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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/24

September 24th, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: DB Morice Norris

Green Bay Packers

  • Released: TE Johnny Lumpkin

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Released: TE Luke Benson, CB Nehemiah Shelton

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR John Jiles

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: LB Marcus Haynes
  • Released: TE Matt Sokol

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This year’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ Key did not make the Jets’ initial 53-man roster. The 24-year-old was retained via the practice squad, but he did not see any regular season action. Now a free agent, Key will look to latch on with another organization.

Ross signed with the Eagles in May as part of his bid to return to the NFL. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder was released during roster cutdowns, however, after he was unable to carve out a depth role on offense. Ross will rejoin the team in a bid to provide Philadelphia with a complementary receiving option as the team deals with a number of injuries at the WR spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/24

September 24th, 2024 at 7:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

 Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts but he quickly landed a deal with the Lions on their practice squad. Healthy after back-to-back years featuring major injuries, the 30-year-old has twice been a gameday elevation so far this year and logged a 44% offensive snap share. He will aim to remain in a depth role while now permanently on the active roster.

Covey will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks given today’s move. His injury is particularly notable given the fact A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both injured at the moment, thinning out the team’s receiver room. Covey, 27, received seven targets across the past two games and Philadelphia will need to turn to other options for a complementary role at wideout (along with the return game).

Steelers RT Troy Fautanu To Undergo Surgery; Postseason Return In Play

September 23rd, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Over the weekend, the Steelers placed Troy Fautanu on injured reserve. That move guaranteed the first-round rookie would miss at least four games, but a subsequent report indicated a season-long absence could be in store.

Indeed, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Fautanu will undergo surgery on his dislocated kneecap. He will miss the remainder of the regular season as a result, leaving Pittsburgh with a vacancy along the O-line. Rapoport adds Fautanu could be back in time for the playoffs, but this news represents a notable blow to the team’s offense.

Just as they did in 2023, the Steelers used their top pick on an offensive tackle during the first round of April’s draft. Fautanu spent time at left tackle during his Washington tenure, and some teams viewed him as a guard. Pittsburgh saw the former Huskie as a tackle, however, and rated him higher as a prospect than 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones. It thus came as no surprise Fautanu started at right tackle during his regular season debut (Week 2).

His knee injury occurred in practice leading up to Sunday’s win, leaving Pittsburgh in need of a change up front. Jones took over at the RT spot, one in which he struggled during Week 2 with three penalties. The Georgia product is set for another long-term stint at the position due to Fautanu’s injury, though, after he primarily played on the right side during his rookie year. Pending free agent Dan Moore Jr. will remain in the startling lineup along the blindside.

Even before the Fautanu ailment, injuries along the offensive line were an issue early in the year for Pittsburgh. Center Nate Herbig‘s torn rotator cuff is expected to keep him out for most (if not all) of the campaign, thrusting second-round rookie Zach Frazier into a starting role. Guard Isaac Seumalo has yet to play this year while he rehabs a pectoral injury, leading to further inexperience along the interior.

The Steelers were among the teams which designated two players for return from IR before the roster cut deadline. That move leaves the team with six activations for the regular season, although that figure will not come into play with Fautanu out of the picture until the playoffs. Teams will receive an additional two IR activations during the postseason, so the 23-year-old could still be in the fold down the road. In the meantime, Pittsburgh could be in the market for offensive tackle depth.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/24

September 23rd, 2024 at 8:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Jacksonville Jaguars

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived from IR: TE McCallan Castles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

Steelers Sign OT Calvin Anderson

September 23rd, 2024 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

After placing offensive tackle Troy Fautanu on injured reserve this past weekend, the Steelers have added some necessary depth at the position. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the team has signed Calvin Anderson.

[RELATED: Steelers Place OT Troy Fautanu On IR]

The lineman worked out with the squad earlier today, leading to a deal. It sounds like Anderson will immediately join Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster.

A former UDFA out of Texas, Anderson had short stints with the Patriots and Jets to begin his career before finding a home in Denver. The lineman got into 41 games for the Broncos between 2020 and 2022, starting 12 of those appearances. He inked a two-year deal with the Patriots last offseason but started only two of his five appearances before he suffered a heart contusion during practice. Anderson subsequently landed on injured reserve and didn’t play again in 2023.

The 28-year-old was back on the field with the Patriots this past preseason, but he landed on injured reserve before final cuts. That would have prevented him from playing in 2024, but the Patriots later released him, paving the way for an eventual job elsewhere.

While the Steelers got some good news on Fautanu today, the team will still be stressing their OT depth moving forward. Broderick Jones will likely find himself back in the starting lineup, although the first-round pick had just been definitively replaced by Fautanu following an ugly Week 2 performance. The organization’s only other depth option was practice squad rookie Doug Nester, so the team was destined to make another move at the position.

Steelers Place OT Troy Fautanu On IR

September 21st, 2024 at 6:35pm CST by Ben Levine

6:35pm: Fautanu maywell end up missing much more than a month. Dulac reports the injury is set to sideline him for most, if not all, of the season’s remainder. Fautanu had red flags coming into the draft for medical reasons, and his rookie campaign appears to already be over due to his latest ailment.

4:20pm: The Steelers have officially moved Fautanu to injured reserve, ensuring that he will miss at least the next four games because of his knee injury, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. Jones will be ready to take over the starting role versus the Chargers tomorrow.

In addition to Fautanu’s placement on IR, the team is also promoting offensive lineman John Leglue and cornerback James Pierre from the practice squad. As standard gameday practice squad elevations, Leglue and Pierre will revert back to the practice squad after tomorrow’s game.

9:02am: The Steelers will be without their starting right tackle for the foreseeable future. Rookie Troy Fautanu injured his knee during yesterday’s practice and is sidelined indefinitely, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The lineman is set to undergo further testing, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the rookie definitely won’t be playing in Week 3. Offensive tackle Broderick Jones told reporters yesterday that his teammate suffered “a little tweak” to his knee (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).

The Steelers selected Fautanu with the 20th-overall pick in this past year’s draft. The rookie was sidelined with an MCL injury during the preseason, and he didn’t end up seeing the field for the team’s season-opener. With Jones struggling at RT, coach Mike Tomlin said the team would likely rotate tackles during Week 2.

While Fautanu garnered the start, Tomlin did initially stick to his rotational plan. However, as Pryor points out, Jones proceeded to commit three penalties in a six-play span, leading to the rookie playing out the contest. Fautanu finished the game getting into 55 offensive snaps, with the lineman earning praise from Pro Football Focus for his pass-blocking prowess.

With Fautanu now sidelined, the Steelers will likely turn back to Jones. Outside of LT Dan Moore Jr., the team’s only other healthy offensive tackle is practice squad rookie Doug Nester. For what it’s worth, Jones recognized his struggles through the first two weeks, and Tomlin believes the former first-round pick is prime for a rebound.

“He’s a talented young player,” Tomlin said (via Pryor). “I’m sure he suffered some disappointment in terms of Troy starting. It’s a natural thing, but he’s got to move past it. I got to give him an opportunity to move past it as a leader.”

The Steelers’ offensive line has already been wrecked by injuries. Center Nate Herbig is likely out for the year while recovering from a torn rotator cuff, and guard Isaac Seumalo hasn’t played this season while dealing with a pectoral injury.

Latest On Steelers’ QB Situation

September 19th, 2024 at 9:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers are 2-0 with Justin Fields at the helm of their offense, and he is likely to make a third straight start on Sunday. Russell Wilson is still not practicing in full, but when he is healthy his place on the depth chart will be worth watching closely.

Wilson continues to rehab the calf injury which cost him time during training camp and which he reaggravated shortly before the start of the season. Head coach Mike Tomlin has stated Wilson remains the team’s starter (the role he officially earned after the preseason) once he returns to full health, although strong showings from Fields could sway the team’s opinion on that front. Tomlin does not have a true decision to make until both passers are healthy, but Wilson is making progress.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Seahawks Super Bowl winner will likely receive a chance as the team’s starter once he has recovered. Wilson’s command of the offense, Fowler notes, remains an area where he is deemed to have an advantage over Fields. That is one factor which led to Wilson remaining in pole position for the QB1 spot throughout the offseason, in addition to his experience and lack of turnover issues relative to Fields. The latter has done well in that regard so far, though, and he will aim to deliver another clean performance on Sunday.

Pittsburgh ranks just 26th in scoring at the moment and 29th in passing yardage. The team has scored only one offensive touchdown through two weeks, and improved efficiency (at least, to a degree) will be needed over the course of the campaign. Fields was viewed by many as the signal-caller with the most upside in the Steelers’ QB room, and an update on this situation from before their Week 2 win suggested Tomlin could stick with the former Bears draftee even when Wilson is back to 100%.

“I’m definitely gaining ground,” Wilson – who practiced on a limited basis Thursday – said, via Fowler’s colleague Brooke Pryor. “I feel good. I was able to do a lot more work today, yesterday, so we’re getting better every day.”

Both Wilson and Fields are pending free agents, so their respective financial futures depend on how the 2024 season shakes out. Wilson could very well still see the field at some point, especially if Tomlin holds firm on the team’s pecking order at the position. As the Kenny Pickett–Mason Rudolph situation demonstrated last year, though, changes to the depth chart can be made based on unexpected performances. When (or if) Wilson gets back in the fold will be an interesting storyline to follow.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/24

September 18th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: DT Dashaun Mallory

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: LB David Anenih

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/24

September 17th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Marcellus Johnson
  • Released: T Ricky Lee

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

Woods joins the Falcons’ practice squad after a workout last week that also included veterans Kwon Alexander and Rashaan Evans.

The Browns are adding Freeman after the seven-year veteran was released by the Cowboys before the regular season. Freeman could potentially pitch in as the team keeps working without Nick Chubb.

Yeast becomes the next former-Rams defensive back to join the Panthers. Current Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero used to serve as the secondary coach in Los Angeles, and Yeast joins Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, and Troy Hill as former students of Evero to sign a deal with the Panthers.

Chosen’s time off the Dolphins’ practice squad could be a short one. Chosen was called up as a standard gameday elevation twice in the first two weeks of the season, reaching his limit for the year. If the team re-signs him to a new practice squad contract, his count should start over.

Reagor saw 11 games and a start last year for New England, catching seven passes for 138 yards as a deep threat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the Patriots will be giving him similar opportunities this year after this release.

Pierre played a big part in the Steelers’ secondary in 2021 and 2022, starting six games and logging an interception in each season. His role was extremely reduced last year with the arrivals of Joey Porter Jr.. and Patrick Peterson, but his experience could be crucial in a position room that only rosters five cornerbacks as Cameron Sutton remains on suspension.

AFC North Notes: Fields, Steelers, Wilson, Taylor-Britt, Bengals, Browns, Ravens

September 17th, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another Justin Fields start is likely on tap for the Steelers, who are 2-0 with the fourth-year passer at the controls. Russell Wilson is not scheduled to log a full practice Wednesday, and Mike Tomlin said (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the team is “readying a plan that features Justin.”

The Steelers have not exactly been prolific on offense with Fields, scoring all of 31 points in two games. But the trade acquisition — who entered the offseason as the clear backup — has gained enough ground on Wilson it is believed to have put the starting job in question. The 25-year-old passer has completed 69.8% of his passes, albeit at just 6.3 yards per attempt, but has managed two pilot Pittsburgh to two wins despite questions about the team’s pass-catching group after the much-discussed Brandon Aiyuk trade fell through.

Fields helping the Steelers to a win over the Broncos boosted his case, and Wilson may be running out of time due to a calf issue sidelining him — save for some preseason time — since the start of training camp. A report before that Denver matchup suggested Wilson would not lose the job he won due to injury, but it may well be up in the air now.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Stepping into the No. 1 cornerback role to start his third season, Cam Taylor-Britt pulled down a spectacular one-handed interception of Patrick Mahomes in the Bengals‘ Week 2 loss. With the Bengals expecting a big year from Taylor-Britt, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. notes this would put the former second-round pick on the extension radar come 2025 (subscription required). Taylor-Britt will be eligible for a second contract next year, and while the Bengals are poised for a second round of Ja’Marr Chase negotiations in 2025, a quality Taylor-Britt showing this year would leave them an easier extension to complete.
  • Attempting to move from a decorated wrestling career to the Bills, Gable Steveson did not turn that bid into a spot on Buffalo’s active roster or practice squad. The former Olympic gold medalist is not shutting down football aspirations, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo noting he worked out for the Ravens this week. The 24-year-old wrestling convert competed as a defensive lineman in Buffalo, with Bills preseason games doubling as Steveson’s first football games at any level.
  • The Browns and Bears completed a trade for defensive tackle Chris Williams just before the season. The pick-swap deal involved the Bears sending the Browns a 2025 sixth-round pick (originally from the Vikings) for Williams and a conditional 2025 seventh-rounder, Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer notes. The sixth that went to Cleveland was originally a Miami selection.
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