NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/21
We’ve compiled today’s practice squad moves below:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Qadree Ollison
- Released: C Sam Jones
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB John Brannon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Josh Woods
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Jake Browning
- Released: P Drue Chrisman
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Saivion Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Cre’Von LeBlanc
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OT Bobby Hart
New York Giants
- Signed: WR C.J. Board, OT Korey Cunningham
- Released: DB Jordyn Peters, G Kenny Wiggins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DE Henry Mondeaux, LB Delontae Scott, WR Tyler Vaughns
- Moved to IR: WR Rico Bussey
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Gavin Heslop
- Released: TE Mark Vital
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: K Jose Borregales
Washington Football Team
- Signed: OT Evin Ksiezarczyk
- Released: C Jon Toth
Texans Work Out WR Danny Amendola
The Texans’ new regime added numerous veterans on short-term deals this offseason, and GM Nick Caserio will look to a familiar name to potentially continue doing so. Danny Amendola worked out for the Texans on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
A five-year Patriot who contributed heavily on two of the team’s three 2010s Super Bowl-winning teams, Amendola spent the past two seasons in Detroit under ex-New England staffers Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia.
Another reunion could be on tap for the veteran wide receiver, though the Texans would mark an interesting fit given their low expectations this season. Of course, the team has signed a host of midlevel vets this offseason. Ex-Patriots Rex Burkhead and Marcus Cannon are part of that mix. Amendola is also a Houston-area native and played collegiately at Texas Tech.
Caserio let Will Fuller walk in free agency and traded Randall Cobb back to the Packers this year. Keke Coutee, another wideout investment by a previous Houston regime, is also elsewhere. Only Brandin Cooks remains from last season’s Texans receiving corps. The Texans added Chris Conley and return man Andre Roberts in free agency, traded for Anthony Miller and drafted Nico Collins in Round 3.
Amendola, 35, exceeded 600 receiving yards in both Lions seasons. Last season, he caught 46 passes for 602 yards in 14 games. He spent the 2018 season with the Dolphins. Should Amendola catch on this season, he will be the NFL’s oldest active wide receiver. Larry Fitzgerald held that title for a bit, but the future Hall of Famer is unsigned and has not expressed an immediate desire to play in 2021.
Texans Add K Joey Slye To Practice Squad
Not long after working out Joey Slye, the Texans will bring him into the fold. The former Panthers kicker agreed to join the Texans on a practice squad deal Tuesday. To make room, Houston released defensive back Cornell Armstrong from its P-squad.
Slye operated as the Panthers’ primary kicker for the past two seasons, succeeding Graham Gano in that capacity. After Carolina added Gano’s Giants camp competitor (Ryan Santoso) via trade, Slye landed on the waiver wire. Unclaimed, the third-year specialist will end up in Houston.
Top Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is dealing with a pulled muscle, per Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter), though he is still expected to kick in Houston’s opener. Slye, however, represents insurance and potential in-season competition for Fairbairn. He also stands to serve as an option for other teams in need. A team can poach Slye off Houston’s taxi squad at any point, if the Texans refuse to promote him to their active roster.
A Virginia Tech product, Slye made 29 of 36 field goals last season. Though, two of those misses came on fourth-quarter tries from 65 and 67 yards, respectively. The Texans also auditioned ex-Chargers kicker Michael Badgley. Fairbairn has been the Texans’ kicker since 2017. He signed an extension in 2020.
Texans Claim CB Jimmy Moreland
The Texans continue to add to their cornerback room ahead of their season opener. They added a former Washington slot defender to their reconfigured mix Tuesday.
Houston claimed Jimmy Moreland off waivers from Washington, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Washington waived Moreland with an injury designation, per Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the third-year veteran is healthy as of Tuesday (Twitter link).
Moreland will join newcomers Desmond King, Terrance Mitchell and Tavierre Thomas among the Texans’ cornerback contingent. A former seventh-round pick, Moreland played steadily with Washington over the past two seasons. He played 599 snaps with Washington’s top-five-ranked defense last year (518 in the slot) and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 75 overall corner. Moreland, 26, also played 470 defensive snaps as a rookie for Washington’s previous regime.
While the Texans submitted a successful claim, Fowler adds (via Twitter) the Eagles were planning to sign Moreland had he cleared waivers. Washington made Moreland one of its final cuts to move their roster down to 53 last week. Two years remain on the James Madison alum’s rookie contract.
Texans Work Out Michael Badgley, Joey Slye
The Texans auditioned free agent kickers Joey Slye and Michael Badgley, according to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790. Current kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is still expected to play against the Jaguars, but Slye or Badgley could get the call if any issues arise.
As evidenced by Matt Rhule trying 65- and 67-yard yard field goals against the Saints and Chiefs last season, Slye has one of the strongest legs in the NFL. This year, however, he lost out on the kicking competition. Over the last two years, he’s made 54-of-68 FGs while going 64-of-71 on XPs.
Badgley, meanwhile, has appeared in 36 games for the Chargers over the last three years. He’s nailed 52-of-65 of his field goal attempts with 82-of-86 extra points made.
In other Texans news, Tyrod Taylor will begin the year as the team’s starting quarterback. He’ll be backstopped by rookie Davis Mills while Deshaun Watson remains in professional limbo.
Texans To Start Tyrod Taylor
As expected, the Texans will roll with Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback. Head coach David Culley made the announcement on Monday, which means Taylor will be backstopped by rookie Davis Mills as embattled star Deshaun Watson remains in limbo. 
Taylor, entering his age-32 season, has started just four games since 2018. Prior to that, however, the dual-threat QB did operate as Buffalo’s starter for three seasons and overlapped with Culley in ’17. While the risk-averse passer did well to limit turnovers, he has yet to show the kind of big play upside that Watson has brought to the table.
It’s an opportunity for Taylor to reassert himself in the NFL. He’ll also have a chance to more than double his base salary. Taylor is slated to make $5.5MM, but he can also reach up to $12MM via incentives. That includes $4MM if he serves as the QB1 for the whole year — he’ll get $1MM for each playtime marker of 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%.
In addition to Taylor and Davis, the Texans will also have veteran Jeff Driskel nearby on the practice squad.
Injury Notes: Fisher, Cannon, Wagner
The Colts were hoping for a Week 1 return for new LT Eric Fisher, who has been rehabbing from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered as a member of the Chiefs in January. According to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, Fisher had a real chance to suit up for the September 12 opener against Seattle, but his recent positive test for COVID-19 has seriously complicated matters.
Fisher’s positive result has forced him to quarantine for 10 days — which suggests he is not vaccinated — so he is unable to continue his rehab at the team facility. As such, there is no way for the Colts to comment on his availability until he is activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Until he is ready to go, Indy will roll with Julie’n Davenport at left tackle.
Let’s take a look at several other injury-related items:
- Texans OL Marcus Cannon was recently activated off the PUP list, and as veteran NFL reporter Aaron Wilson tweets, there is optimism that Cannon could be ready for Week 1. Houston acquired Cannon in a March trade with the Patriots, but the 33-year-old underwent knee surgery in June and had been recovering ever since. For now, Houston is set to deploy second-year pro Charlie Heck at RT, but Cannon could push Heck for that job while also providing valuable depth at multiple spots along the O-line.
- The Seahawks have been without LB Bobby Wagner for the past few practices, but there is no cause for alarm. Per head coach Pete Carroll (via Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk), Wagner is simply recovering from a minor knee procedure similar to those he has undergone in recent preseasons. The future Hall-of-Famer has missed just two games over the past six years.
- The fact that Broncos OL Brett Jones landed on IR prior to final cutdown day suggested that his season was over, and that turned out to be the case. Mike Klis of 9News.com recently tweeted that Jones suffered a torn biceps in the team’s second preseason game and required season-ending surgery. Jones, who appeared in 61 games (19 starts) with the Giants and Vikings over the past five seasons, just signed with Denver in July.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/3/21
Here are Friday’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Keelan Doss, LB James Vaughters
- Released: RB D’Onta Foreman
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Jalen Camp, CB Antonio Phillips
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Tyler Davis, CB Marvell Tell
- Released: LB Curtis Bolton, WR Tyler Vaughns
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Cortez Broughton, CB Shakur Brown, LB Christian Rozeboom
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Marquel Lee
- Released: LB Max Richardson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: S Antoine Brooks, RB Buddy Howell
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Milo Eifler, CB Jamal Perry
- Released: RB Jordan Scarlett
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Ryan Izzo
- Released: G Jake Burton, TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart, OL Brett Heggie, WR Damion Willis
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Tanner Hudson, LB Rashad Smith, CB Dee Virgin, WR Isaiah Zuber
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: G Phil Haynes
Washington Football Team
- Signed: K Eddy Pineiro
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/3/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Robert Alford
Baltimore Ravens
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Deon Cain
Houston Texans
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Taywan Taylor
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jamison Crowder; Crowder contracted the coronavirus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: DL Henry Mondeaux
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Gill
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: DB Brady Breeze
LB Joe Thomas Re-Signs With Texans
Joe Thomas is heading back to Houston. After getting cut by the Texans earlier this week, the linebacker is re-signing with the organization,
The former undrafted free agent saw time in 42 games for the Packers between the 2015 and 2017 seasons, including a 2016 campaign where he finished with 70 tackles and five passes defended. Thomas moved on to the Cowboys in 2018 and proceeded to spend the next three seasons in Dallas, seeing time in 42 games (eight starts).
The linebacker got into 15 games (four starts) for the Cowboys in 2020 and had one of the best seasons of his career, finishing the year with 48 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a pair of QB hits. The 30-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Texans back in March but was released during final cuts this week.
Even though the Texans brought back the veteran, he’s not guaranteed playing time. Thomas temporarily finds himself behind Zach Cunningham, Christian Kirksey, Kevin Pierre-Louis and backups Neville Hewitt, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Garret Wallow on the depth chart.
In a corresponding move, the Texans placed safety A.J. Moore on IR.