Kyler Kerbyson

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/16

Here are today’s practice squad updates.

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: DL Iosia Iosia, WR Hunter Sharp, OL Reese Dismukes

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: LB Brian Blechen

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: RB Blake Sims, DE Deonte Gibson
  • Cut: OL Kyler Kerbyson

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/16

Today’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

  • Signed: RB Kenny Hilliard

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed: OL Arturo Uzdavinis

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Buccaneers Down To 53 Man Roster

The Buccaneers have trimmed down to 53 with more than 24 hours to go before the deadline. According to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, the following players have been dropped from the roster: "<strong

Among the cuts, Vitale’s is one of the most surprising. The Bucs are planning on carrying five tight ends, yet the sixth-round pick out of Northwestern apparently did not show enough to make the cut. The Bucs will have Cameron Brate, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Luke Stocker, Brandon Myers, and UDFA Alan Cross on the roster to open up the season instead. Myers and Cross were both considered to be on the bubble somewhat, but they have impressed Dirk Koetter & Co. to the point where they are going to carry five tight ends and bounce a sixth-round pick in order to keep both of them. Myers was inactive for the Bucs’ final five games of 2015 as a healthy scratch.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/16

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Chargers have officially placed tight end Jeff Cumberland on injured reserve after he tore his Achilles last week, the club announced today. To fill out their roster, San Diego agreed to sign defensive back Michael Lee.
  • The Jets have moved wide receiver Titus Davis from the exempt/left squad list to the reserve/retired list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Jets head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Davis had opted to retire.
  • The Broncos have waived former Colorado State guard Sam Carlson, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. Carlson was removevd from the roster in order to create a spot for Henry Melton, who was signed yesterday.
  • The Buccaneers announced that they have signed tackle Kyler Kerbyson and waived/injured tackle Kelby Johnson. Kerbyson, an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, was waived by the Patriots earlier this month. The Buccaneers also waived linebacker Cassanova McKinzy.
  • The Eagles have waived linebacker Deontae Skinner, the club announced. Skinner appeared in seven games for Philadelphia last year, but his roster spot will now go to veteran ‘backer Stephen Tulloch.
  • The Patriots have waived rookie cornerback V’Angelo Bentley, per a team announcement.
  • The Packers announced that they’ve released offensive lineman Matt Rotheram and long snapper Jesse Schmitt from their injured reserve list.
  • The Colts have signed wide receiver Justin Berger and waived fellow pass-catchers Andrew Opoku and Marcus Leak, the team announced.

Patriots To Activate Nate Ebner

The Patriots have finally made a roster move (their first since training camp began), as the club announced that they’ve waived offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson, who was signed on July 24. New England needed to clear a roster spot to activate safety Nate Ebner, who had been participating in the Olympics, as head coach Bill Belichick confirmed to reporters, including Doug Kyed of NESN.com.Nate Ebner (Vertical)

[RELATED: Offseason In Review — New England Patriots]

Ebner, 27, re-signed with the Patriots on a two-year, $2.4MM deal that contains $500K guaranteed and a $250K reporting bonus (per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com), and New England presumably agreed to the contract with the knowledge that Ebner would try out for the U.S. rugby team. Ebner has never started a game during his four-year NFL career, but he’s appeared in 57 contests as an extremely valuable special teams piece. In 2016, for example, Ebner played on more than three-quarters of the Patriots’ special teams snaps.

New England had been granted a roster exemption while Ebner was away, and Belichick today indicated that Ebner will have some work to do in order to prepare for the season. “Football,” said Belichick, when asked what Ebner would need to adjust to, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). “Not training, football. He hasn’t played football. You can go out there and run around a track all you want, but you put 21 other guys out there and it’s a whole different ball game.” 

Kerbyson, meanwhile, lasted on the Patriots’ roster for about three weeks. The former Tennessee Volunteer went undrafted earlier this year, but started all 13 games at left tackle during his senior season, during which he was named second-team All SEC.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots Sign Vinnie Sunseri

The Patriots have added a bit of depth to their secondary, as they’ve agreed to sign former Saints defensive back Vinnie Sunseri, the club announced today. New England also confirmed the previously-reported signing of rookie free agent offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson.Vinnie Sunseri (Vertical)

[RELATED: New England Patriots depth chart]

Sunseri, 24, was a fifth-round pick out of Alabama in the 2014 draft, but he’s ended each of his first two NFL campaigns on the injured reserve list. As such, he doesn’t have much in the way of experience, as he has just nine career games under his belt (and all of that action came during his rookie season). Sunseri hasn’t been a defensive contributor — he’s seen only 11 defensive snaps in the NFL — but he did prove his worth on special teams, as he played on 37% of New Orleans’ ST snaps in 2014.

Special teams is the likely area of focus for Sunseri in New England, as well, as the club is well-stocked at the safety position, where Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Jordan Richards, and Nate Ebner make up the top of the depth chart. The Patriots are typically excellent on special teams, having ranked among the top-five in ST DVOA in every season since 2011. Sunseri worked out for the Pats back in May, so the club did get an up-close look at what he can do.

New England’s signing of Kerbyson had been reported on Friday. The former Tennessee Volunteer went undrafted earlier this year, but started all 13 games at left tackle during his senior season, during which he was named second-team All SEC.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/16

Today’s minor moves:

  • Rookie cornerback Richard Leonard has reverted to the Texans‘ injured reserve list after being waived-injured, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Leonard is recovering from hamstring surgery.
  • The Patriots signed undrafted University of Tennessee offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson today, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter). Kerbyson plays both left tackle and guard.
  • The Eagles announced the release of wide receiver Jonathan Krause, who was promoted to the 53-man roster last November to fill in for Miles Austin. To take Krause’s place and keep their roster at 88 players, the Eagles will sign free agent linebacker Don Cherry, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Cherry played college football at nearby Villanova and went undrafted this year. He caught on with the Bears, but they ended up waiving him in June.