NFL Workout Updates: 10/16/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- DT Shakir Soto; S Maurice Alexander (link)
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Steven Johnson (link)
Detroit Lions
- QB Taylor Heinicke; WR Kenny Lawler; TE Jason Croom (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WRs Corey Brown, Noel Thomas (link via Mark Long of the Associated Press); G Thomas Evans; OTs Javarius Leamon, Storm Norton; DBs Ronald Martin, L.J. McCray (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- WRs Daniel Braverman, Frankie Hammond, Tim Patrick (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
New England Patriots
- QB Garrett Grayson; WRs Tim Patrick, Deonte Thompson; DE Jhaustin Thomas; LBs Boseko Lokombo, Marcus Rush (all Twitter links via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Shaun Draughn (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- P Brock Miller (link)
NFL Workout Updates: 9/18/17
Today’s workout update notes:
Buffalo Bills
- Ps Taylor Symmank, and Matt Wile; LS Derek Hart (Twitter links via Howard Balzer and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Carolina Panthers
- S Jack Tocho (Tuesday) (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press)
Cincinnati Bengals
- QBs Jerod Evans and Wes Lunt; RB Kelvin Taylor; WRs C.J. Board and Moritz Boehringer; TEs Taylor McNamara and Wes Saxton; DE Pat O’Connor; CBs Alex Carter and Josh Thornton (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, and Howard Balzer)
Detroit Lions
- LB Tre’Von Johnson (Twitter link via Balzer)
Green Bay Packers
- OL Fahn Cooper, Givens Price, and Brandon Thomas (Twitter link via Pelissero)
Houston Texans
- TE Alex Ellis (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Indianapolis Colts
- TEs Sam Cotton, Alex Ellis, Scott Orndoff, Josiah Price, Steven Scheu, Robert Tonyan (Twitter link via Balzer)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WR Jaydon Mickens; DBs Robert Blanton, Marqueston Huff, and Robenson Therezie (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)
New England Patriots
- WRs River Cracraft, Kenny Lawler, and Nelson Spruce; DE Jonathan Woodard; DB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- CB Bradley Sylve (Tuesday) (Twitter link via Wilson)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Joseph Jones; S Tyvis Powell (Twitter link via Balzer)
Jets Work Out Howard Jones
Free agent pass rusher Howard Jones auditioned for the Jets on Friday, Howard Balzer reports (on Twitter). Wide receivers C.J. Board and Kenny Lawler also tried out, per Balzer.
The only somewhat known commodity here is Jones, who’s two years removed from a productive first season in 2015. Then with the Buccaneers, Jones piled up five sacks across 12 games, five starts and 386 snaps. That type of output was unexpected, as Jones entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University in 2014 and didn’t see any on-field time with his first team, the Steelers.
Jones came back to earth last season, registering a lone tackle and no sacks in eight games (no starts, 84 snaps), before suffering a torn ACL in November. The Buccaneers opted against tendering the then-exclusive rights free agent a contract over the winter, and he has drawn scant interest on the open market. The Jets have been eyeing Jones for a while, though, as they met with him in March. The 27-year-old would likely play a 3-4 outside linebacker role with Gang Green after working as a 4-3 defensive end in Tampa Bay.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/17
Tuesday’s practice squad moves…
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Josh Woodrum
- Cut: TE Ryan Malleck
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Malachi Dupre
- Cut: WR Daikiel Shorts
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Johnathan Calvin, WR Devin Lucien
- Cut: WR Fred Brown, S Ronald Martin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Rickey Hatley
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Daniel Lasco
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Max Valles
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: T Victor Salako, CB De’Vante Bausby
- Cut: CB C.J. Smith, WR Greg Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Jarnor Jones
- Cut: LB Ben Boulware
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: WR Kenny Lawler, OT Jarron Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Tim Semisch, OL Cody Wichmann
- Cut: TE Jerome Cunningham, OL Steven Moore
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/8/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Zach Sterup
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Hakeem Valles, WR Noel Thomas
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Dee Virgin
- Released: DE Daniel Ross
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Nick Dzubnar
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Jomal Wiltz
New Orleans Saints
- Released: DL Kristjan Sokoli
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: K Giorgio Tavecchio
- Released: LB Max Valles
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Kenny Lawler
- Released: WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: T Justin Murray
- Placed on IR: T Marquis Lucas
Seahawks Now At 53
The Seahawks made some moves to get down to 53, including the release of last year’s backup quarterback. Here’s the full rundown:
Waived:
- QB Trevone Boykin
- T Darrell Brown
- LB Rodney Butler
- RB Alex Collins
- RB Mike Davis
- CB Pierre Desir
- WR Cyril Grayson
- DT Tylor Harris
- C Joey Hunt
- DT Quinton Jefferson
- WR Kenny Lawler
- DT Jeremy Liggins
- DT Greg Milhouse
- WR David Moore
- LB Kache Palacio
- C/G Will Pericak
- LB Otha Peters
- WR Darreus Rogers
- DT Garrison Smith
- WR Rodney Smith
- TE Tyrone Swoopes
- T Tyrus Thompson
- CB Mike Tyson
Waived/Injured:
- LB Christian French
- CB Demetrius McCray
- DT Rodney Coe
- WR Kasen Williams
Released:
- LB Mike Morgan
- FB Marcel Reece
Boykin has lost the backup QB job to Austin Davis and that’s not a huge surprise after Davis’ performance in the preseason. Coach Pete Carroll indicated recently that he would have liked to keep three signal callers, but it just wasn’t realistic.
“It’s a good idea if you can do it,” Carroll said. “They’re so important. It just depends on the rest of the roster.”
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/17
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Dallas Cowboys
- G Clay DeBord
- G Kadeem Edwards
- WR Shaquelle Evans
- LB Jeremiah George
- TE Connor Hamlett
- DE Lenny Jones
- CB Jeremiah McKinnon
- DB Jameill Showers
- CB Sammy Seamster
- RB Rod Smith
- CB Duke Thomas
- LS Zach Wood
Houston Texans
- TE RaShaun Allen
- DE Brandon Dunn
- OT Laurence Gibson
- RB Kenny Hilliard
- WR Tevin Jones
- OLB Eric Lee
- ILB Shakeel Rashad
- OG Chad Slade
Seattle Seahawks
- C Ross Burbank
- FS Pierre Desir
- RB George Farmer
- DT Tylor Harris
- DT Shaneil Jenkins
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- WR Kenny Lawler
- TE Marcus Lucas
- C/OG Will Pericak
- RB Kelvin Taylor
Tennessee Titans
- CB Tye Smith
Washington Redskins
AFC Notes: Pryor, RG3, Chiefs, Chargers
With his contract set to expire at season’s end, Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor is amid a breakout year at the right time. He and the Browns have already begun extension talks, but re-signing the former quarterback is going to be costly for the club. The 27-year-old Pryor could be in line for a deal similar to the one the Rams signed wideout Tavon Austin to in August ($10.55MM-plus per year with $28.5MM in guarantees), according to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (Twitter link). Despite being on the NFL’s worst team, one that has shuffled through five QBs, Pryor has totaled 51 catches for 627 yards and four touchdowns. Along with Pryor’s solid production, it’ll help his earning power that he’s big (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) and fast (4.4 speed), as Corry notes.
More from Cleveland a pair of other AFC cities:
- One of the signal-callers the Browns have used, Robert Griffin III, was cleared for non-contact practice Wednesday, per Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com (via Twitter). Griffin didn’t participate, though, as he hasn’t yet been designated to return. RG3 has been sidelined since suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in Week 1. The Browns put Griffin on injured reserve with the hope that they could take advantage of the new IR rules and bring him back later in the season.
- When asked about a possible return to the field this week for linebacker Justin Houston, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “We’re heading in that direction” (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The Chiefs activated the pass-rusher extraordinaire from the PUP list last Wednesday, but he sat out their 20-17 win over the Panthers on Sunday. Houston was a full participant in practice Wednesday for the first time this year, though, which bodes well for his return from an ACL injury, notes Adam Teichner of ESPN.com.
- The Chargers worked out linebackers Kevin Snyder, Ryan Langford and Reshard Cliett on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Nobody from that group has suited up for a regular-season game in the NFL.
- The Chiefs tried out former Cal receiver Kenny Lawler on Tuesday, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). Lawler didn’t join the Chiefs, however – he instead re-signed with the Seahawks’ practice squad Wednesday.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/16
Wednesday’s practice squad changes:
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Marcus Leak (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of FOX59)
- Cut: G Adam Redmond
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL David King
- Cut: DL Earl Okine
New England Patriots
- Signed: FB Glenn Gronkowski
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Kenny Lawler (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
NFL Workout Updates: 11/15/16
The Colts worked out a cadre of players today, including veteran offensive lineman Dallas Thomas, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Thomas, 27, started 26 games during his four-year career with Miami, but was cut earlier this year. Indianapolis also auditioned cornerback Will Davis, wide receivers Antwan Goodley and Dres Anderson, and linebacker Davis Tull.
Here’s more from the workout circuit:
- With Cameron Heyward out for the year, the Steelers tried out defensive end Bobby Richardson today, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. Richardson was a 11-game starter during his rookie season in 2015, but has bounced around the league during his sophomore campaign.
- Former Colts defensive back D’Joun Smith worked out for the Packers today, reports Caplan (Twitter link). Smith was a third-round pick in 2015.
- The Seahawks worked out defensive lineman Shaneil Jenkins, per Caplan (Twitter link).
- The Eagles took a look at wide receiver Kenny Lawler and fullback Chris Swain, tweets Caplan.
- Lawler has been busy this week, as Caplan reports (Twitter link) that he also worked out for the Chiefs.
- The Jaguars auditioned offensive tackle Rob Crisp, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
- The Buccaneers worked out offensive lineman Mike Liedtke, tweets Balzer.
- In search of linebacker depth, the Titans tried out free agent Reshard Cliett today, per Balzer (Twitter link).

