NFL Workout Updates: 12/2/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
- G Will House
Seattle Seahawks
- FB Daniel Marx
Dolphins Sign TE Nick O’Leary To Extension
Tight end Nick O’Leary is sticking with Miami for at least one more season. SportsTrust Advisory announced (via Twitter) that their client has signed an extension with the Dolphins. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that it’s one-year deal worth $1.5MM ($500K guaranteed).
The 2015 sixth-round pick out of Florida State spent the first three seasons of his career with the Bills, including a 2017 campaign where he hauled in a career-high 22 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The 26-year-old was released by Buffalo at the end of the preseason, and he subsequently caught on with Miami’s practice squad.
O’Leary was promoted to the Dolphins’ active roster in early October. He’s appeared in seven games (four starts) with Miami, hauling in seven receptions for 77 yards and one score.
Thanks to the extension, the Dolphins now have three tight ends signed for 2019: O’Leary, second-round rookie Mike Gesicki, and fourth-round rookie Durham Smythe. A.J. Derby and MarQueis Gray (who is on the injured reserve with an Achilles injury) are set to become free agents.
Dolphins Focused On Justin Herbert
- Dolphins vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum has been “raving” about Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, per Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.net (Twitter link). Clearly, it’s a bit early to be linking NFL teams to collegiate prospects, and Herbert may not even enter the 2019 draft. But Miami’s possible interest in Herbert only underscores the Dolphins as a potential destination for a first-round quarterback next season. As Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald indicated on Wednesday, incumbent starter Ryan Tannehill‘s 2019 fate with the Dolphins is up in the air, so Miami could certainly be in the market for a young quarterback next spring.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/18
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Eddie Pleasant
- Waived: LB Korey Toomer
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Jakeem Grant (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Isaiah Ford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB David Rivers
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/28/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Thurston Armbrister
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed RB Jeremy Langford
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Nick Keizer
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Francis Owusu, S Chris Lammons
New Orleans Saints
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Mark Thompson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB James Cowser, WR Johnny Holton
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyrone Swoopes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Donnie Ernsberger
Dolphins, Tannehill Haven’t Discussed 2019
Ryan Tannehill says he has been given no assurances that he will be the Dolphins’ quarterback in 2019 (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald). The QB added that he’s not focused on the future right now, but it’s definitely a topic of discussion within the Dolphins’ headquarters. 
Tannehill is set to have a cap hit of over $26MM in 2019, hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and hasn’t been consistent on the field even when he is able to play. If Tannehill cannot close out the season on a high note, the team will have to think long and hard about whether to stick with him. Releasing Tannehill would result in a $13.4MM cap hit, though it would free up about $13.1MM in funds.
The Dolphins could attempt to rework Tannehill’s contract, though his guarantee for 2019 could provide him with leverage. Instead of taking a significant pay cut, Tannehill may prefer to pocket his $13MM and try his luck on the open market.
Tannehill missed the end of the 2016 season with a torn ACL, then missed all of the 2017 season when he re-tore the ACL. This year, Tannehill started the first five games, then went down with a mysterious shoulder injury. He returned in on Sunday to complete 68% of his passes and throw for two touchdowns in a loss to the Colts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: DE Cameron Malveaux,
- Signed: CB Dontae Johnson, CB Quinten Rollins
- Released: CB Chris Jones
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: P Matt Darr
- Waived: P Colton Schmidt
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Lorenzo Doss
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Temarrick Hemingway
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Gerhard de Beer
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: LB Dylan Cole
- Waived: LB Josh Keyes
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: CB C.J. Reavis
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OL Chaz Green
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed: DB Godwin Igwebuike (from Buccaneers)
- Promoted from practice squad: LB James Onwualu
- Placed on IR: CB/S Jimmie Ward
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Keenan Reynolds
Frank Gore Taking It “Year-To-Year”
Frank Gore is heading into the final stretch of his 14th NFL season, but the veteran running back isn’t necessarily ready to hang up his cleats. Gore told reporters that he’s taking it one season at a time as he approaches the end of his career.
“I’m still year-to-year,” Gore said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m going to really take a look at me after the season. Hopefully, I can try to finish strong and do whatever it takes to help my team be successful and also have individual success. I’m going to just evaluate myself and my body and see if I really want to do it again this offseason. I take it one year at a time.”
The 35-year-old hasn’t shown many signs of decline this season. In 10 games with the Dolphins, Gore has compiled 528 rushing yards on 117 carries, and his 4.5 yards-per-carry is his highest mark since 2012. With three more years of similar production, Gore could find himself jumping Barry Sanders and Walter Payton to rank second on the all-time rushing list.
For the time being, Gore is simply focused on this season with the Dolphins. That includes a matchup with his former team, the Colts, this weekend. With Indy on the rise, the running back was asked if he may have signed with that organization too early.
“I can’t say that, man,” Gore said. “They were coming off the AFC Championship [game]. When you’re looking from the outside looking in, you don’t know what’s in the locker room until you get there. . . . When you’re playing with a bunch of injured guys, that’s tough in this league. It’s already hard to win when you’ve got guys healthy. So imagine when you don’t, especially the main guys who run the show. I had a great three years there. The organization was great. Great people. We were fighting. Things just didn’t go the way I was planning.”
Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill To Play On Sunday
Ryan Tannehill will return to start for the Dolphins on Sunday against the Colts, coach Adam Gase tells reporters. Tannehill has missed the last five games with a right shoulder injury, but he looked sharp enough in Tuesday’s practice to get the nod. 
Brock Osweiler had a few impressive moments as the fill-in, but the team ultimately went 2-3 without Tannehill in the lineup. Tannehill had his own ups and downs under center before the injury, but he ultimately represents the Dolphins’ best option as they push to get into the playoff mix.
The Dolphins’ 31-12 loss to the Packers before the bye was disheartening, but they’re still alive at 5-5. A win over the Colts would take them over the .500 mark while dealing a blow to another 5-5 Wild Card hopeful. After that, the Dolphins face the Bills, Patriots, Vikings, Jaguars, and Bills (again) to close out the year.
In his five games this season, Tannehill has thrown for 972 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant Done For Season
Dolphins wideout Jakeem Grant will be placed on injured reserve after suffering an Achilles injury in Week 10, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Grant didn’t suffer a ruptured Achilles, which would have required him to undergo a comprehensive operation that could have knocked him out for 10-12 months, per Salguero. Instead, Grant underwent a separate, less-invasive procedure which should allow him to return for 2019 training camp.
Grant, 26, took on a larger role in Week 8 due to injuries on the Dolphins’ receiver depth chart, managing eight targets while Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson were sidelined. Stills is now back in the fold, but Wilson has since been placed on injured reserve. Miami still has other options at the receiver position, however, including Danny Amendola, DeVante Parker, Leonte Carroo, and the recently-signed Brice Butler.
While Grant wasn’t a key player on offense, his loss will be strongly felt on special teams, where Grant was Miami’s No. 1 kick and punt returner. Grant had managed 16.3 yards per punt and 29.7 yards per return this season, both of which are among the best figures in the NFL. Additionally, Football Outsiders ranks the Dolphins’ punt return unit as the league’s second-most efficient, while the club is fourth in FO’s kick return metrics.