Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: TE Tanner Hudson, QB Reid Sinnett
Indianapolis Colts
- Reverted to IR from reserve/suspended list: TE Leonard Taylor
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Royce Freeman, WR Austin Trammell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Devon Allen, P Braden Mann
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: LB J.J. Russell, DL Deadrin Senat
Tennessee Titans
- Moved from commissioner’s exempt list to IR: RB Hassan Haskins
Sinnett joined the Bengals’ practice squad late last week. This move preceded A.J. McCarron‘s return by one day. Joe Burrow is in uniform tonight, but the Bengals will take advantage of the emergency third QB rule by bumping Sinnett up to the active roster. Jake Browning is in place as Burrow’s backup.
After the Jets and Steelers waived Mann this year, he secured another chance in Philly. The team brought Mann onto its practice squad last week, moving their punter of the past two seasons — Arryn Siposs — off their roster. Mann is in his fourth NFL season; the former sixth-round pick served as the Jets’ punter from 2020-22.
With Quez Watkins inactive, Allen received his first opportunity to suit up for an NFL game. The two-time Olympian 110-meter hurdler has been on the Eagles’ practice squad for the past two seasons. A former wideout at Oregon, Allen devoted much of his 20s to track, becoming one of the best 110 hurdlers in U.S. history. Since landing on the Eagles’ 90-man offseason roster in 2022, Allen has worked as a two-sport athlete.
Colts Sign CB Chris Lammons To Practice Squad
4:05pm: Lammons’ time on the open market has proven to be rather short-lived. Per a team announcement, he has signed onto the Colts’ practice squad.
3:43pm: As is the case for Alvin Kamara, Monday marks the end of Colts cornerback Chris Lammons‘ suspension. Unlike the Saints running back, the latter is now on the lookout for a new home. 
The Colts announced they have released Lammons, meaning he will not be given the opportunity to carve out a role upon his return to game action. Both he and Kamara were issued three-game suspensions to begin the campaign stemming from the violent altercation they were involved in during the 2022 Pro Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.
The players reached a settlement with the victim this past July, and entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor charge. Despite having previously been indicted by a grand jury on felony charges, then, it appeared likely Kamara and Lammons would be facing six-game personal conduct violations. The former met with commissioner Roger Goodell days before the bans were handed down.
Kamara’s pedigree as a five-time Pro Bowler (along with the the placement of Jamaal Williams on IR) will see him take on starting duties right away, but Lammons was never in line for such a signficant role with the Colts. The 27-year-old has played almost exclusively on special teams in his career, which began in Miami but saw him spend the next three seasons in Kansas City.
Lammons had a brief spell with the Bengals after being claimed off waivers, but he signed with the Colts in July. That move seemed to give him the opportunity to continue his third phase role at a minimum, though Indianapolis’ lack of experienced cover men could have paved the way to defensive playing time. Instead, the former UDFA is now a free agent.
Given the suspension and his role in the incident which led to the ban, it will be worth watching how interested teams around the league are in adding Lammons. With 42 games to his name, though, he could be a serviceable depth addition for clubs in need of in-season reinforcements.
Latest On Colts, Jonathan Taylor
One more week remains until Jonathan Taylor will be eligible to be activated from the PUP list. Plenty remains to be seen what will happen next for the Colts running back, but the chances of a trade appear to be dwindling. 
The Colts have explored a deal sending the 24-year-old elsewhere, something which would be difficult to sort out given the price required in a trade and a subsequent extension handed out by an acquiring team. Indianapolis was originally thought to be seeking a first-round pick (or a package of draft capital with equal value), but that may no longer be the case. A report from earlier this week indicated a lesser asking price might be sufficient to get a deal done.
In spite of that, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports it is increasingly likely Taylor remains with the Colts. He notes executives around the league doubt that Indianapolis has ever truly intended to move on from the 2021 rushing champion, whose PUP designation came amidst speculation his ankle injury is not serious enough to keep him out of game action. A few teams have been brought up in Taylor trade negotiations, but at least one of them (the Packers) is no longer interested in a swap.
The first few weeks of the NFL season has seen several major injuries at the running back spot, including J.K. Dobbins and Nick Chubb being lost for the year due to Achilles and knee injuries, respectively. As Jones notes, those examples of the injury risk the position is marked with “have not helped” Taylor’s market. The Ravens and Browns have looked elsewhere for depth options (reuniting with Kenyan Drake and Kareem Hunt) in lieu of a Taylor trade. The Bears, Jones adds, never emerged as an interested party.
With few obvious suitors in place at this point, the likeliest outcome in this situation is that Taylor remains with the Colts through Week 4, when he will first be eligible to be activated. As Jones notes, though, the true calendar point to watch in Taylor’s case will be the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Taylor must play six total games (with the Colts and/or another team) in 2023 to accrue another year toward free agency. He is on the final year of his rookie pact, meaning the franchise tag looms as a viable option for 2024 from the Colts’ perspective.
General manager Chris Ballard has publicly expressed optimism the team’s relationship with Taylor can be repaired. With a trade still Taylor’s preference, per Jones, it will be worth watching how active Indianapolis is in working out a potential deal. For the time being, though, it seems unlikely Taylor will be on the move in the immediate future.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/23
Here are the various practice squad elevations and other minor moves from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: DL Ben Stille
- Placed on IR: DL Carlos Watkins
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Timmy Horne, OL Tyler Vrabel
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: OLB Jeremiah Moon
- Elevated: RB Melvin Gordon, RB Kenyan Drake
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle, QB Jake Luton
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DL Daniel Hardy, S A.J. Thomas
- Placed on IR: LB Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: T Ty Nsekhe
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: CB C.J. Goodwin
- Elevated: C Sean Harlow, C Brock Hoffman
- Placed on IR: CB Trevon Diggs (story)
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: RB Dwayne Washington
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: S Brandon Joseph, OL Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Khalil Davis, T Austin Deculus
- Placed on IR: CB Derek Stingley Jr. (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: G Ike Boettger, WR Juwann Winfree
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: WR Jacob Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen, WR Montrell Washington
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DE Isaac Rochell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: OL Zack Bailey
- Elevated: S Dean Marlowe
- Waived: S A.J. Finley
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: WR Robbie Chosen, LB Cameron Goode
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Trishton Jackson
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: S Jonathan Abram, CB Cameron Dantzler
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: LB Sam Eguaveon
- Elevated: OL Chris Glaser
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: RB Qadree Ollison
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: LB Jon Rhattigan, S Teez Tabor
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: DL Jaleel Johnson, OL Justin Murray
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: FB Alex Armah
Colts Release RB Deon Jackson
The Colts are moving on from a Week 1 starter. The team is releasing running back Deon Jackson, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Colts are filling the open roster spot with running back Trey Sermon, who will be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster.
[RELATED: Colts Add RB Trey Sermon To Practice Squad]
With Jonathan Taylor sitting on PUP and Zack Moss sidelined with a hand injury, the Colts handed Jackson the reigns to start the season. The third-year RB disappointed, finishing Week 1 with 28 yards from scrimmage on 18 touches. Moss returned in Week 2 and stole all the running back carries, and Jackson was limited to only a single special teams snap in that win over the Texans.
Now, Jackson will find himself looking for his next gig. The former UDFA out of Duke spent two-plus seasons in Indy, appearing in 27 games. He started two of his 16 appearances in 2022, finishing with 445 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
While the Colts continue to seek a resolution with Taylor, the team has done some work to reshuffle their RB corps this week. The team added Sermon to the practice squad before declaring Evan Hull out for the season with a torn meniscus. For the time being, the Colts will move forward with a depth chart that consists of Moss, Sermon, and Jake Funk.
Sermon started two of his nine appearances for the 49ers during his rookie campaign, with the third-round pick finishing with 193 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. San Francisco ended up cutting him at the end of the 2022 preseason, and he spent most of last season on the Eagles practice squad.
Colts Willing To Take Less For Jonathan Taylor?
The Jonathan Taylor drama has quieted down a bit since the start of the season, but by no means does that mean it isn’t there. After failing to both 1) reach a long-term agreement with Taylor and 2) find a viable trade partner willing to meet their price for Taylor, the Colts placed him on the physically unable to perform list, where he remains today. After the constant drama and failure to navigate their way out of it, is Indianapolis willing to lower its asking price? ESPN’s Stephen Holder thinks so.
The team’s relationship with Taylor seems fractured beyond repair. The Colts made it very clear that they were not willing to commit to Taylor long-term. And, if they choose to utilize the franchise tag on Taylor after the season to keep him from hitting free agency, it’s hard to see any situation where the relationship is repaired. If they remain uncommitted to signing the former All-Pro to a long-term contract, trading Taylor seems like the best option.
Seemingly, Taylor’s pure talent should be enough to convince the Colts to hold on to him for the long-term. Especially considering what they’ve been working with in his absence. In Week 1, while Zack Moss continued recovering from a broken arm, Indianapolis was forced to turn to a combination of Deon Jackson, Evan Hull, and Jake Funk. The three combined for 25 rushing yards on 16 carries for zero touchdowns and two lost fumbles. Moss made his debut in Week 2, during which he would be the only running back to see snaps on offense, playing 56 of the team’s 57 offensive snaps.
This sends a clear message about the team’s confidence in its depth at the position. The Colts were completely dependent on Moss with Taylor still out, and while it’s nice to be able to depend on Moss and have him deliver, they would likely prefer to have multiple options they can trust. Seeing how little the team feels they can trust their current running backs room, one might think their eyes would be opened to the benefits of signing Taylor long-term. Of course, one might think that a 2021 rushing title and a career 5.1 yards per carry might be enough to open their eyes, but here we are.
So, if the Colts want any return on losing Taylor, they’ll need to find a trade partner for the young rusher. Obviously, they need to aim for teams that have the desire and bandwidth to sign Taylor to a long-term deal. Besides that, the asking price has been their biggest concern. The Dolphins and Packers reportedly showed interest in trading for and signing Taylor, but both teams were unable to match the haul that the Indianapolis was requesting. The Packers are also now believed to be out of the running.
Holder reminds that the team’s asking price was a package of picks that amounted to a first-rounder, but he also claims that the Colts would be willing to “settle for something a bit less.” What exactly that means is yet to be determined as the team will still likely continue to play hardball in an effort to avoid giving him away for pennies on the dollar, but if they’re able to lower their expectations, it could open the door for a new team to come in and add Taylor to their stable.
For now, the Colts will hope to see Taylor back on the field after his stint on the PUP list. Past that, there’s still hope that cooler heads prevail, and the two sides can come to an agreement, but a lower asking price for Taylor may lead to the 24-year-old’s inevitable exit.
Colts’ Gardner Minshew To Start In Week 3
2:15pm: The Colts have, as expected, officially ruled out Richardson for Sunday’s contest. That leaves Minshew in place to carry on the starting duties he had to close out Week 2. A successful run in the QB1 spot – however brief it may be – could boost the latter’s free agent prospects with the Colts or another interested team come the offseason.
11:55am: Anthony Richardson exited the Colts’ Week 2 victory with a concussion, leading to questions about his ability to recover in time for the team’s next contest. He remains sidelined during practice, leaving it highly unlikely he will be under center come Sunday. 
Richardson has not taken part in practice all week, including an absence on Friday, per The Athletic’s James Boyd. The No. 4 pick has yet to be ruled out officially, but his chances of clearing the league’s concussion protocol within the next 48 hours are slim. As a result, Gardner Minshew is in line to start for Indianapolis against the Ravens in Week 3.
Minshew took over for Richardson after he exited the Colts’ win over the Texans. The 27-year-old went 19-for-23 and recorded 171 passing yards and one touchdown, numbers which helped move the offense at an efficient clip and prove his effectiveness as a fill-in option. Minshew split first-team reps with Richardson at the onset of training camp, but it was quickly decided that the latter would assume starting duties right away with Minshew representing a known commodity available on the bench.
The former sixth-rounder signed a one-year deal in March, following head coach Shane Steichen from Philadelphia to Indianapolis. Minshew spent a pair of season under Steichen during his time as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, making four starts and nine total appearances. His performance there wasn’t enough to garner interest as a starter on a new team, and it was widely understood the Colts would follow up the Minshew signing by drafting a signal-caller early in April. Their decision to add a well-known insurance policy will be proven to be a sound one, presuming Richardson is indeed ruled out in the near future.
While it is likely the 21-year-old will sit out Sunday’s contest, he is optimistic he will be back in action for the following week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. A cautious approach would come as no surprise so early in Richardson’s career, considering the investment made in him and the presence of a veteran as a spot starter while he recovers. For at least one full game, it will in all likelihood be Minshew at the helm.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/21/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB D’Angelo Ross
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Dakoda Shepley
- Placed on IR: CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Michael Ojemudia
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Breon Borders, CB Azizi Hearn
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Kirk Merritt
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Tyreke Smith
- Released: OL Greg Eiland
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Jayden Peevy
The Patriots are struggling with injuries in their cornerbacks room, so the organization added two players to the practice squad for reinforcement. Borders has the most experience, with the veteran appearing in 32 games since entering the league in 2017. He only got into a single game for the Bears in 2022, but he did appear in 12 games with the Titans and Cardinals in 2021. Hearn had a stint with the Chargers after going undrafted out of UCLA in this year’s draft.
Colts RB Evan Hull Expected To Miss Rest Of Season
Unavailability has been a constant in the Colts’ backfield, which remains without Jonathan Taylor. The team also lost Zack Moss to a broken arm during training camp. While Moss is back, one of Indianapolis’ other backups is not expected to return this season.
Placed on IR last week, Evan Hull is likely to see his rookie season end early. The fifth-round pick suffered a torn meniscus that is expected to sideline him for the rest of the season, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets.
With Taylor on the reserve/PUP list and Moss missing Week 1, the Colts used Hull as part of their makeshift backfield in their opener. Teaming with Deon Jackson, Hull played eight snaps in Indy’s opener. But the knee injury intervened on a third-quarter carry. As a result, the Colts will need to make more adjustments in their backfield.
Hull showed pass-catching potential during his final Northwestern season, hauling in 55 passes for 546 yards. His rookie contract runs through 2026.
In Week 2, the Colts turned to Moss almost exclusively. The 2022 trade acquisition played 98% of the Colts’ offensive snaps in the team’s win over the Texans. Jackson remains in place as a backup. Ex-Rams UDFA Jake Funk sits as the third RB on the Colts’ 53-man roster. Indianapolis also added Trey Sermon, who did not make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster in August, to its practice squad this week. Sermon and recent pickup Tyler Goodson, a 2022 Packers UDFA, reside on the Colts’ P-squad.
Taylor is out until at least Week 5. The former rushing champion requested a trade in July and is far from certain to be in a Colts uniform when first eligible, though the disgruntled back has been working out at the team’s facility. Taylor can return to practice next week, but the Colts may also revisit the trade talks that cooled ahead of the roster-cutdown deadline.
Colts Add RB Trey Sermon To Practice Squad
With Jonathan Taylor‘s future with the Colts looming over the organization, the team has added an intriguing name to the running backs room. The Colts announced that they’ve signed running back Trey Sermon to the practice squad.
[RELATED: Colts Likely To Resume Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks]
It wasn’t all that long ago that Sermon looked like he could be the future RB for the 49ers. However, the 2021 third-round pick quickly fell behind 2021 sixth-round pick Elijah Mitchell in the pecking order, and Sermon was only thrown into the lineup when he was the last man standing. Sermon ended up starting two of his nine appearances during that 2021 campaign, finishing with 193 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown.
The 49ers ended up cutting him at the end of the 2022 preseason, and he quickly caught on with the Eagles via waivers. He wasn’t able to make much of a dent in a deep Philly RBs room, with Sermon garnering a pair of carries (for 19 yards) in two appearances. Sermon was waived/injured by the Eagles back in August, and after passing through waivers and reverting to IR, the Eagles let him go for good last week.
Now he’ll be joining a Colts RB corps that’s a bit uncertain with their leading rusher sitting on PUP. It’s unknown if Taylor will even play again for Indy, leaving the team to figure out a contingency plan at the position. Zack Moss returned from injury in Week 2 and got all of the looks at RB for the Colts, stealing snaps from Week 1 starter Deon Jackson. The Colts are also rostering Jake Funk.
In other words, Sermon has a chance to carve out a role on a questionable depth chart. The team hinted that they could be seeking additional depth at the position when they worked out James Robinson earlier this month.