Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
With Week 2 of the NFL season underway, teams have begun to again modify their 10-man practice squads. We’ll have Tuesday’s updates right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Eagles signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn and offensive lineman Tyler Hoover to the practice squad, writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, they released linebacker Colton Underwood, who was signed to the practice squad last week.
- Running back Chris Rainey and cornerback Teddy Williams have joined the Cardinals‘ practice squad, taking the spots of receiver Kevin Cone and running back Dominique Williams, who was placed on the PS-injured list, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Redskins have made a couple more changes to their practice squad. According to Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch (via Twitter), former Virginia Tech defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins has been added, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that cornerback Richard Crawford has been cut.
- In order to make room for the previously-reported practice squad addition of wideout Greg Herd, the Bears have terminated the contract of defensive tackle Roy Philon, the team announced today (via Twitter).
- Linebacker Josh Kaddu has filled the final opening on the Vikings‘ practice squad, the club announced (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Tight end Michael Egnew, a former third-round pick, has signed to the Jaguars’ practice squad, replacing offensive tackle Cody Booth, the club announced today in a press release. Tight end Reggie Jordan was also removed from Jacksonville’s injured reserve list.
- The Chiefs will sign tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). We heard yesterday that wideout Armon Binns would also join Kansas City’s practice squad, so the club will have to cut two players from the unit to make the additions official.
- With an opening on their practice squad, the Broncos have filled it by signing tight end Dominique Jones, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
- The Redskins have cut wide receiver Nick Williams from their practice squad, a source tells Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter link).
Chiefs Announce Series Of Roster Moves
The Chiefs officially finalized a series of roster moves today, according to a team release. Besides confirming the signing of defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, and the additions of wideout Armon Binns and tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, which had been previously reported, the Chiefs also announced the following moves:
Added to 53-man roster:
- Dwayne Bowe, WR (activated from reserve-suspended list)
- Jerry Franklin, LB (promoted from practice squad)
Removed from 53-man roster:
- Mike DeVito, DE (placed on injured reserve)
- Derrick Johnson, LB (placed on injured reserve)
- Daniel Sorensen, S (waived)
Signed to practice squad:
- Curtis Feigt, T
- Robert Steeples, CB
- Jerel Worthy, DT
Removed from practice squad:
- Jordan Campbell, FB
- Hebron Fangupo, DT
- Ben Gottschalk, C
- Darryl Surgent, WR
Chiefs Sign Kevin Vickerson
After losing two key defenders to season-ending injuries in their Week 1 game, the Chiefs have moved quickly to start fortifying their defense. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the team has agreed to sign defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson to a one-year deal.
Vickerson, 31, had spent the last four seasons with the Broncos, starting 41 of the 47 games he played for the team, including all all 11 contests he appeared in last year. A solid but unspectacular contributor on the line, Vickerson has typically performed better against the run than as a pass-rusher, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).
A roster casualty during Denver’s cutdown to 53 players, Vickerson hit the free agent market at the end of the preseason, and visited the Bengals last week to audition for the team. While it appeared that the former seventh-round pick would ultimately sign with Cincinnati, the Chiefs were probably the more desperate team this week, following the Achilles injuries suffered by Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito.
With Johnson and DeVito both likely headed to IR, Kansas City shouldn’t have to cut anyone to create room on the roster for Vickerson.
Minor Moves: Monday
With the season’s first Sunday in the books, a handful of teams are shuffling their rosters in preparation for next week’s games. Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Bears have added receiver Greg Herd to the practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Herd spent time with the team during training camp before he was cut on August 23.
- The Seahawks have signed cornerback Josh Thomas to take the place of the injured Jeremy Lane, reports ESPN’s Terry Blount (via Twitter). They’ve also made some changes to their practice squad, adding guard Nate Isles and safety Terrance Parks in place of guard David Arkin and safety Josh Aubrey, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- With Dave Zastudil being bothered by a groin injury, the Cardinals have signed punter Drew Butler, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).
- Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi has been claimed off waivers by the Ravens, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bilukidi was cut over the weekend by the Bengals.
- When the Bengals cut Bilukidi, they signed Onterio McCalebb to their active roster, but he lasted just two days — he has been waived, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who adds (via Twitter) that the club has also terminated wide receiver Cobi Hamilton from the exempt list of the practice squad.
- To make room for Bilukidi, the Ravens waived running back Fitz Toussaint, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Broncos have cut long snapper Kevin McDermott from their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. His spot will be taken by tight end Dominique Davis, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has been replaced on the Browns‘ practice squad by defensive lineman Calvin Barnett, says Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- The Bears have signed safety Ahmad Dixon from the Vikings‘ practice squad, cutting cornerback Demontre Hurst to open up a spot on their roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Dixon was drafted by the Cowboys but was waived by Dallas during preseason roster cutdowns.
- Offensive tackle Andrew McDonald is also making the move from one team’s practice squad to another club’s 53-man roster, according to agent Brett Tessler, who tweets that his client has a deal with the Seahawks. McDonald had previously been one of the 10 players on the Panthers‘ practice squad.
- The Bills have cut defensive end Jacquies Smith to make room for Nigel Bradham, who is returning this week from his one-game suspension, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak.
- The Seahawks have placed cornerback Jeremy Lane, who is suffering from a groin injury, on their injured reserve list with the designation to return, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Defensive back Jamarca Sanford, who had been on the Vikings‘ injured reserve list, has been released with a settlement, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
- The Chiefs have signed wideout Armon Binns to their practice squad and removed cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke from their IR with an injury settlement, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links).
FA Workouts: Kickers, Seahawks, Chiefs, Bills
A pair of veteran kickers, David Akers and Rob Bironas, have been working out together in Tennessee and hope to continue their NFL careers this season, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). While there are no openings at the position around the league for now, it’s probably just a matter of time until a kicker gets hurt or loses his job after missing a few field goals, and Akers and Bironas look like two of the most reliable options available. I expect we’ll see them on NFL rosters at some point this season.
Here’s more on free agents looking for new teams:
- On the lookout for some help at cornerback after placing Jeremy Lane on injured reserve, the Seahawks worked out Mike Harris and Keith Lewis today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- The Chiefs will also be looking for some reinforcements on defense after seeing two key players go down with major Achilles injuries on Sunday. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that defensive end Jerel Worthy, who was recently cut by the Patriots, was among the players auditioning for Kansas City today.
- Defensive end James Davidson, a UTEP alum who was in camp with the Bengals, is working out for the Bills today, according to Caplan (via Twitter).
- Caplan also provides an update (via Twitter) on ex-Eagles wideout Arrelious Benn, who isn’t trying out for any teams yet, but received a six-week injury settlement from Philadelphia and hopes to be ready to return to action even earlier than that.
Poll: Which Injury Will Have The Most Impact?
As the first Sunday of NFL football of the 2014 season comes to a close, coming away with a win was an important goal for every NFL team. A not-too-distant second was escaping healthy, as the Panthers confirmed by holding Cam Newton out of the opener. For as crucial as starting the season off with a victory is, the long-term health of the roster is as important for teams keying in on a playoff run.
However, the cliché is that the NFL is a war of attrition, and a few teams have already been bit by the injury bug before the first game was over. Bengals’ tight end Tyler Eifert suffered an elbow injury that knocked him our of the game and could be headed to the IR, albeit with designation for return.
The Chiefs lost two member of their starting defense today, with both linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive lineman Mike DeVito both rupturing their achilles in a 26-10 loss to the Titans. The team will likely be without each player for the remainder of the season. Injuries to pass rushers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston derailed the defense last season, and after only one week the defense has already taken a big hit.
Evan Mathis has been one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL since arriving in Philadelphia in 2011. A major driving force for the Eagles’ prolific ground attack, Mathis went down with a knee injury today against the Jaguars. The team rallied for a comeback victory, but losing their left guard for an extended period of time could make things difficult for the Eagles’ offense.
Possibly the biggest name to leave a game with an injury and unable to return is first-round pick Jadeveon Clowney. Much like Mathis, Clowney suffered a knee injury, and he will miss time early in the Texans’ season. The team is set up to absorb the injury, with players in place to wade the time. However, while he has not proven his worth at the NFL level, his explosiveness and big play ability will be missed. More importantly, when the Texans do need him later in the season he will be behind the learning curve, still acclimating himself to the speed of the league.
For each of these situations, it will depend on how long the players end up out of the lineup. Teams can weather the storm for a time, but an early season injury can be a huge setback for a team with playoff hopes. The Eagles and Bengals both won their divisions in 2013, but both the AFC North and NFC East were expected to be close, with contenders waiting to pounce. The Chiefs were a surprise wild card team in 2013, but primed for regression before the injuries. The Texans missed the playoffs last season, which set them up to take Clowney at the top of the draft. However they were prepared to make it a quick return to the playoffs with the AFC South up for grabs. Each team has seen their postseason hopes grow more difficult with these week one injuries.
Chiefs’ Johnson, DeVito Rupture Achilles
Week 1 couldn’t have gone much worse in Kansas City — the Chiefs not only suffered a 26-10 loss at the hands of the Titans, but will likely miss two key defenders for the rest of the season. Linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive lineman Mike DeVito both ruptured their Achilles tendons, announced head coach Andy Reid (via the team’s Twitter account).
Johnson, 30, leads an Chiefs inside linebacking unit that simply doesn’t have the depth to withstand his absence. Johnson played on 97% of Kansas City’ defensive snaps last season, racking up 95 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two interceptions. Advanced metrics rated him well, as he graded out as the third-best 3-4 inside linebacker among 55 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). With Joe Mays having been placed on short-term IR, the Chiefs will turn to Josh Mauga and James-Michael Johnson to hold the fort in the middle of the field.
DeVito’s loss is just as devastating, as the 30-year-old started 13 games last season, finishing with 18 tackles. Like Johnson, DeVito fared well according to PFF, grading as the seventh-best 3-4 defensive end on 446 snaps. The Chiefs have a little more depth along the line than at linebacker, but Vance Walker, Damion Square, and Jaye Howard can’t be expected to match the production of DeVito.
Already expected to regress in 2014, the Chiefs can’t afford to lose players of Johnson and DeVito’s caliber. Kansas City’s defense experienced life without its stars in 2013, as well — the Chiefs ranked 14th in weighted defensive DVOA, which more heavily factors in late-season performance, following injuries to Justin Houston and Tamba Hali (after ranking ninth for the year in total). After accounting for today’s news, and the fact that Brandon Flowers and Tyson Jackson departed over the offseason, 14th is probably the ceiling for the Chiefs’ defensive DVOA performance in 2014.
Sunday Roundup: Harbaugh, Gordon, Manuel
After Michigan’s embarrassing loss to Notre Dame on Saturday evening, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wondered if Michigan fans would begin to dream of 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s return to Ann Arbor to coach his alma mater. We detailed Harbaugh’s contract situation last month, and as Florio writes, “with no new contract in place and no plan to try to work one out until after the season, Michigan could opt to chase Harbaugh.”
In a series of tweets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that some 49ers sources believe that Harbaugh is already losing his locker room as the club’s veterans are wondering if their coach is really “all in.” Rapoport adds that some veterans were annoyed that Harbaugh took the team to Baltimore for a few days to hold joint practices with his brother, John, head coach of the Ravens. Between those rumblings and the fact that an extension was not reached in the offseason, Rapoport wonders if this will be Jim Harbaugh’s final season in San Francisco.
Now for some more notes from around the league as the season gets underway in full force:
- Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the 49ers will re-sign special teams standout Kassim Osgood tomorrow. Joel Corry notes (via Twitter) that the team did the same thing with Osgood last season (release him at the end of camp only to re-sign him after Week 1) and will get termination pay relief again.
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer writes that, under the terms of the new drug policy being discussed by the league and the player’s union, Josh Gordon could be reinstated and back on the field for the Browns as early as next week, though he might still be suspended two games in November for his pending DWI charge.
- ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that there are some within the Bills organization who are skeptical of EJ Manuel‘s ability to succeed, and the team is not afraid to make a switch to Kyle Orton.
Minor Moves: Saturday
As most of the team’s prepare for their season-debut tomorrow, some minor moves are likely to be made. We’ll keep track of the day’s transactions right here, with the most recent moves being added to the top:
- Defensive lineman Garrison Smith has been dropped from the Dolphins‘ practice squad in order to make room for the previously-reported addition of Brandian Ross, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Wilson also clarifies (via Twitter) that Quinton Pointer‘s release from the Buccaneers, which is noted below, was an injury waiver.
Earlier updates:
- The Buccaneers are expected to add receiver Solomon Patton to the 53-man roster, reports Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). The team released cornerback Quinton Pointer and former University of Florida receiver Louis Murphy to make room for Patton and Dixon.
- The Seahawks have waived wide receiver Phil Bates, reports Terry Blount of ESPN (via Twitter). Blount believes this will open room on the roster for a cornerback.
- The Chargers have waived Vincent Brown after reaching an injury settlement, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Brown will be eligible to be claimed on Monday at 4 P.M. ET.
- The Dolphins have re-signed safety Brandian Ross to their practice squad, reports Caplan (via Twitter).
- The Eagles have released receiver Arrelious Benn from IR with an injury settlement, reports Caplan (via Twitter).
- The Ravens have promoted running back Fitz Toussaint from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Toussaint will replace the recently released Derek Cox.
- The Patriots have added defensive lineman Kelcy Quarles to their practice squad, according to the team’s official website. They released tight end Allen Reisner to make room.
- Buccaneers cornerback Brandon Dixon, a sixth-round pick by the Jets this past year, will be activated from the practice squad, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora.
- The Bengals have waived defensive end Christo Bilukidi, reports ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey (via Twitter). The team signed cornerback Onterio McCalebb off the practice squad.
- Brandon Barden, a tight end who previously spent time with the Titans, was removed from the Jaguars injured reserve with an injury settlement, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Cornerback Damond Smith was removed from the Chiefs injured reserve with an injury settlement, tweets Wilson.
- Panthers tight end D.C. Jefferson was placed on the team’s reserve/suspended list, tweets Wilson. Jefferson was previously on the team’s injured reserve list.
AFC Notes: Texans, Broncos, Jags, Spiller
With Ryan Mallett no longer in the Patriots‘ plans, the Texans were able to acquire Tom Brady‘s former backup last weekend on the cheap, parting ways with just a sixth- or seventh-round pick, depending on how much playing time Mallett sees in Houston. According to Lance Zierlein of Sports Talk 790 in Houston though, Mallett wasn’t the only signal-caller the Texans explored trading for. Zierlein tweets that Houston also targeted Matt Barkley of the Eagles before landing Mallett.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Broncos‘ contract talks with receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas aren’t dead but they’re not active either, writes Mike Klis of The Denver Post. Demaryius Thomas‘ agent Todd France probably wants to see a resolution to Dez Bryant‘s contract talks before striking a deal. Meanwhile, the Broncos have exchanged proposals with Orange Julius’ agent Frank Bauer but those talks appear to have stalled.
- The Jaguars worked out kickers Derek Dimke and Alex Henery and even though they liked what they saw, they sent them home now that Josh Scobee is recovering from his groin injury, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
- Bills running back C.J. Spiller, who could hit the open market this offseason, is signing on with agent Chad Speck, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- When Tom Brady and the Patriots part ways, former Pats center and CSNNE analyst Dan Koppen says it will be Bill Belichick‘s call, not Brady’s. “As long as Bill is here, he will make those decisions,” said Koppen. “If Tom is not carrying his weight or he’s in a decline Bill’s going to bring him in the office and have a little speech. “Maybe he gets a hug at the end, but I guarantee it’s going to be, ‘Tom, we’re going to release you. Thanks for coming. We appreciate everything You’ve done, but I’ve got to do what’s best for the football team.'”
- In his latest piece for NFL.com, Albert Breer examines the quarterback situations for the Jaguars, Chiefs, Raiders, and Bills, including a look at the rookies in Jacksonville and Oakland, as well as Kansas City’s investment in Alex Smith.
- People around the league believe that Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith has plenty of good football ahead of him, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “Steve’s getting up there in age, but he hasn’t changed his tenacity and physicality,” said former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, an NBC analyst. “He’s still able to impose his will. When you talk about his style of play, pairing up with the Baltimore Ravens, the two go hand in hand. He brings that toughness to the offense they haven’t had since Anquan Boldin was playing for them.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.