Returned To Practice: Foreman, Canady
With more than half of the 2018 campaign in the books, NFL clubs are beginning to activate injured players who were previously placed on various reserve lists (injured reserve, non-football injury list, physically unable to perform list, etc.). A couple of notable players who were on said lists returned to practice this week, and we’ll take a closer look at their respective situations below:
- Texans running back D’Onta Foreman returned to practice on Wednesday, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Foreman, 22, tore his Achilles last November and has taken a full year to recover — he began the 2018 regular season on the PUP list and has resided there ever since. A third-round pick in the 2017 draft, Foreman managed 78 attempts for 327 yards and two touchdowns in his abbreviated rookie campaign. Houston’s rushing offense currently ranks just 29th in efficiency, per Football Outsiders, and while much of those struggles can be attributed to a poor offensive line, Foreman could be part of an improvement while seeing snaps behind Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue. Now that he’s back at practice, Blue can be activate at any point during the next three weeks.
- The Ravens have designated cornerback Maurice Canady to return from injured reserve, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Canady, a 2016 draft selection, has actually been placed on IR in each of his three NFL campaigns. Last season, a thigh issue — the same injury that knocked him out earlier this year — was the culprit, but Canady eventually came off IR in November. Baltimore, of course, already has top-end talent at cornerback, with Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, and Tavon Young seeing most of the snaps in the Ravens’ secondary, but Canady could see special teams action if he comes back. Like Foreman, Canady’s return to practice opens a three-week window during which Baltimore must either place him on its 53-man roster or leave him on IR for the rest of the year.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/12/18
Here are today’s tryouts:
Buffalo Bills:
- CBs Ashton Lampkin, Denzel Rice
Carolina Panthers:
Cleveland Browns:
- T Chris Durant; DB John Franklin III, CB Josh Thornton
Green Bay Packers:
- WRs K.J. Brent, DeAndrew White
Houston Texans:
- WR Hunter Sharp
Indianapolis Colts:
- G David Bright; LB Kennan Gilchrist; S Terrell Williams
New York Jets:
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/18
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans:
- Signed: RB Josh Ferguson
- Released: WR Malachi Dupre
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/7/18
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers from Eagles: WR DeAndre Carter
- Waived: RB Tyler Ervin
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Matt Tobin
NFL Workout Updates: 11/5/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit. All links go to Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.
Cleveland Browns
- T Isaiah Battle, K Jon Brown, RB Josh Ferguson, K Sam Ficken, CB Dontae Johnson, K Marshall Koehn, K Younghoe Koo, K Tyler Rausa, LS Zach Triner, P Ryan Winslow (Twitter links via Caplan and NFL reporter Howard Balzer
Cincinnati Bengals
- QB Connor Cook, WR Chad Hansen, WR Korey Robertson, TE Andrew Vollert (Twitter link via Balzer)
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Aaron Burbridge, WR Brice Butler (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- LB Marquis Flowers (link)
Oakland Raiders
- RB Travaris Cadet, DE Kony Ealy, DE Terrence Fede, RB Jeremy Langford, DE Ryan Russell, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- DT T.Y. McGill (link)
D’Onta Foreman To Return To Practice
Texans RB D’Onta Foreman is expected to return to practice this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Foreman has been on the PUP list since the spring as he continues to battle back from a torn Achilles that prematurely ended his rookie campaign last November.
It was an especially tough blow for Foreman, as he suffered the injury during the best game of his brief NFL career, a performance that saw him carry the ball ten times for 65 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clinching score. A third-round pick out of Texas, Foreman was drafted to be the team’s long-term answer at running back.
And he may still be the player Houston hoped for, though veteran Lamar Miller is enjoying a strong 2018 season with a 4.5 yards per carry average on 113 totes. But despite Miller’s contributions, the Texans’ running game as a whole is just 23rd in the league in overall efficiency, per Football Outsiders, so the team would surely love to get Foreman back in the mix.
If and when he suits up, Foreman would likely take over most of Alfred Blue‘s touches. Blue has appeared in all eight games for Houston this season, including one start. He has 79 carries for 258 yards, which amounts to an unimpressive 3.3 YPC average that is roughly in line with his 3.6 career mark.
Once Foreman returns to practice, the team will have 21 days to decide whether to add him to the roster. The Texans have won five in a row and have established themselves as heavy favorites to win the AFC South.
Texans Rebuffed Rams' Offer For Jadeveon Clowney
- Fowler may not have been the Rams‘ first choice for pass rushing help. We already knew that Los Angeles had made a significant offer for Khalil Mack before he was dealt to the Bears, but Schefter writes that the Rams also called the Texans to discuss Jadeveon Clowney in the first weeks of the season, and as late as last week, they made a push to acquire the Bills‘ Jerry Hughes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/18
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Tra Carson
Houston Texans
- Signed off Falcons’ practice squad: CB Deante Burton
- Waived: T David Sharpe
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Malik Turner
Texans Release Bruce Ellington Off IR
The Texans are releasing wide receiver Bruce Ellington off of the injured reserve list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ellington, who was suffering from a hamstring injury, was recently cleared by doctors, so he could be ready to contribute for another team right away. 
Since the trade deadline has passed, all NFL players released today or going forward are subject to the league’s waiver system. That means the league’s 31 other teams will have a chance at claiming Ellington, even though he is a vested veteran with more than four years of experience in the NFL.
While the Eagles, Texans, and Cowboys added receivers before the buzzer, other WR-needy teams such as the Patriots and Titans did not. Ellington could profile as a low-cost, low-risk addition for them.
Ellington had a breakout campaign with Houston in 2017. The 2014 fourth-round pick hauled in 29 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns, and he added another 17 rushing yards on three carries. He also proved to be a capable returner when he played for the 49ers. The receiver averaged 25.6 yards per kick return in 2015 and 2016, but he didn’t return a single kickoff in 2017. He did return five punts, though, compiling 47 yards.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/18
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DE Vontarrius Dora, OL Kyle Friend
- Released: DE Ufomba Kamalu, K Matt McCrane
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
- Released: LB Brady Sheldon
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Ethan Wolf
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Steven Mitchell
- Released: WR Cyril Grayson
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DB Maurice Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OG Landon Turner
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Juston Burris
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OT Jamar McGloster
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyrone Swoopes
- Released: OL JJ Dielman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Dare Ogunbowale