NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: T Givens Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DL Taniela Tupou
- Released: DL Jonathan Woodard
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Kenny Bell
- Released: TE Gabe Holmes
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DL Kyle Peko, LB Kevin Snyder
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Max McCaffrey
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Jarrod Clements
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR K.J. Brent, S Ronald Martin
- Released: RB Marcus Murphy
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
- Released: OL Norman Price
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: T Nick Becton
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Jeremy Cash, RB Akeem Judd
- Released: S Harold Jones-Quartey
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: CB Tevin Mitchel
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: DE Alex McCalister
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: S Tyvis Powell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: DE Larry Webster
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Julius Warmsley
- Released: QB Tyler Ferguson
Latest On Aaron Rodgers
It appears we have conflicting reports on Aaron Rodgers‘ chances to return in 2017. We heard several days ago that the Packers were still hopeful for a Rodgers return, which would be Week 15 at the earliest, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears that Rodgers could resume throwing in as little as six weeks. If he does, he could return near the end of the regular season, assuming Green Bay is still pushing for a playoff spot or playoff seeding at that point.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, however, says the Packers do not anticipate and are not planning for a Rodgers return at the end of the season. Green Bay can bring back up to two players on injured reserve, and Rapoport reports that the team is more likely to designate offensive linemen Jason Spriggs and Don Barclay than Rodgers.
Of course, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, the Packers are holding out hope that Rodgers can return, but it will be weeks before they have a better idea and there is a good chance he will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Assuming Rodgers does not come back, Brett Hundley will get the chance to run the show for the duration of 2017. Head coach Mike McCarthy recently indicated that the Packers have no intention of adding a veteran quarterback to the mix, but the club did sign undrafted rookie Jerod Evans to its practice squad earlier this week.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Multiple injuries along their offensive front prompted the Broncos to promote two O-linemen from their practice squad. Dillon Day and Elijah Wilkinson will be part of Denver’s 53-man roster for its Week 7 game in Los Angeles, Mike Klis of 9News reports (Twitter links). The team placed inside linebacker Corey Nelson on IR after the fourth-year player tore a biceps muscle, and the Broncos waived defensive tackle Kyle Peko, Klis reports (on Twitter). An ex-UDFA interior lineman out of Mississippi State, Day’s spent the past 2 1/2 seasons on the Broncos’ practice squad. A tackle, Wilkinson is a rookie UDFA out of UMass. Both Menelik Watson and Donald Stephenson are out against the Chargers.
- The Packers will give Aaron Rodgers‘ roster spot to safety Jermaine Whitehead, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. Whitehead signed a reserve/futures deal with the Packers in January after spending time on Green Bay’s practice squad last season. The ex-UDFA safety resided on the 49ers’ taxi squad for much of the 2015 season.
- The Jaguars swapped out wide receivers on their active roster before their Week 7 game, waiving Max McCaffrey and signing Jaydon Mickens, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets. The son of Ed McCaffrey and older brother of Christian McCaffrey, Max has now been cut by four teams — the Raiders, Packers, Saints and Jaguars — since entering the league as a 2016 UDFA. A second-year player out of Washington, Mickens received a Jags practice squad invitation last month.
Packers Hoping For Aaron Rodgers Return
The Packers are “holding out hope” that quarterback Aaron Rodgers can return to the field later this season, reports Rob Demovsyk of ESPN.com. Green Bay officially placed Rodgers on injured reserve earlier today, and because the NFL’s rule require an eight-week minimum absence, Rodgers wouldn’t be eligible to return until Week 15.
Rodgers underwent surgery for a broken collarbone on Thursday, and is now facing a lengthy recovery process. As such, Demovsky admits the Packers’ hope for a Rodgers return is a “long shot,” but it’s not impossible. Green Bay, which currently sits in second place in the NFC North with a 4-2 record, now owns just a 28% chance of earning a postseason berth, down 41% from last week, per Football Outsiders. But if the Packers are able to remain in contention, Rodgers could conceivably guide the club through the regular season’s final two weeks and into the playoffs.
Green Bay will roll with former fifth-round pick Brett Hundley as its starter for the foreseeable future, while former practice squad signal-caller Joe Callahan will be Hundley’s backup. Head coach Mike McCarthy recently indicated the Packers have no intention of adding a veteran quarterback to the mix, but the club did sign undrafted rookie Jerod Evans to its practice squad earlier this week.
Packers Place Aaron Rodgers On IR
The Packers announced they’ve placed Aaron Rodgers on IR. The franchise quarterback is shelved until at least mid-December, although considering the collarbone surgery he had this week, he’s a good bet to miss the remainder of the season.
From an NFL procedure perspective, Rodgers is out at least eight weeks. The Packers are going with Brett Hundley as their starter, and they promoted Joe Callahan from the practice squad.
Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone against the Vikings. While the 33-year-old passer returned from this injury in 2013 in time for a Week 17 do-or-die game, one the Packers won to book a playoff berth. But that malady did not require surgery. This one did, making Rodgers’ chances of returning later this season in a special circumstance remote.
The Packers have not fared especially well in Rodgers’ absence, understandably, and Hundley came into the Vikings game with 11 career passes. In two games this season, he’s completed only 55.9-percent of his passes for 157 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. This is predictably worse than Rodgers, who had completed 66.3-percent of his passes for 1,385 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions before suffering the injury.
Earlier this week, coach Mike McCarthy indicated that the organization wouldn’t pursue a quarterback until they received clarity on Rodgers’ surgery. With the veteran on the IR for the next two months, it’s conceivable that the team could now seek reinforcement at the position.
Aaron Rodgers Undergoes Surgery
Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone last weekend, and the Packers quarterback reportedly went under the knife today. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Rodgers had surgery this afternoon, which coach Mike McCarthy had confirmed earlier this week. The quarterback suffered the injured on Sunday after being tackled by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr.
Packers Not Making QB Move until Rodgers Surgery
- In other QB news, Mike McCarthy expressed some caution about an upcoming roster move regarding the injured Aaron Rodgers, reports Ryan Wood and Michael Cohen of Packers News. The Packers head coach told a number of reporters today: “Our focus clearly is just to get through the surgery, and just see where he is. I’m not personally looking in that direction. My focus is on Aaron’s health right now.” The team already elevated QB Joe Callahan from the practice squad this week, so it looks like there won’t be any further changes in regards to the Packers’ signal-callers until Rodgers’ surgery take place.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/18/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter:
Atlanta Falcons
- DE Ricky Ali’ifua; TE Anthony Firkser; DT Nigel Williams, FB Malcolm Johnson; LB Kevin Snyder (link)
Detroit Lions
- LSs Andrew East, Nolan Frese, Jeff Overbaugh; DT Toby Johnson; DE Joby Saint Fleur (link)
Green Bay Packers
- CB Josh Thornton; RB Marquez Williams (link)
Houston Texans
- WRs Demarcus Ayers, Montay Crockett, Tevaun Smith; TEs Jason Croom, Ryan Malleck, Cole Wick (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- G Willie Beavers; T Rich Max; TE Jason Vander Laan (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- S Malik Smith (link)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Chase Reynolds; TE Jason Croom, LB Brandon Watts; WRs Devin Lucien, Francis Owusu, Rodney Smith (link) (link)
New York Jets
- T Storm Norton (link)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Garrett Grayson, DT Joey Ivie
- Released: K Mike Meyer
- Placed on injured list: QB Trevor Knight
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: L.J. McCray
- Released: DT Marquavius Lewis, G Jordan Mudge
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Zack Sanchez, RB Jalen Simmons, S Dezmen Southward
- Released: LB Zeek Bigger
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR River Cracraft
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: QB Jerod Evans
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Josh Ferguson
- Released: WR Cyril Richardson
Washington Redskins
- Released: QB Joel Stave
Packers Unlikely To Add Veteran QB
The Packers are unlikely to sign a veteran quarterback to their active roster after losing starter Aaron Rodgers to a broken collarbone, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
McCarthy had already committed to Brett Hundley as Green Bay’s starter during Rodgers’ absence, and that’s perhaps unsurprising given that Hundley — a 2015 draft pick — has now been in the Packers’ system for nearly three years. Joe Callahan, promoted from Green Bay’s practice squad earlier today, will serve as Hundley’s backup going forward.
That’s not to say the Packers won’t add a quarterback, but it isn’t expected to be a veteran. McCarthy did allow that Green Bay is open to placing another signal-caller on its active roster, while Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) reports the Packers’ personnel department is searching for a quarterback to add to the team’s practice squad. Indeed, Green Bay is likely to audition passers this week, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
An experienced quarterback such as Colin Kaepernick is not a likely option for the Packers, and McCarthy “bristled” at the notion of signing the ex-49er. However, McCarthy would have had the same reaction to the idea of adding any veteran signal-caller, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link), as the head coach’s ire wasn’t directed at Kaepernick, but merely the thought of adding a player with no ties to the Packers’ offense to the QB room.
While the idea of sticking with Hundley as Rodgers’ replacement makes sense from a continuity standpoint, the Packers are certainly pushing forward with little experience under center. Prior to Sunday, Hundley had attempted just 11 passes, while Callahan has never appeared in a pro contest.