NFL Workout Updates: 12/3/18
Here is the latest from the workout circuit. All links to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.
Buffalo Bills
- C Dillon Day, C Hroniss Grasu (link)
Cleveland Browns
- DB TeVaughn Campbell, C Kyle Friend, DE Mason Gentry, G Landon Turner, WR Jordan Veasy, RB Elijah Wellman, DE Jonathan Wynn (link)
Denver Broncos
- WR Dres Anderson, TE Billy Brown, WR Fred Brown, FB Dimitri Flowers, P Jeff Locke, RB Khalfani Muhammad, T Dakoda Shepley, QB Nic Shimonek, WR DeAndre Smelter, G Salesi Uhatafe, RB Akrum Wadley, WR Ka’Raun White, QB Logan Woodside, WR DeAngelo Yancey (Twitter links)
Detroit Lions
- G Salesi Uhatafe (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Zaire Anderson, TE David Grinnage (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DT Vincent Valentine (link)
New Orleans Saints
- T Derek Newton, T De’Ondre Wesley, T G Isaiah Williams (link)
New York Giants
- CB Bene Benwikere, S Dezmen Southward (link)
Oakland Raiders
- LB James Burgess, LB Edmond Robinson (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- DE Mackendy Cheridor, TE Cole Hunt, DT Vincent Valentine (link)
Washington Redskins
- LB Marcus Smith (link)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/3/18
Here are Monday’s practice squad decisions:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Alexander Johnson, RB Khalfani Muhammad
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Dare Ogunbowale
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Kenneth Durden
- Cut: OL Jordan Morgan
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/18
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed off Seahawks’ practice squad: OL Rees Odhiambo
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: CB Dee Delaney
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Dylan Cantrell
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: RB Jeremy McNichols
- Waived: RB Dalyn Dawkins
Chris Harris Hopes To Return By Week 17
- Although the Broncos improved to 6-6 Sunday, it came at a cost. Denver lost one of its top players in Chris Harris to a fractured fibula. However, the All-Pro cornerback is not going to be placed on IR and has a goal of returning before a potential playoff game. The eighth-year defender wants to return by Week 17, when the Broncos play the Chargers in what could be a key game — if Denver wins out and receives help — for Vance Joseph‘s team. “I always heal fast,” Harris told Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com.“I’ve got the right people around me to help me get back fast and I’ll work night and day to get back. My goal is three weeks, but they said four. My goal is three weeks because I want to play against [the Chargers].” Harris’ other notable injury (a torn ACL) came against the Chargers in a 2013 divisional playoff game, but the corner returned by Week 1 in 2014.
CB Jamar Taylor To Visit Broncos
Jamar Taylor‘s time with the Cardinals did not last an entire season, but another team’s situation at cornerback may allow for the veteran defender to return to action soon.
The Broncos will host Taylor on a visit soon, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting (via Twitter) the former Dolphins, Browns and Cardinals corner is en route to Denver now. A signing could be imminent, Rapoport notes. The Broncos will sign Taylor if he passes their physical, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
Vance Joseph said earlier on Monday (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold) the Broncos were not planning to sign a cornerback, but their corner room may indeed become crowded. Chris Harris‘ fractured fibula, interestingly, will now prompt the the Broncos to place him on IR. The hope is that the All-Pro slot stopper can return this season, Joseph said, calling him week-to-week.
Harris is not expected to need surgery, with Joseph calling the injury the eighth-year veteran sustained Sunday a “small break.” Harris’ return goal appears to be a potential playoff game. That’s not out of the question for the Broncos, but Sunday marked their first extensive action without Harris since he tore an ACL in the 2013 playoffs. While Harris grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 corner, the rest of Denver’s corners have struggled this season, leading to the team exploring an emergency Taylor add.
A 2013 third-round pick, Taylor has been traded twice — from Miami to Cleveland in 2016 and from Cleveland to Arizona earlier this year — and has played well in spurts. After a failed bid to commandeer a Dolphins starting job, Taylor did start 29 games for the Browns from 2016-17. That work led to a Cleveland extension. However, Taylor became one of the several Cardinals who could not lock down the starting job opposite Patrick Peterson, and Arizona cut him last month.
Bradley Roby, Tramaine Brock and recent third-round picks Isaac Yiadom and Brendan Langley comprise the Broncos’ corner contingent. Safety Justin Simmons also saw slot coverage work Sunday in Cincinnati. Taylor has manned the slot at times during his career.
Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr. Suffers Fractured Fibula
Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. suffered a fractured fibula in today’s game against the Bengals, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Following the contest, Harris said he won’t require surgery and could return if Denver makes the playoffs, tweets Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
The Broncos wouldn’t be in line for a postseason berth if the 2018 campaign ended today, but they are in the hunt. Per the New York Times, Denver has a 21% of making the playoffs after defeating Cincinnati today. But the task of getting into the tournament will become all the more difficult without Harris, who is far-and-away the Broncos’ best defensive back.
Harris, 29, has played nearly every defensive snap (98.3%) for the Broncos this season, lining up on the outside in Denver’s base defense and moving to the slot in nickel and dime packages. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranks Harris as the NFL’s fifth-best cornerback, behind only Stephon Gilmore, Kareem Jackson, Desmond King, and Byron Jones. Harris also ranks eighth league-wide in yards per pass allowed, per Football Outsiders’ charting data.
Harris was loosely mentioned in trade rumors earlier this year, although there was never any indication Denver was serious about moving him. Instead, it appeared other NFL clubs were simply curious as to whether Harris was available. Signed to an incredibly affordable contract, Harris’ $8.5MM annual salary ranks just 21st among cornerbacks. He’s signed through 2019, and will make a base salary of $7.8MM next year.
Given that they released veteran Adam Jones last month, the Broncos don’t have a ton of depth at cornerback. Tramaine Brock will be in line to start opposite Bradley Roby, while Isaac Yiadom and Brendan Langley could also see more time. Theoretically, Denver could express interest in re-signing Jones, although he displayed a steep drop in performance before being cut.
Broncos Reseraching 2019 Tight Ends
- The Broncos are “doing a lot of homework” on collegiate tight end prospects in advance of the 2019 draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.net (Twitter link). Denver has spent consecutive fifth-round picks on tight ends, but both of the club’s selections have fallen victim to injury. 2017 draft choice Jake Butt missed his entire rookie year while recovering from an ACL tear; he played in three games this season before suffering yet another torn ACL (the third of his football career). Meanwhile, 2018 selection Troy Fumagalli has been on IR since August after going down with a thigh injury. Per Gavrino Borquez of USA Today’s Draftwire, the top draft-eligible tight ends include Noah Fant (Iowa), Kaden Smith (Stanford), and T.J. Hockenson (Iowa).
Broncos To Work Out QB Nathan Peterman
The Broncos are planning to workout former Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman early next week, according to Ryan Talbot of New York Upstate (Twitter link).
Denver currently has only two quarterbacks on its roster: starter Case Keenum and backup Kevin Hogan. The Broncos also have another signal-caller — former Saint Garrett Grayson — on their practice squad. None of those passers are necessarily in danger of losing their job, as Peterman is simply part of a large group of free agents Denver will look at in advance of signing players to offseason futures contracts, tweets Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
Peterman, 24, was released by the Bills earlier this year after posting arguably the worst results of any quarterback in NFL history. Pro Football Reference produces “indexed” statistics which adjust for era, therefore allowing for comparison between players in today’s pass-happy league and –for example — those who starred in 1980s run-based offenses. By those indexed metrics, Peterman is dead last among all quarterbacks since 1970 in passer rating, yards per attempt, interception percentage, and numerous other passing statistics.
Broncos Waive LB A.J. Johnson
The Broncos waived linebacker Alexander Johnson, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. To take his place, the club promoted outside linebacker Jeff Holland from the practice squad to active roster. 
Johnson, a Tennessee product, signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in the offseason. The talented ‘backer hadn’t played football in more than four years before landing signing with Denver, thanks to a rape charge of which he was later acquitted. Despite his potential and the $50K guarantee on his contract, he was active for just one game this year.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old recently plead guilty to simple possession and failure to exercise due care while driving, but prosecutors dropped the DUI charge stemming from his 2017 arrest. With no present legal troubles, it’s possible that another team will claim him on waivers, but it’s more likely that he’ll hit the workout circuit as a free agent next week.
Holland, meanwhile, will serve as a pass rusher while Shaquil Barrett is out with a hip flexor issue. Holland received a $15K signing bonus on his UDFA deal, just like standout running back Phillip Lindsay, so the Broncos are excited to see what he can do.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: DE Cameron Malveaux,
- Signed: CB Dontae Johnson, CB Quinten Rollins
- Released: CB Chris Jones
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: P Matt Darr
- Waived: P Colton Schmidt
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Lorenzo Doss
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Temarrick Hemingway
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Gerhard de Beer
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: LB Dylan Cole
- Waived: LB Josh Keyes
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: CB C.J. Reavis
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OL Chaz Green
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed: DB Godwin Igwebuike (from Buccaneers)
- Promoted from practice squad: LB James Onwualu
- Placed on IR: CB/S Jimmie Ward
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Keenan Reynolds