- The Colts elevated offensive tackle Jeremy Vujnovich to active roster from practice squad, per a club announcement. Indianapolis might be looking for extra offensive line depth as right tackle Joe Reitz continues to deal with back issues. Additionally, the Colts swapped outside linebackers today, promoting Deiontrez Mount while waiving Lavar Edwards.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Sam Brown
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Bryson Albright, RB Cedric O’Neal
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
- Placed On P-Squad IR: TE Justin Perillo
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DL Trevon Coley
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: Kitt O’Brien
Colts owner Jim Irsay unexpectedly awarded four-year contract extensions to general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano last winter. Now, in the midst of a second straight disappointing season, Irsay gave somewhat flimsy votes of confidence to the pair Wednesday. “Honestly, at the end of every season, we sit down and review where we’re at,” he told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “I don’t have any anticipation of change. There’s no plan of that. We’ll evaluate everything. I will.” On the possibility of the 6-7 Colts missing the postseason, Irsay commented, “This is the first time in almost 20 years we (wouldn’t have) made the playoffs in back-to-back years. That’s extremely disappointing.” Despite their sub-.500 record, the Colts remain in contention in the weak AFC South, though they’re going to have to leapfrog both the Texans and Titans over the season’s final three weeks to win the division. Indianapolis dropped its two matchups against the Texans this year, including a 22-17 loss last Sunday, but swept the Titans.
More from around the NFL:
- Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged his recent meeting with the Raiders’ Aldon Smith on Wednesday, but there’s still no word on when or if the league will reinstate the suspended linebacker. “It was good for me to hear from him personally. But when we get to that decision, we’ll certainly announce it,” said Goodell (via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com). Smith hasn’t played since the league issued him a one-year ban in November 2015 for a substance abuse violation. The 27-year-old should’ve been back in action by now, then, and the fact that he isn’t indicates he hasn’t met all the substance program’s requirements, tweets Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area Newspaper Group.
- Cardinals players were “shocked” and in “disbelief” after receiver Michael Floyd‘s release on Wednesday, defensive back Tyrann Mathieu told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Floyd was a popular figure in the locker room, notes Weinfuss, and quarterback Carson Palmer called him a “close friend” and “leader.” The club moved on from Floyd, an impending free agent, shortly after he was charged with his second DUI in the past five years.
- Bears receiver Eddie Royal is likely to end up a cap casualty in the offseason, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. By moving on from Royal, who has one year left on his contract, the Bears would save $5MM and incur no dead money in 2017. The 30-year-old Royal has hauled in 33 catches for 369 yards and two touchdowns in nine games this season, his second in Chicago.
In an iconic scene from season nine of The Simpsons, Krusty the Klown announced his retirement to a scrum of not-so-stunned reporters. 
“But Krusty,” one reporter asks. “Why now? Why not twenty years ago?”
It wouldn’t have been out of place for any Rams beat reporter to channel that sentiment and ask a similar question of COO Kevin Demoff when he addressed the media on Monday. Jeff Fisher‘s dismissal was long overdue and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone outside of the coach’s family who disagrees.
For now, the Rams will turn things over to special teams coordinator John Fassel on an interim basis. While this is ostensibly a chance for Fassel to impress team brass and land the head coaching job for 2017, most are expecting the Rams to hire a name brand coach that will energize the fan base and give the team some additional panache in free agency.
With a few weeks to go between now and the official end of the Rams’ season, here are ten names that could be considered for the job:
Jim Harbaugh, head coach at the University of Michigan: Some say that living well is the best revenge. Others say that the best revenge against your former employer is setting up shop across the street and destroying them. Santa Clara-to-Los Angeles is a lengthy drive, but you get what we’re getting at.
Harbaugh, in theory, could leave his alma mater and crush the 49ers by joining up with a divisional rival. The Rams have reportedly been loafing in practice and Harbaugh is the kind of throwback disciplinarian that the team badly needs. It’s fair to assume that the Rams will get in contact with Harbaugh, but it will be tough to get him to leave his lucrative job in Ann Arbor.
With National Signing Day around the corner, Harbaugh could publicly remove himself himself from consideration if he is not at all interested in an NFL return. Alternatively, if Harbaugh wants to get sweet revenge against the Niners, Stan Kroenke better have his checkbook ready. Signing Harbaugh could cost upwards of $10MM/year and that’s before factoring in his buyout clause with the Wolverines. If Harbaugh bolts, he’ll owe U-M the prorated portion of his $2MM signing bonus. With two of the seven years served, 5/7ths of that amount comes out to roughly $1.43MM.
Click here to read more from Zach Links..
The Colts will make their push for the playoffs without one of their better defenders, as the club announced today that they’ve placed cornerback Patrick Robinson on injured reserve. Robinson had missed the past two games while dealing with a groin injury.
[RELATED: Colts Place Jack Mewhort On IR]
Signed to a three-year, $14MM contract after a breakout 2015 campaign with San Diego, Robinson could never get fully healthy with Indianapolis, as nagging injuries — including a concussion, a knee ailment, and now the groin issue — limited him to six games on the year. When he was on the field, the 29-year-old Robinson wasn’t overly effective, as Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 93 cornerback among 120 qualifiers. However, it’s fair to assume Robinson’s play was affected by his injury woes, and given that he’s signed at an affordable rate ($3MM base salary, $1MM guaranteed) in 2017, he will likely be brought back.
For the Colts, the loss of Robinson signifies yet another hit at an already-weak position on the roster, as Indy has cycled through defensive backs for most of the year. Vontae Davis is still available (but not playing at his usual level), but otherwise, the Colts will rely on Rashaan Melvin, Darius Butler, Darryl Morris, Chris Milton, and the recently-signed Charles James for the remainder of the year.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Blaine Clausell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: T Pierce Burton
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Kyle Carter, T Marquis Lucas
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Justin Zimmer
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Adam Gettis
- Cut: OL Laurence Gibson, RB George Winn
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Anthony Denham
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Shaquille Riddick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Mitchell Van Dyk
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB David Fluellen
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DL A.J. Francis, DB Shakiel Randolph
- Cut: DL Trevon Coley, DB Lee Hightower
Former NFL tight end Konrad Reuland passed away after suffering a brain aneurysm, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced after last night’s game. Reuland’s alma mater of Stanford has also confirmed the tragic news. 
“Just want to offer condolences to his family. We love Konrad Reuland,” Harbaugh said before reading a psalm (link via CSN Mid-Atlantic). “Every single guy in that locker room loves him who knows him.”
Reuland entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and signed with the 49ers. In 2012, he found his way to the Jets and appeared in every regular season game. In the following year, he had his season with the Jets cut short by a knee injury. After a brief stay with the Colts, he hooked on with the Ravens in November 2014 and cycled between their main roster and practice squad for a long time. In 2015, he saw time in four games for Baltimore. He was in camp with the Colts again this summer, but he did not make the final cut.
We here at PFR would like to extend our condolences to Reuland’s family, friends, and teammates.
- Former Hard Knocks favorite Charles James has made his way to the Colts‘ 53-man roster after the team signed him, per Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com (on Twitter), in the wake of placing three players — including starters Jack Mewhort and Clayton Geathers — on IR. James played in 12 games for the Texans this season, making 12 tackles. The team waived James last week after re-signing him as an exclusive-rights free agent in March.
The Colts will finish their season without the services of two starters after placing left guard Jack Mewhort and free safety Clayton Geathers on IR.
A left knee injury will sideline Mewhort, per the Associated Press, with Geathers being unable to overcome a neck malady that sidelined him for the past two games.
To fill the duo’s roster spots, Indianapolis promoted wide receiver Devin Street from the practice squad and signed safety Duke Williams.
Thought to potentially be out for the entire season with a torn ACL sustained during preseason play, Mewhort returned in time for Week 1 and started for the Colts in each of the 10 games for which he was active. Mewhort has rated as a top-25 guard in each of the past two seasons in the opinion of Pro Football Focus, coming in as the No. 22 player at the interior-line spot after finishing 2015 as the site’s ninth-highest-graded guard.
The former second-round pick has started each of the 40 games he’s played and will be entering a contract year in 2017.
A fourth-rounder last year, Geathers rated as a top-10 run-defending safety, per PFF, but played in just nine games in this his second season. Geathers finished with 58 tackles, five pass deflections and a forced fumble during his first season as a full-time starter, a status he will likely return to in 2017 assuming he overcomes this neck setback.
The 6-7 Colts now have eight players on IR, also placing backup linebacker Curt Maggitt on the season-ending list.
The Bills cut Williams earlier this year after the former fourth-round pick in 2013 made 10 starts for Buffalo from 2014-16.
The final month of the regular season will dictate the playoff futures for teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Chiefs, and Raiders. For other teams, the postseason is a statistical impossibility. Already, the Jets, Jaguars, Browns, Rams, Bears, and 49ers have been mathematically eliminated. The Chargers, Saints, Panthers, Eagles, Bengals, and Cardinals are not technically out of it, but their chances are remote.
Here’s where those teams and the others not currently ticketed for the playoffs stand in the draft order (Note – Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 0-13
- 49ers 1-12
- Jaguars 2-11
- Bears 3-10
- Rams 4-9 (pick belongs to Titans)
- Jets 4-9
- Panthers 5-8
- Chargers 5-8
- Saints 5-8
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 5-8
- Cardinals 5-7-1
- Bengals 5-7-1
- Bills 6-7
- Colts 6-7
- Titans 7-6
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-6
- Packers 7-6
- Redskins 7-5-1
- Ravens 7-5 (Note – The Ravens play their Week 14 game tonight against the Patriots.)
- Dolphins 8-5
Strength of schedule via SB Nation.