Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: WR Jake Kumerow
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Shelby Harris
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: DT Kevin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Krys Barnes
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DL Corey Liuget
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: DT Benito Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LS Andrew DePaola
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Brandon Aiyuk, DL D.J. Jones, DL Jordan Willis
- Promoted: S Kai Nacua
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- Waived: LB Jack Cichy
NFL Suspends Texans’ Bradley Roby
Texans cornerback Bradley Roby has been suspended six games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. This comes on the heels of the same violation/ban for teammate Will Fuller. The suspensions will keep both players out of action for the rest of the season, plus Week 1 of the 2021 season.
[RELATED: Texans’ Fuller Suspended For PEDs]
“I apologize to my family, my teammates, the Houston Texans organization and the fans,” Roby said in a statement. “A few months ago I unknowingly used a product that was contaminated with a banned substance by the NFL. I recognize that it is my job to know, and be responsible for, everything I put in my body. I will be suspended for six games, ending my season. I will take the necessary steps in the future to prevent this from ever happening again. I look forward to rejoining my teammates next season in our goal to bring a championship to Houston.”
In ten games (all starts), Roby notched 37 tackles, one interception, a fumble recovery, and seven passes defended. Even though he was briefly deactivated in November, the 28-year-old stood as the Texans’ best corner. With Gareon Conley out of the equation, the Texans will move forward with Vernon Hargreaves and Phillip Gaines as their top CBs.
After signing Roby to a three-year, $31.5MM deal in March, the Texans have Roby under contract through 2022.
Will Fuller Suspended Six Games For PEDs
Huge news out of Houston, as star receiver Will Fuller has been suspended for six games for violating the league’s policy on PEDs, he announced on Instagram.
“Earlier this year, I sought treatment from a medical professional who prescribed medication that he believed to be permitted under the NFL’s drug policy. As it turns out, my trust in this professional was misplaced because this medication was NOT a permitted substance under the NFL Policy on Performance Enhancing Substances. As a result of this mistake, I have been suspended for six games for taking this prohibited medication. I want to sincerely apologize to the Texans organization and all of my fans for this mistake. I am looking forward to putting this all behind me and returning better than ever in 2021,” he wrote in the caption.
It’s a devastating blow for a Texans team that had started to pick up some steam recently after Bill O’Brien was fired. They’ve won three of their last four games, but it’s going to be hard to keep that momentum going without Fuller in the lineup. The speedster had been having a career year, with 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games after the trade of DeAndre Hopkins.
It also complicates things personally for Fuller, as he’s slated to be a free agent at the end of the year. It’s quite possible he’s played his last down in Houston. Assuming there’s not more to this story it shouldn’t effect the money he’ll get too much, as he’s expected to be one of the most sought after free agents on the market. That being said, whether it’s with the Texans or another team, he’ll have to sit out the first game of the 2021 season.
The 21st pick of the 2016 draft, Fuller struggled with injuries in his first few years in the league, tearing an ACL in 2018 among other ailments. He was finally on track to play a full 16-game season for the first time before this ban hit. This will now be the fourth straight year that he plays in 11 games or fewer.
Randall Cobb is on injured reserve and the team just cut Kenny Stills, leaving them suddenly very thin at receiver. Deshaun Watson just can’t catch a break, and Brandin Cooks should see very heavy volume moving forward. It’ll be very interesting to see what kind of contract Fuller lands come March. The Notre Dame product will turn 27 in April.
Texans To Cut WR Kenny Stills
The waiver wire will soon feature a proven pass catcher. The Texans are cutting Kenny Stills, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Despite Houston trading for the former New Orleans and Miami wide receiver last year, the team has not featured him much this season. The eighth-year veteran has just 11 catches for 144 yards, having taken a backseat to other veteran targets Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb. Even with Cobb on IR now, Stills played just four snaps on Thanksgiving.
With the trade deadline having passed, Stills will head to the wire. A 28-year-old deep threat, he profiles as an interesting late-season piece for a contender. Stills’ contract expires at season’s end. In 117 career games (77 starts), Stills has 310 receptions for 4,843 yards and 37 touchdowns.
Stills enjoyed a bigger role last season, playing alongside Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins. He caught 40 passes for 561 yards and four touchdowns. The former fifth-round pick produced two 700-plus-yard seasons with the Dolphins, earning a four-year, $32MM extension in 2017. Barely $1MM remains on that deal. With the Saints, Stills led the NFL with 20.0 yards per catch in 2013 and posted a career-high 931 yards in ’14. The Saints traded him to the Dolphins in 2015.
The Texans, who acquired Stills in 2019’s Laremy Tunsil blockbuster deal, tried to trade Stills prior to this year’s deadline. But they ended up hanging onto each member of their veteran receiving quartet. Now, Houston will have just Fuller and Cooks from that crew down the stretch. Keke Coutee has resurfaced as an auxiliary cog.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers from Broncos: T Jake Rodgers
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: CB Deante Burton, C Adam Redmond, CB Rashard Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: DT Albert Huggins, WR Mohamed Sanu, CB Dee Virgin
- Placed on IR: OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Bears: DT Anthony Rush
- Placed on IR: DL Montravius Adams, LB James Burgess
Houston Texans
- Signed off Bengals’ practice squad: DE Andrew Brown
- Promoted: DL Corey Liuget, WR Steven Mitchell, RB Scottie Phillips
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers from Titans: CB Greg Mabin
- Promoted: S Doug Middleton
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jordan Kunaszyk, T David Steinmetz
Texans Place Randall Cobb On IR
The Texans picked up their third win of the season by beating the Patriots, but they picked up a couple of key injuries along the way. We just heard starting defensive tackle P.J. Hall is done for the year, and now Randall Cobb will be hitting the shelf.
The veteran receiver has a toe injury that is considered “significant,” a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). The Texans have since placed Cobb on IR.
Fellow receiver Kenny Stills picked up a quad injury on Sunday, and although we don’t know the severity on that one yet, it’s possible their offense is significantly shorthanded for their Thanksgiving trip to take on the Lions.
It’s a tough blow, as Cobb has been playing a big role in his first season in Houston. Through ten games he has 38 receptions for 441 yards and three touchdowns. He inked a three-year pact worth an impressive $27MM back in March. He turned 30 back in August, but outside of seven missed games in 2018 has mostly been pretty durable.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/24/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Stephone Anthony, T Rick Leonard, RB Khalfani Muhammad
Carolina Panthers
- Released: K Taylor Bertolet
Houston Texans
- Signed: C Cohl Cabral
- Released: DE Kendal Futrell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: S Lavert Hill
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
- Released: WR Corey Coleman
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Mike White
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: RB Adrian Killins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed LB/LS Christian Kuntz
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Kai Nacua, WR Shawn Poindexter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Sam Sloman
- Released: P Ryan Allen, K Giorgio Tavecchio
Texans Won’t Keep Romeo Crennel As Head Coach
Texans team president Jamey Rootes said that Jack Easterby won’t be the team’s next general manager. CEO Cal McNair also said that Easterby won’t be given the GM job. Now, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com hears that Easterby isn’t actually interested in the position, which should put the speculation to rest. Meanwhile, JLC also hears that interim head coach Romeo Crennel won’t be considered for the HC role in 2021.
[RELATED: Texans Owner Meets With Deshaun Watson]
Easterby’s rise through the Texans’ organization has been well documented and he’s held more sway with Houston than he ever did with New England. Apparently, he’s plenty happy in his current position as the EVP of Football Operations, a role that pays more than $3MM per year, according to La Canfora.
Crennel, 73, has been viewed as a placeholder for 2020, though we heard previously that he would be given a shot at the “permanent” post. That doesn’t seem to be the case, and it’s not immediately clear whether he’d be given a chance to stay on board in a different capacity. Before Bill O’Brien‘s ouster, Crennel served as the Texans’ assistant head coach to start the 2020 season. And, in 2018 and 2019, he carried the defensive coordinator title. To date, Crennel is 30-58 as an NFL head coach.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/20
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Activated from Reserve/Injured list: TE Kahale Warring
- Claimed: OL Hjalte Froholdt (from Patriots)
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed: DE Derek Rivers (from Patriots)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Gentry
Texans Owner Meets With Deshaun Watson About Future
The Houston Texans are at a crossroads as an organization. After surprisingly firing Bill O’Brien toward the beginning of the year they were left without a head coach and GM. Romeo Crennel and Jack Easterby have taken over those roles on an interim basis, but the franchise is currently in a bit of a rut and lacking direction. They’re also without a lot of draft picks, including their first-rounder next April, due to trades O’Brien made. As they look to dig themselves out of that mess, owner Cal McNair is apparently leaving no stone unturned.
McNair recently had dinner with quarterback Deshaun Watson, the one thing the team has going for them at the moment, and he picked his brain about what he’d like to see moving forward, McNair told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter writes that “McNair wanted to hear Watson’s thoughts and opinions on who should be the next head coach.” Assuming Watson gets legit input, it would be relatively safe to assume the Texans will target an offensive mind. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy is sure to be a hot name, although there are plenty of other offensive minds as well.