NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/21
Here are Friday’s taxi squad moves:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Marquel Lee
- Released: T Devery Hamilton
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Jake Gervase
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/22/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Keanu Neal; as a high-risk close contact, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter), Neal can return after a five-day isolation period
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Micah Kiser (story)
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: CB Daryl Worley (story)
- Placed on IR: Ifeatu Melifonwu (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: K Joey Slye
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: LB Marquel Lee
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Harrison Hand
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DT Naquan Jones
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Antoine Wesley
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Ifeadi Odenigbo (story)
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: WR Nico Collins (story)
- Signed: TE Antony Auclair
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: T Jackson Barton (off Giants’ practice squad)
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: QB Sean Mannion
- Released: RB Ameer Abdullah; Abdullah is now on Minnesota’s practice squad
New England Patriots
- Promoted: K Nick Folk
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: OL Nick Gates (story)
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Del’Shawn Phillips
- Released: S Sheldrick Redwine
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DE Brandon Graham (story)
- Signed: G Jack Anderson (from Bills’ practice squad)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick (from Bengals’ practice squad)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Travis Jonsen, LB Kevin Minter
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Anthony Rush
Raiders, Cory Littleton Restructure Contract
The Raiders converted $4.25MM of Cory Littleton‘s base salary into a roster bonus (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). Now, the Raiders have created $3.4M in cap space for the current year.
This marks the third restructure for Littleton, who saw his contract reworked in September of 2020 and again in March this year. The Raiders initially signed the former Rams linebacker to a three-year, $35.25MM pact. For all intents and purposes, the deal remains the same. The only real difference is that the Raiders have carved out extra space in this year’s pandemic-altered cap while kicking the can down the road to next year, when the salary max will increase.
Littleton, 28 in November, has 15 stops through two games this year. He’s looking to bounce back from a weak debut season with the Raiders, when he struggled in Paul Guenther’s defense. Now, under the tutelage of new DC Gus Bradley, Littleton is eager to turn back the clock and showcase his old Rams form.
“That’s everything for me,” Littleton said recently (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal). “At the end of the day, nobody wants to have a bad performance. That’s not why we play. We just want to do our best.”
Littleton’s next chance at redemption will come on Sunday when the Raiders take on the Dolphins in Vegas.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/20/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Kyle Sloter
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Javian Hawkins
- Released: RB Otis Anderson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Brandon Dillon
New York Giants
- Signed: G Cole Banwart
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Rashard Robinson
- Released: CB Herb Miller
Raiders To Cut Nevin Lawson
The Raiders will release cornerback Nevin Lawson today in order to fill other areas of need (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). If Lawson goes unclaimed, the Raiders will try to bring him back to the practice squad.
Lawson, who began his career with the Lions, joined up with the Raiders in 2019. He didn’t have the best debut year. If he had enough snaps to qualify, his 60.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus would have placed him somewhere around the No. 70 CB mark. Still, the Raiders stuck with him and got better results in 2020. Last year, he started in nine of his 14 games and registered 61 tackles, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one sack.
The 30-year-old was gearing up to return in Week 3, following his two-game suspension. Rather than activating him, they’ll pad out the rest of their badly-bruised roster. In recent days, the Raiders have watched guard Denzelle Good, running back Josh Jacobs, quarterback Marcus Mariota, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, and other key players head to the trainer’s room.
The Raiders, without Lawson, will try to stay undefeated on Sunday when they face the Dolphins in Vegas.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/21
The customary Saturday minor moves avalanche:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, CB Antonio Hamilton
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Kevon Seymour, T Andre Smith
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DL Margus Hunt, T Alex Taylor
- Placed on IR: T Larry Borom
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: S Sean Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, OL Austin Schlottmann
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair, K Joey Slye
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR Laquon Treadwell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, RB Trey Ragas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Micah Kiser, DL Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Jamal Perry
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: RB Ameer Abdullah, S Myles Dorn, QB Sean Mannion
- Waived: TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Tashawn Bower, K Nick Folk
- Placed on IR: K Quinn Nordin (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Wynton McManis, DB Jordan Miller, C Austin Reiter (story)
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Dre Greenlaw (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: TE Tommy Hudson
Raiders Place Marcus Mariota On IR
SATURDAY: The Raiders will indeed place their backup quarterback on IR. Mariota will be out until at least Week 5 because of this decision, moving Peterman into position as Carr’s backup. Linebacker Marquel Lee will take Mariota’s place on Las Vegas’ active roster, ascending from the practice squad.
THURSDAY: Marcus Mariota is expected to be out multiple weeks with an aggravated quad injury (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Raiders quarterback will miss a few weeks, at minimum, making him a candidate for the short-term injured reserve list.
Mariota saw a single snap on Monday night and took it for a 31-yard run. Unfortunately, he was forced out immediately after that play. Although Mariota isn’t the starter in Las Vegas, he was expected to serve a key change-of-pace role in the offense. They’ll have to find that spark elsewhere for at least the next few weeks.
Nathan Peterman will now step into the QB2 role for the Raiders, holding the clipboard for starter Derek Carr. The Raiders can free up a roster spot by moving Mariota to the injured reserve list but they don’t necessarily need to fill his spot with another signal caller.
Mariota appeared in one game in place of an injured Carr last season and showed fairly well against the Chargers on national TV, completing 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards a touchdown and an interception. He also added 88 yards and another score rushing. This year, he took a pay cut in order to stay with the Raiders through 2021. After his one-year, $3.5MM deal lapses, he’ll be eligible for free agency in the spring of 2022.
Raiders’ Josh Jacobs To Miss Week 2
The Raiders will be down another member of their starting offense for their Week 2 game against the Steelers. After losing Denzelle Good for the season, the team ruled out Josh Jacobs for Sunday’s matchup.
Jacobs missed practice throughout the week due to toe and ankle injuries. The toe issue emerged before Las Vegas’ opener; the ankle problem surfaced on this week’s injury reports.
The two-time 1,000-yard rusher appeared on the Raiders’ first injury report of the season but played against the Ravens. Jacobs scored two touchdowns in the Raiders’ Monday victory. Jacobs played 15 games last season, doing so after finishing his rookie season on IR due to an ankle ailment.
Kenyan Drake, whom the Raiders gave a two-year deal worth $11MM, stands to move into the team’s starting lineup. Drake spent the past two seasons as the Cardinals’ starting back. Playing on the transition tag last season, the former Dolphins draftee gained 955 rushing yards (4.0 per carry). Jon Gruden, however, said recent pickup Peyton Barber will pick up some of the slack as well. The Raiders added Barber after Washington released him ahead of this year’s roster cutdown deadline.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/21
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: G Danny Isidora, DT Mike Pennel, OT Bryan Witzmann
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DT Justin Ellis, S Anthony Levine
Denver Broncos
- Released from retired list: TE Jake Butt
- Released from suspended list: LB Jerrell Freeman
Houston Texans
- Signed off Saints practice squad: DT Jaleel Johnson
- Placed on IR: DT Vincent Taylor (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Damion Square
- Placed on IR: OL Denzelle Good (story), DT Gerald McCoy (story)
- Waived: CB Madre Harper
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: K Aldrick Rosas
New York Jets
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Williams, S Jarrod Wilson
- Released from IR: CB/KR Corey Ballentine
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: S Malik Hooker (story)