NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/23/23
Here are Monday’s practice squad additions and subtractions:
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: LB Mikel Jones, T Alex Taylor-Prioleau
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DL Henry Mondeaux
- Released: DL Ross Blacklock
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Jordan Mims
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Joe Jones, RB Jonathan Ward
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/20/23
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Released: CB JoeJuan Williams
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): DT Keondre Coburn
- Released: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): CB Ameer Speed
- Waived: WR Amari Rodgers
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: RB Chris Brooks
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: G Tommy Kraemer
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/19/23
Today’s minor transactions:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DT Keondre Coburn, WR Montrell Washington
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: DT Cory Durden
New England Patriots
- Waived: DB Ameer Speed
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Tommy Kraemer
- Promoted: OT Cameron Erving, LB Jaylon Smith
- Waived: RB Jordan Mims
The Chiefs moved on from Montrell Washington to make room for old friend Mecole Hardman. The former fifth-round pick was serving as Kansas City’s primary punt returner in 2023, returning eight punts for 61 yards. While he’s been limited to special teams duties in 2023, Washington got into 78 offensive snaps with the Broncos in 2022.
Saints To Activate RB Jamaal Williams
OCTOBER 19: Williams will be ready to go when first eligible. Despite the Saints heading into a Thursday-night assignment, they will not hold out their free agent back to allow for an extended ramp-up period. They intend to activate Williams for tonight’s Jaguars matchup, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. New Orleans will soon have Williams, Kamara and Miller available for the first time this season. Williams will become the Saints’ first IR activation this season.
OCTOBER 17: The Saints should soon have their intended running backs grouping on the active roster. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the Saints have designated running back Jamaal Williams for return from injured reserve.
Following a standout 17-touchdown campaign with the Lions in 2022, Williams signed a three-year deal with the Saints this past offseason. The veteran was signed to reduce Alvin Kamara‘s workload, but Williams also had a chance at starter reps with Kamara suspended to begin the 2023 campaign.
Williams got plenty of work in Week 1, finishing with 52 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches (including 18 carries). However, the running back suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 that ultimately required a stint on injured reserve. Third-round rookie Kendre Miller was also sidelined to begin the season thanks to a hamstring injury, forcing the Saints to rely on the likes of Tony Jones Jr. and Adam Prentice to lead their backfield.
Kamara returned in Week 4 and has already collected 285 yards from scrimmage in three games. When Williams is ultimately activated from IR, the duo will form one of the best running back tandems in the NFL, and the Saints will have a high-upside prospect (Miller) serving as the RB3.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: CB Nahshon Wright
- Signed to active roster: LB Tyrus Wheat
- Elevated: RB Malik Davis, LB Malik Jefferson
- Placed on IR: CB C.J. Goodwin (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/suspended by commissioner: QB Jake Haener
- Waived: QB Jake Luton
New York Giants
- Waived: G Jalen Mayfield
Washington Commanders
- Released from IR: TE Kaden Smith
The Cowboys are bringing in some reinforcements after having to place linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on IR this week. The Chargers are bringing up Doss as a standard gameday elevation, as well, with Mike Williams, Simi Fehoko, and Jalen Guyton all out tonight.
Haener, the Saints’ rookie fourth-round passer, started his NFL career on a six-game suspension due to a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. With Haener adding another arm to the bullpen, Luton became expendable but may find a spot on the team’s practice squad.
Saints Bench LT Trevor Penning
After starting the first five games of the 2023 season, Saints LT Trevor Penning has been benched, as Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com writes. Veteran James Hurst will man the blindside in New Orleans’ game against the Texans today.
Penning, the No. 19 overall pick of the 2022 draft, had his NFL debut delayed by nearly three months by a torn foot ligament, and he sustained a Lisfranc injury in Week 18 of the 2022 season that required multiple surgeries. All in all, Penning played in his just six games (one start) in his rookie campaign and saw a mere 58 snaps at left tackle.
To his credit, the Northern Iowa product has played every snap this season, but his performance has been a mixed bag at best. Out of the 62 offensive tackles who have played at least half of their team’s snaps in 2023, Penning ranks 47th, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. And while the offensive line as a whole had a good day in the Saints’ 34-0 victory over the Patriots last week, Penning earned a subpar 54.7 grade, the lowest mark among the club’s front five.
After allowing two sacks and six pressures in New Orleans’ Week 1 contest against Tennessee, Penning has allowed just one sack and eight pressures over the past four games. That improvement, however, was not enough for the coaching staff as it seeks to coax more out of an offense that presently ranks 25th in the league in yardage and 22nd in scoring.
Hurst started 16 games at LT in Penning’s absence in 2022 and has started each of the Saints’ first five games of the current season, including four at left guard and one at right guard. If Andrus Peat — who is dealing with a groin injury and who missed the New England game due to a concussion — is unable to suit up, offseason acquisition Max Garcia would fill in at LG.
Duncan characterizes Penning’s demotion as a surprise, and it is currently unclear when he will be reinserted into the lineup.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23
Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: OL Dennis Daley
- Elevated: CB Bobby Price, RB Damien Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: S Micah Abernathy, DT LaCale London
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: RB Keaton Mitchell
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: LB Baylon Spector
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: CB Kyler Gordon (story)
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: CB Khalil Dorsey
- Signed to active roster: T Dan Skipper
- Elevated: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Placed on IR: RB Zonovan Knight, CB Emmanuel Moseley (story)
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Noah Brown
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
- Waived: CB Alex Austin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, G Netane Muti
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DT Marquise Copeland, DT Cory Durden
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: G Robert Jones
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: RB Jordan Mims
- Elevated: TE J.P. Holtz, S Daniel Sorensen
- Placed on IR: FB Adam Prentice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: G Jalen Mayfield
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Justin Pugh
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: LB Nakobe Dean
- Elevated: WR Devon Allen, CB Mekhi Garner
- Placed on IR: WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: CB Coby Bryant
Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.
Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/23
Here are today’s practice squad adjustments:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Keilahn Harris, LB Andre Smith
- Released: WR C.J. Saunders
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Malik Flowers
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Olakunle Fatukasi
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE J.P. Holtz, WR Jontre Kirklin, G Tommy Kraemer
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/23
Here are Monday’s practice squad moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Mark Webb, OL Cameron Tom
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Shaquan Davis
- Released: CB Anthony Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Jack Colletto, LB Kyron Johnson
- Released: RB Zander Horvath, P Brad Wing
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Tay Gowan, DT Taylor Stallworth
- Released: CB Armani Marsh, DT Jayden Peevy
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Joshua Kalu
- Released: DB Keidron Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Saints): RB Tony Jones Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Penny Hart
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: RB Patrick Taylor
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, CB Troy Pride Jr.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Christopher Hinton
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: G Tommy Kraemer
Jones will be headed to his third team since the preseason concluded. With James Conner going down with a knee injury, the Cardinals are better equipping themselves in the backfield. Jones, who went to camp with the Broncos and had returned to the Saints, will head to the desert. Jones scored two touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 2 win over the Panthers and played in three other Saints games this season. But the team waived him Saturday. Jones will join Keaontay Ingram and rookie UDFA Emari Demercado on Arizona’s active roster; Damien Williams resides on the Cardinals’ practice squad. Ingram has missed time with a neck injury recently.
Because the Packers have used up their practice squad elevations with Taylor, they are signing him to their 53-man roster. Taylor will come up to replace Aaron Jones, whom the Pack declared inactive. Despite Jones having returned for Week 4, the standout starter is out again with a hamstring injury.