
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Sheldon Day
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Josh Andrews
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
- Released: T Roy Mbaeteka
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Eric Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OLB Hamilcar Rashed
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Carson Strong
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Nate Landman
- Released: OL Parker Ferguson
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Cole Beasley (story)
- Released: WR Marquez Stevenson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tae Hayes
- Released: RB Nate McCrary
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Storey Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Released: DL McTelvin Agim
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OT Jean Delance, C Michal Menet
- Released: DL Jack Heflin, WR Dede Westbrook
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Gerrid Doaks, WR D.J. Montgomery
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Robert Foster
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Kana’i Mauga, OT Willie Wright
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Marquiss Spencer
- Placed on IR: LB Marcell Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Anthony Harris, P Brett Kern
- Released: S Marquise Blair, WR Auden Tate
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Kevin Hogan, OL Zach McCloud, G Jordan Roos, WR Jonathan Ward
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/22
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: DL Daviyon Nixon
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: RB Mike Boone
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: WR Freddie Swain
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: QB Jeff Driskel
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off practice squad: TE Nikola Kalinic
- Waived: WR Keke Coutee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: G Netane Muti
- Placed on IR: LB Jayon Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: P Arryn Siposs (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed off Jets’ practice squad: DT Jonathan Marshall
- Signed: LB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LB Olakunle Fatukasi
AFC Injury Rumors: Pats, White, Wilson
The Patriots will be facing off against the Cardinals on Monday night without a few key pieces. The team’s official injury report lists wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, cornerback Jalen Mills, and offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn as out for the game on Monday night.
Meyers is the team’s leading receiver. Despite trailing running back Rhamondre Stevenson for the team-lead in receptions, Meyers still leads the team in receiving yards, by a healthy margin, and receiving touchdowns with 593 yards and three scores. Without Meyers, quarterback Mac Jones will be throwing to DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and rookie second-round pick Tyquan Thornton, among a few others. This is the third game of the year that Meyers will miss.
Mills, one of New England’s starters at cornerback, will also be missing his third game of the season and his second consecutive game. When Mills was out last week, the Patriots used a combination of fourth-round rookie Jack Jones, third-round rookie Marcus Jones, and Myles Bryant to replace him. I imagine the same approach will be used tomorrow night to handle Cardinals receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, and A.J. Green, as Rondale Moore is also reportedly out for Week 14.
The absence of Wynn, a starting tackle, is troubling for the Patriots, as their other starting tackle Trent Brown and backup tackle Yodny Cajuste are both listed as questionable heading into the week. The only tackle on the depth chart with no injury designation is Conor McDermott. Backup linemen James Ferentz and undrafted rookie Kody Russey are also available and starting guard Michael Onwenu could potentially kick out to tackle in an emergency.
Here are a few more injury rumors from around the conference, all concerning signal-callers in the AFC:
- The Ravens started third-year quarterback Tyler Huntley in place of an injured Lamar Jackson today against the Steelers. The team called up practice squad quarterback, and undrafted rookie, Anthony Brown as a standard gameday elevation in case of emergency, and emergency struck when Huntley left the game in concussion protocol after a brutal blow from Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Brown wasn’t asked to do much but held on to the Ravens lead in a 16-14 win over the team’s division rival. Head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged that Brown would be playing next Sunday against the Browns if Huntley is unavailable but seemed to think Huntley will be just fine, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “He seems good to me. He’s reciting the months of the year backwards,” Harbaugh quipped with reporters. “Can you do that right now?”
- Jets quarterback Mike White took a pounding today during a loss to the Bills in which Buffalo’s defense racked up eight quarterback hits and four sacks. White left the game twice after receiving shots to the ribs. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco entered in place of White, but, both times, White returned to play and eventually finished a close game in Buffalo. Head coach Robert Saleh informed reporters that White was headed to the hospital after the game for precautionary checks, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. A follow-up provided that White did rejoin the team in time for the flight home after finishing up at the hospital, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The quarterback situation next week will be something to keep an eye on. If starting quarterbacks Zach Wilson and White remain on the injury report, Flacco could earn his fourth start of the year and his first since September. Flacco would be set to face off against the Lions next week, a team he has never lost to in three matchups over 15 years in the league.
- Another quarterback who took a beating today, Broncos signal-caller Russell Wilson was knocked out of today’s loss to the Chiefs with a concussion, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Wilson’s day was even more brutal than White’s as the Chiefs defense accounted for six sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Broncos third-year backup quarterback Brett Rypien would enter for Wilson and attempt to mount a comeback against the division rival Chiefs, falling just short when he was hit while throwing on the team’s final drive resulting in a duck of a pass that fluttered down into the waiting arms of Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Since the loss today officially eliminated the Broncos from postseason contention, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Denver give its quarterback a rest, not rushing Wilson back to play for little-to-no reason. Wilson may be eager to return, but it wouldn’t be shocking if Rypien took the team the rest of the way.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/22
Here are the minor moves around the league in advance of the Week 14 slate of games:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Titans’ practice squad: QB Logan Woodside
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: QB Anthony Brown, S Ar’Darius Washington
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: WR John Brown
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from NFI list: DL Henry Anderson
- Waived: CB Tae Hayes
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Mike Brown, LB Tae Davis
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: T Aviante Collins
- Placed on IR: CB Anthony Brown (story)
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: T Quinn Bailey
- Elevated: G Netane Muti, LB Harvey Langi
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: OL Ross Pierschbacher
- Elevated: LB Jarrad Davis, CB Jarren Williams
- Placed on IR: CB Chase Lucas
Houston Texans
- Elevated: WR Jalen Camp, QB Jeff Driskel
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
- Elevated: LB Ty Summers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: C Hroniss Grasu
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: DL Christopher Hinton, S Raheem Layne
- Placed on IR: TE Richard Rodgers
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: WR Freddie Swain
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: S Myles Dorn, CB Tay Gowan
New York Giants
- Elevated: DT Ryder Anderson, CB Zyon Gilbert
New York Jets
- Elevated: LB Marcell Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LB Christian Elliss
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: RB Tevin Coleman, S Dontae Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from PUP list: LB Jon Rhattigan
- Elevated: RB Godwin Igwebuike, WR Laquon Treadwell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: LB K.J. Britt
- Elevated: WR Deven Thompkins, S Nolan Turner
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: WR Chris Conley, LB Jack Gibbens, CB Greg Mabin
- Activated from IR: WR Racey McMath, CB Josh Thompson
- Elevated: RB Julius Chestnut, CB Davontae Harris
- Placed on IR: LB David Long
- Released: DL Larrell Murchison, OL Jordan Roos
Workout Rumors: Rourke, Davidson
Canadian Football League quarterback Nathan Rourke is in the midst of a bit of a free agency tour, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Shortly after Rourke’s BC Lions were knocked out of the playoffs in mid-November, the 24-year-old announced that he was in communication with a number of NFL teams in regard to scheduling workouts.
Rourke played three years of college ball at Ohio after transferring from Fort Scott Community College. As a starter for all three years, Rourke was one of the country’s most electric dual-threat quarterbacks. He improved each year as a passer, finishing with a career total of 7,457 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. His consistency as a runner is uncanny. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, Rourke ran the ball 137, 134, and 154 times respectively, for 912, 860, and 867 yards respectively. Over the three seasons he ran for 2,034 yards and 49 touchdowns. That’s 9,511 yards of total offense and 111 total touchdowns, when you include the two receiving touchdowns he had as a Bobcat.
Rourke went undrafted by the NFL but was the highest drafted quarterback for the CFL in almost 20 years. A rough first season in British Columbia saw Rourke serve mainly as a backup, only starting two games, and making some mistakes early in his career. He only threw three touchdowns to five interceptions, although he was able to add five touchdowns on the ground, as well. In his second year with the team, during the league’s 2022 season, Rourke became a full-time starter. In nine starts, Rourke completed 78.7-percent of his passes for 3,349 yards while throwing 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He also added 304 yards and seven touchdowns with his legs.
After the Lions’ season ended with a third loss in four matchups this year against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a few NFL teams reached out to the athletic quarterback. Rourke reportedly met with the Raiders last week, the Jaguars on Monday, and the Broncos on Tuesday.
Seeing as all three of those teams are set with starting quarterbacks on fairly recent deals, it’s worth point out that Rourke did audition for the Giants at wide receiver just prior to the CFL’s 2021 season. It’s also worth pointing out that the XFL has produced some NFL quarterbacks with limited success lately. Both Commanders backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke and Panthers backup quarterback P.J. Walker have earned playing time with their respective squads. Heinicke, who started most of the 2021 NFL season for Washington, took over the starting job this year for an injured Carson Wentz and has gone on to win five of his seven starts for the team. Walker took over the starting job for an injured Baker Mayfield before suffering an injury of his own.
This opens the door for the league to look outside of the traditional talent pools for a player as important as the backup quarterback. To say Rourke would be an upgrade over Jarrett Stidham, C.J. Beathard, or Brett Rypien is no guarantee, but it may be worth taking a look at the mobile, young quarterback.
Here’s another workout rumor about a very recent second-round pick who was recently released:
- Former Falcons defensive lineman Marlon Davidson visited the 49ers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Through two and a half seasons in the league, Davidson has played in 19 games, only starting one. He’s only recorded one sack but has a fumble recovery and a 3-yard pick six off of Tom Brady to his ledger. Davidson has yet to play this season after being placed on injured reserve following arthroscopic knee surgery and was released in late October. Securing a visit with San Francisco may indicate that he’s healthy enough to find his way back to the field now.
Latest On Broncos GM George Paton’s Job Status
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is more than likely going to be a one-and-done in Denver, but there may be additional casualties following the Broncos’ underwhelming 2022 season. Sources told Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that “front-office changes are more probable than not” in Denver, with the writer specifically pointing to general manager George Paton.
[RELATED: Broncos Likely To Fire Nathaniel Hackett Before Season’s End?]
Things haven’t gone great for Paton during his second season in Denver. The organization’s two main offseason moves — the trade (and subsequent extension) for Russell Wilson and the hiring of Hackett — have backfired, and as La Canfora points out, both of those moves were made before new ownership took over. The Rob Walton-led ownership group has “unlimited resources,” as La Canfora writes, and they may be more willing to eat the salaries of both their head coach and GM.
While La Canfora’s sources indicate that front office changes could be coming, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is adamant that Paton is staying put. During an appearance on 104.8 The Fan in Denver, Schefter opined that the GM will keep his job following the 2022 campaign.
“I expect that George Paton is going to be safe,” Schefter said (via the station’s website). “You can write that down from me. I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”
Paton worked his way up the Vikings organization, culminating in him earning the role of assistant general manager/vice president of player personnel. After being connected to a number of GM vacancies, he was hired by the Broncos following the 2020 season. During Paton’s first season at the helm, the organization traded star Von Miller and finished with a 7-9 record. A new quarterback and head coach were expected to right the ship in 2022, but the team is currently sitting with a 3-9 record.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/22
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Javelin Guidry
Denver Broncos
- Signed: T Quinn Bailey
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: C Austin Reiter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Andre Chachere
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Sam Okuayinonu
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
The NFL now has its first teams eliminated from playoff contention. The Texans and Bears, as they essentially have been doing throughout this season, are playing for next year. Other eliminations will soon follow, as the league’s playoff picture heats up.
Through that lens, the 2023 draft order will become an increasingly more pertinent topic. The 2023 draft will present an interesting subplot near its outset. Traded picks are set to produce early selections for the Seahawks, Lions and Eagles. Each of those picks currently land in the top five, as the teams on the other end of those trades — the Broncos, Rams and Saints — have disappointed, spectacularly so in Los Angeles and Denver’s cases.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order would look entering Week 14:
- Houston Texans: 1-10-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-9
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Carolina Panthers: 4-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-8
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-8-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 5-8
- Green Bay Packers: 5-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-7
- Detroit Lions: 5-7
- Los Angeles Chargers: 6-6
- New England Patriots: 6-6
- Washington Commanders: 7-5-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-6*
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-5*
- Tennessee Titans: 7-5*
- New York Jets: 7-5*
- New York Giants: 7-4-1*
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)*
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4*
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-4*
- Dallas Cowboys: 9-3*
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-3*
- Minnesota Vikings: 10-2*
- Buffalo Bills: 9-3*
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-1*
* = Denotes playoff team
The 2023 first round will resemble 2008 and 2016, when the Patriots were docked their Round 1 pick for their respective “gate” scandals. This year’s Dolphins saga never developed “gate” status, but the team lost a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-rounder due to the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering case. Thus, a 31-pick first round will commence.
While the Broncos, Rams and Browns lost their first-round picks due to trades for quarterbacks, the Saints passed theirs to the Eagles in this year’s pre-draft trade that allowed New Orleans a path toward moving up for Chris Olave. The No. 16 pick which was initially transferred from the Colts to the Eagles in 2021’s Carson Wentz trade was then moved to the Saints, netting Philadelphia a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second.
Injury Rumors: Ingram, Tagovailoa, Sutton, Joseph-Day
Saints running back Mark Ingram has likely seen his 2022 season come to an end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The soon-to-be 33-year-old is set to tie a ribbon on his lowest single season of production in 12 seasons of NFL play.
Ingram suffered a slight MCL tear in the team’s Monday night loss to the Buccaneers. The injury usually requires a recovery period of around four to six weeks. With five weeks remaining in the season, it’s extremely unlikely that Ingram will find his way back to the field in the regular season. Despite the Saints currently sitting at last place in the NFC South at 4-9, they are only 2.5 games behind the first-place Buccaneers (6-6). If they can win some games and catch some good luck in the form of losses by their division rivals, New Orleans could still find itself in the playoffs as the NFC South champion. Otherwise, Ingram’s 2022 season is likely concluded.
Ingram returned to his longtime home of New Orleans after two years in Baltimore and half a season in Houston, accepting his No. 2 role in the lineup behind star running back Alvin Kamara. Ingram has served as a reliable second option in the backfield for the Saints, who will now have to turn to Dwayne Washington to fill that role.
Here are a few other injury rumors from around the league, starting with an MVP candidate looking to keep a strong season going:
- Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited the team’s loss to the 49ers last week late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Already down 33-17 at the time of the injury, there was no use in forcing the young quarterback back into play, although, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, he could’ve returned to the game, if necessary. The news is a good sign for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa as the injury is likely not significant. As of today, all signs are pointing to Tagovailoa being able to start Sunday night against the quarterback who was drafted one pick after him in the 2020 NFL Draft, Justin Herbert, and the Chargers.
- The Broncos can’t seem to catch a break at the wide receiver position. Shortly after seeing starting wideout Jerry Jeudy return to the field against the Ravens last week, Denver saw its other starting wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, leave the game late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Sutton would sit out the rest of game with a noticeable limp. He’s also expected to be unavailable for the team’s matchup with the Chiefs this weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. With Sutton and KJ Hamler out this week, the Broncos will continue to field a receiving corps that, after Jeudy, boasts the likes of Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson, Montrell Washington, and Jalen Virgil.
- Chargers defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day suffered a knee injury in this weekend’s loss to the division rival Raiders. Luckily, head coach Brandon Staley told the media that Joseph-Day likely avoided major injury and has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. The team will continue to monitor the situation and will know more about his status in the next few days.
