NFL Workout Updates: 11/26/19
Got a whole lot of workout updates to pass along:
Carolina Panthers
- DL Woodrow Hamilton, DL Stacy McGee, DL Jay-Tee Tiuli
Green Bay Packers
- OL Cody Conway, LB Joe Dineen, OT Antonio Garcia, OL Tyler Jones, OL Marquez Tucker
Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers
New Orleans Saints
- C Josh LeRibeus, OT Michael Ola, OL Bryan Witzmann
New York Jets
- LB Garret Dooley, LB Nicholas Grigsby, LB Gimel President
Seattle Seahawks
- TE Keenen Brown, TE C.J. Conrad, DB Jayson Stanley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Terron Armstead To Miss Time
The Saints have encountered more offensive line injury trouble, and it comes at a bad time. Left tackle Terron Armstead is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The standout blocker will miss Thursday’s game against the Falcons, and while New Orleans’ subsequent mini-bye would give the seventh-year blocker a chance to return against the 49ers, these are usually multi-week injuries. With left guard Andrus Peat sidelined with a broken arm, the Saints may be missing the left side of their high-end offensive line when they face the 49ers’ dominant pass rush in Week 14. Journeyman Patrick Omameh, whom the Giants cut after his short run as one of their guard starters, replaced Armstead on Sunday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/22/19
A couple of practice squad moves to pass along:
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Ricky Ortiz
New York Jets
- Released: FB Valentine Holmes
Holmes is a former rugby star who came over as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. Interestingly, he is expected to “return to his native Australia to rejoin the National Rugby League,” reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Ortiz had worked out for the Saints about a month ago, so the signing isn’t surprising.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: OL Sean Harlow
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Brandin Bryant, DE Porter Gustin
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Ahmad Gooden
- Waived: TE Orson Charles
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Joel Heath, WR Steven Mitchell
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jason Vander Laan
- Placed on IR: WR Austin Carr
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from the practice squad: TE Tyrone Swoopes
NFL Workout Updates: 11/19/19
Today’s updates from the workout circuit:
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
- RBs Matthew Dayes
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
- S Corrion Ballard, DT Daryle Banfield, DE Tashawn Bower, LB Tre’ Crawford, CB Davante Davis, DL Willie Henry, S P.J. Locke, S Tray Matthews, DB Picasso Nelson, LB Gimel President, DE Wyatt Ray, S Tyree Robinson, S Kahani Smith, LB Pita Taumoepenu, NT Jay-Tee Tiuli, S Isaiah Wharton
Dallas Cowboys
- OLs Marcus Henry, Storm Norton
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
- DE Terrence Fede, DE/OLB Nate Orchard
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
- LBs Curtis Akins, Devante Bond, Andrew Dowell, LB Alvin Jones
Washington Redskins
- LB Obum Gwacham, DE Eli Harold
Saints Designate WR Keith Kirkwood To Return From IR
The Saints have designated wide receiver Keith Kirkwood to return from injured reserve, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Kirkwood, 25, suffered a hamstring injury in mid-September that knocked him to the sideline. He’s now returned to practice, opening a 21-day window during which New Orleans must either activate Kirkwood to its 53-man roster or leave him on IR for the remainder of the year.
A 2018 undrafted free agent out of Temple, Kirkwood spent the first half of his rookie campaign on the Saints’ practice squad before being promoted. He went on to play 44% of New Orleans’ remaining offensive snaps, posting 13 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the process.
The Saints’ wide receiver corps has mostly been a one-man show thus far in 2019 — Michael Thomas leads the club with 86 receptions, while Ted Ginn is second among wideouts with just 20. Kirkwood should factor in as back-of-the-roster depth while also playing on special teams.
Saints’ Andrus Peat To Miss Time
Saints guard Andrus Peat will undergo surgery for a broken arm, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. After the operation, he’s expected to miss six weeks of action. 
[RELATED: Saints’ CB Marshon Lattimore To Miss Time?]
Peat, 26, was a 2015 first-round pick and a Pro Bowler in 2018. He’s currently playing out his fifth-year option and is ticketed for free agency in March, so it’s an especially bad time for an extended absence.
Since ’15, Peat has appeared in 64 games, including 59 starts. He’s been playing reasonably well this season, though not quite at his previous Pro Bowl level.
The Saints offense, by and large, has been clicking tremendously. They’re 7-2, even after Sunday’s surprising loss to the Falcons. Next up: a shot at NFC South redemption against the Bucs, in Tampa.
In the interim, the Saints are expected to turn to Will Clapp as their new starter at left guard.
Saints’ CB Marshon Lattimore To Miss Time?
Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore suffered a hamstring strain that has him considered week-to-week, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The injury forced Lattimore out of Sunday’s loss to the Falcons and it sounds like it may keep him out of action for additional games. 
Soon after Lattimore exited Sunday’s game, Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones torched the Saints’ D for a 54-yard reception. Lattimore, 23, has 38 tackles and one interception through nine games and ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 31 CB in the NFL. The advanced metrics put him ahead of A.J. Bouye, Stephon Gilmore, Malcolm Butler, Darius Slay, Janoris Jenkins, and several other big names at the position.
The surprising loss on Sunday aside, the Saints are among the best in the league and continue to hold a solid lead in the NFC South. But, they have a critical stretch of games coming up against all three of their divisional rivals, including a grudge match against Atlanta on Thanksgiving. There’s no question that losing Lattimore would hurt as they look to lock down their playoff positioning, so the Saints will be keeping their fingers crossed today.
Lattimore, a 2017 first-round pick, is under contract through the 2020 season thanks to his rookie deal. The Saints can keep him through 2021 via the fifth-year option, but they’ll have to budget appropriately in order to keep him for 2022 and beyond.
Kamara To Return For Saints
- Alvin Kamara is officially back. Saints head coach Sean Payton announced Thursday that he expects to have his star running back on the field when New Orleans hosts the Falcons. Kamara has missed his team’s past two games as he dealt with knee and ankle issues. This will be the first time that Drew Brees and Kamara have shared the field since back in Week 2.
More Minor NFL Transactions: 10/30/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Greg Mabin
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Ryan Glasgow
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (Giants): LB Tae Davis
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Brett Rypien
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: CB Michael Jackson
- Waived: RB Paul Perkins
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun
- Placed on injured reserve: DE J.J. Watt (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (Saints): CB Ken Crawley
- Signed: TE Clive Walford
- Waived: WR Isaiah Ford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jordan Leggett
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Jack Cichy
Washington Redskins
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Cassanova McKinzy