Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day.
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DT Elijah Qualls
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: C John Yarbrough
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: FB Joe Kerridge
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Justin Stockton
- Placed on IR: WR Jermaine Kearse (full story), NT Darius Kilgo
- Waived/injured: CB Tarvarus McFadden
Green Bay Packers
- Released: WR Jawill Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Tracy Sprinkle
- Waived: LB Chris Landrum
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Nate Theaker
- Released-NFI: G Ian Silberman
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Nick Truesdell
- Waived: CB Derrick Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Released: TE Jake Powell
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Brandon Wilds
- Waived: S Tyree Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB J.T. Barrett, LB Juwon Young
- Waived: SS Marwin Evans, LB Chris Worley
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/19
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Kiwanis Bushell-Beatty
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir
Houston Texans
- Signed: QB Jordan Ta’amu
- Waived: C D.J. Coker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: Aca’Cedric Ware
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Steve Ishmael
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S John Battle, DT Stevie Tu’ikolovatu
- Waived/injured: OL Mike Liedtke (story)
- Waived: QB Vincent Testaverde
Colts DE Jabaal Sheard Could Miss Regular Season Time
After undergoing knee surgery earlier this month, Colts defensive end Jabaal Sheard could potentially miss regular season action, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star.
Sheard experienced soreness and swelling in his knee on the first day of Indianapolis’ training camp and subsequently underwent the procedure. Head coach Frank Reich said it’s too early to definitively say Sheard will miss regular season games, but admitted it’s a possibility.
“If it does (cause him to miss time), Jabaal’s the kind of guy that you know he’s the ultimate pro, he’s going to do whatever it takes,” Reich said. “But because he’s had the procedure on his knee, we’ve just got to take it slow and be cautious and make sure that we have Jabaal for the long haul.”
Sheard, 30, played the most snaps (813) of any Colts defensive lineman in 2018, racking up 5.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 36 edge defender in the NFL, the highest ranking of any Indianapolis pass rusher last season. Sheard, who joined the Colts in 2017, is entering the final season of a three-year, $25.5MM contract.
Al-Quadin Muhammad has soaked up most of Sheard’s snaps during training camp, but other players could also see more action. Kemoko Turay, rookie Ben Banogu, or even nose tackle Margus Hunt could see snaps along the edge, according to Erickson.
Jabaal Sheard Underwent Knee Surgery
- Colts defensive end Jabaal Sheard recently underwent a knee procedure that will keep him out indefinitely, writes Mike Chappell of CBS 4 in Indy. The 30-year-old was seen at the first day of practice in late July, but swelling in his knee has sidelined him since. Sheard started all 32 games for the Colts over the past two seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he had 50 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Al-Quadin Muhammad will take on a bigger role with Sheard on the shelf.
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Colts Claim RB D’Onta Foreman
D’Onta Foreman will have a second chance in the AFC South. The Colts claimed the third-year running back off waivers from the Texans, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The former third-round pick will join a Colts backfield that just lost Spencer Ware. Seeing his career sidetracked by an Achilles’ tendon tear in late 2017, Foreman will venture from the defending AFC South champions to the team that beat the Texans in Round 1 of the playoffs last season.
The 236-pound back took only seven handoffs last season, gaining minus-1 yard. As Lamar Miller‘s top backup in 2017, Foreman amassed 327 rushing yards (4.2 per tote) and two touchdowns. Foreman spent the first part of the ’18 season on the Texans’ PUP list and has yet to prove he has surmounted one of the most troublesome injuries a running back can encounter.
Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines head up the Indianapolis backfield. The Colts waived second-year running back Keith Ford, per Mike Chappell of CBS4 (on Twitter), to make room for Foreman.
While the Texans reportedly were not pleased with Foreman’s work ethic as of late, the Texas alum has a decent chance to stick on the Colts’ roster after the preseason. But that’s obviously not a given. Ware’s placement on the Colts’ reserve/PUP list ends his season, at least his chances of playing for the 2019 Colts, so the Chris Ballard-headed front office making this claim adds up.
Spencer Ware Still Plans To Play In 2019, Wants Injury Settlement
It initially looked like Spencer Ware‘s season was over, but it turns out that might not be the case. Ware was moved by Indianapolis from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list yesterday, which means he’s ineligible to play for the Colts in 2019. 
However, he can still play for another team if he is able to come to an agreement with Indy. To that end, Ware plans on seeking an injury settlement that will allow him to play for a different team this season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapsheet also has additional details on Ware’s injury. Originally the Colts expected it to be a very minor issue, but obviously it turned out to be something more serious. Rapoport writes that the LSU product is having ankle surgery that will sideline him for the next 5-6 weeks.
For what it’s worth, Ware himself tweeted the following: “I am NOT done for season! When things happen you have to adjust and treat accordingly.I’m going to play THIS YEAR,so there are things that need to be done before that happens that’ll put me in the best case scenario.MINOR,MINOR, MINOR setback because of timing.”
Ware had a breakout 2016 campaign when he became the Chiefs’ starting running back, rushing for 921 yards and adding another 447 through the air. He was slated to again carry the load in 2017, but missed the entire season due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason. When he returned last year he wasn’t used nearly as much, although he remained pretty effective. In 13 games for Kansas City last season, he carried the ball 51 times for 246 yards (4.8 YPC), and had 20 receptions for another 224 yards. Even with his injury history, Ware should be able to resurface with another team when he’s fully healthy.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Tracy Sprinkle
- Waived: CB Jermaine Ponder
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Zach Conque
- Waived/injured: TE Billy Brown
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers from Eagles: LB Joey Alfieri
- Signed: DE Terrence Fede
- Waived/injured: DE Alex Jenkins
New York Jets
- Waived: TE Bucky Hodges
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: RB Mack Brown
- Waived: G Lukayus McNeil
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jackson Harris, TE Wes Saxton
- Waived: TE Justin Johnson, TE Tyrone Swoopes
Colts Place RB Spencer Ware On Reserve/PUP
Spencer Ware isn’t going to be suiting up for the Colts this season. Ware is being moved from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list, the team announced Friday. 
The Colts signed the veteran running back in April, and he’s been dealing with a mysterious foot injury recently. Beat writers had described the injury as not that big of a deal at first and head coach Frank Reich initially said he would only miss a couple of weeks, but obviously it turned out to be more serious than originally thought. Indy worked out former Bills and Patriots running back Mike Gillislee earlier today, and now we know why.
As a result of being moved to the reserve list, Ware will now be forced to miss the entire season. If placed on the reserve/PUP list at the end of camp a player only has to miss the first six weeks of the season, but since he was moved there in the middle of camp he’ll have to sit out the entire year. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Ware has had some terrible injury luck.
Back in 2017 he was slated to be the Chiefs’ starting running back, but a knee injury in the preseason ended his year before it ever began. Kareem Hunt then took the reigns and ran with them, and Ware was used sparingly when he returned last year. As the Chiefs’ starting running back in 2016, Ware rushed for 921 yards and added another 447 receiving.
Still only 27, hopefully this isn’t the end of the line for the LSU product. The Colts still have a relatively deep backfield, with Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins all in tow. Look for them to possibly add a veteran back in the next couple of days.
Colts Working Out WR Brandon Marshall
The Colts worked out wide receiver Brandon Marshall on Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The 35-year-old hasn’t been on the NFL radar much lately, but he’s interested in extending his career and the Colts may be willing to give him a shot. 
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Marshall has appeared in a grand total of eleven games for the Giants and Seahawks over the last two seasons, with little in the way of results. Injuries and age have chipped away at a once very strong career, and Marshall did not take the field during his brief stint with the Saints in 2018.
Marshall is a six-time Pro Bowler, but he hasn’t played at an elite level since the 2015 season in which he posted 109 receptions, 1,502 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns for the Jets. He also hasn’t played in a playoff game in his 13-year career, so he’s eager to change that.
For now, the Colts’ WR depth chart is headlined by T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess, Chester Rogers, and second-round draft pick Parris Campbell. Deon Cain, Zach Pascal, Roger Lewis, and Marcus Johnson are also fighting to capture the final one or two slots.
Colts Work Out RB Mike Gillislee
Free agent running back Mike Gillislee will work out for the Colts on Friday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Gillislee also worked out for the Raiders this week, so he might not be far from finding work. 
Prior to the Colts and Raiders auditions, the 28-year-old back (29 in November) worked out for the Lions and Jaguars. He has not been able to replicate his take-notice work with the 2016 Bills, for whom he scored nine touchdowns and averaged 5.7 yards per carry as LeSean McCoy‘s backup.
After a three-touchdown opening night with the 2017 Pats, Gillislee has not been given many opportunities. He saw his New England role reduced as 2017 wore on and received just 16 carries in four games with New Orleans last season.
Spencer Ware is still on the PUP list, so Gillislee might be able to fill a spot on the roster behind starter Marlon Mack and backups like Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins.