NFL Hands DE Amani Bledsoe 17-Week PED Suspension
Amani Bledsoe began last season on the shelf with a six-game PED suspension. The young defensive end will face a stiffer penalty this year. The NFL suspended Bledsoe for this season’s first 17 weeks, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The lengthy duration here stems from another PED policy violation, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (on Twitter). While the 2020 CBA lightened punishments for recreational drugs, PED penalties obviously remain in place. Bledsoe is currently a free agent; this second violation will make his path back to a roster rather difficult.
A former Titans and Bengals defensive end, Bledsoe did not see any game action last season. But he did stick around via a reserve/futures contract with the Falcons. But Atlanta waived Bledsoe last month.
This latest ban threatens Bledsoe’s career, seeing as he was an undrafted free agent who has played sparingly. The Oklahoma alum has made six career starts — four of them coming with the Bengals in 2020 — and caught on with Atlanta’s practice squad in November of last year. Bledsoe, 25, did enough to warrant a futures deal. But it is hard to envision a team picking him up as a free agent this year.
The Titans signed Bledsoe as a UDFA in 2019. He had worked as a contributor on a few late-2010s Sooner defensive lines. The 6-foot-4 defender has yet to record a sack as a pro.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/14/23
Today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Jeff Driskel
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OLB Quinton Bell, DL Amani Bledsoe
- Waived: Jovante Moffatt
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Kevin Jarvis
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: S Vernon Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Tanner Muse
Muse’s career was in doubt early when the former third-round pick was waived by the Raiders just before his second year without him ever having played a snap for the team that drafted him. After joining the Seahawks practice squad in 2021, Muse worked to get back on track after an injury-riddled rookie season.
After working his way onto the active roster late into his first season in Seattle, Muse played in every game for the Seahawks in 2022. Serving primarily as a core special teamer, Muse even began to earn some playing time on defense late in the year.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/23
18 teams had their seasons come to an end yesterday, and their front offices have already turned the page to the 2023 NFL seaon. This started today, as a number of players were signed to reserve/futures contracts, which allows organizations to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
- T Julien Davenport, S Juju Hughes, LB Blake Lynch, TE Chris Pierce, TE Bernhard Seikovits, G Lachavious Simmons, WR Auden Tate, S Josh Thomas, T Badara Traore, WR Javon Wims
Atlanta Falcons
- WR Josh Ali, RB BJ Baylor, OLB Quinton Bell, DL Amani Bledsoe, LB Dorian Etheridge, TE Tucker Fisk, CB Javelin Guidry, CB Matt Hankins, OL Jonotthan Harrison, WR Ra’Shaun Henry, LB Nathan Landman, DB Dylan Mabin, CB Jamal Peters, TE John Raine, FB Clint Ratkovich, CB John Reid, OL Justin Shaffer, OL Tyler Vrabel
Buffalo Bills
- WR Isaiah Coulter, DE Kendal Vickers
Carolina Panthers
- G Deonte Brown, RB Spencer Brown, DE Kobe Jones, LB Arron Mosby, TE Giovanni Ricci, WR C.J. Saunders, TE Stephen Sullivan, DT Raequan Williams, WR Derek Wright
Chicago Bears
- TE Chase Allen, S Adrian Colbert, LB Kuony Deng, T Kellen Diesch, DE Gerri Green, TE Jake Tonges, WR Nsimba Webster
Cleveland Browns
- WR Daylen Baldwin, S Bubba Bolden, WR Mike Harley, LB Storey Jackson, DE Sam Kamara, RB John Kelly, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT Roderick Perry, WR Marquez Stevenson, T Tyrone Wheatley
Denver Broncos
- WR Victor Bolden, G Parker Ferguson, CB Faion Hicks, CB Delonte Hood, S Devon Key, RB Tyreik McAllister, OLB Wyatt Ray, OL Hunter Thedford, LB Ray Wilborn
Detroit Lions
- WR Maurice Alexander, WR Stanley Berryhill, T Obinna Eze, S Brady Breeze, CB Khalil Dorsey, RB Jermar Jefferson, WR Tom Kennedy, T Darrin Paulo, DT Demetrius Taylor, CB Jarren Williams
Indianapolis Colts
- DT McTelvin Agim, S Henry Black, S Marcel Dabo, S Trevor Denbow, G Arlington Hambright, T Jordan Murray, LB Segun Olubi, LB Forrest Rhyne, RB Aaron Shampklin, WR Vyncint Smith, CB David Vereen, TE Jalen Wydermyer
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Ty Fryfogle
Las Vegas Raiders
- CB Isiah Brown, CB Bryce Cosby, P Julian Diaz, S Jalen Elliott, TE Cole Fotheringham, G Vitaliy Gurman, T Sebastian Gutierrez, WR Chris Lacy, LB Kana’i Mauga, G Jordan Meredith, WR DJ Turner, RB Austin Walter, WR Isaiah Zuber
Los Angeles Rams
- TE Roger Carter, DL T.J. Carter, CB T.J. Carter, S Richard LeCounte, T Max Pircher, WR Jaquarii Roberson, WR Jerreth Sterns, DE Brayden Thomas, DE Zach VanValkenburg
New Orleans Saints
- G Yasir Durant, DT Prince Emili, RB Derrick Gore, CB Vincent Gray, TE Lucas Krull, QB Jake Luton, LB Nephi Sewell, DE Jabari Zuniga
New York Jets
- OL Chris Glaser, CB Craig James, CB Jimmy Moreland, DL Marquiss Spencer, QB Chris Streveler, LB Chazz Surratt, WR Malik Taylor
Washington Commanders
- CB Troy Apke, DE William Bradley-King, WR Alex Erickson, CB DaMarcus Fields, QB Jake Fromm, G Nolan Laufenberg, WR Kyric McGowan, T Aaron Monteiro, G Keaton Sutherland
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: OL Sage Doxtater, OL Danny Isidora
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DE Amani Bledsoe
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Relased: CB Jordan Miller
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe, RB Nate McCrary
- Released: CB Gavin Heslop, RB John Lovett
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Zach McCloud
- Released: LB Kana’i Mauga
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Brady Breeze
Green Bay Packers
- Released: LB Kobe Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Buddy Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Released: QB Reid Sinnett
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Hayden Howerton, P Michael Palardy
- Released: DL Ron’Dell Carter, K Tristan Vizcaino
New Orleans Saints
- Released: DB Jordan Brown, QB Jake Luton
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Willie Snead
- Released: WR Malik Turner
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Released: WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OT Justin Skule
NFL Suspends Amani Bledsoe
The NFL has suspended free agent defensive end Amani Bledsoe for six games, per the transactions wire. The ban is due to a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
[RELATED: Titans Back Tannehill As Starting QB]
Bledsoe previously lost a season of eligibility at the University of Oklahoma for an alleged PED violation. That may have contributed to him going undrafted in 2019. Bledsoe took the NCAA to court over that but wasn’t able to get the decision overturned.
Bledsoe went on to appear in 14 games for the Bengals in 2020 with four starts. That year, he logged 17 total tackles with two passes defensed. In 2021, he jockeyed between the Titans’ taxi squad and active roster. He finished out with five appearances, two starts, one pass defensed, and one tackle.
Per league rules, Bledsoe’s suspension will carry over if/when he signs with a new team for the 2022 season. Given the latest news and his lack of significant production over the last two years, it’s possible that teams will deprioritize Bledsoe and wait until the fall to audition him.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/21
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Rick Leonard
- Released: K Elliott Fry
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: NT Isaiah Mack
Cleveland Browns
- Released: DB Bryan Mills
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Geronimo Allison
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Carson Green
- Released: LB Connor Strachan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Michael Jacquet
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL P.J. Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DT Caraun Reid
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Kobe Jones, QB Jake Luton
- Released: QB Jake Dolegala
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Jonathan Williams
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Amani Bledsoe, OL Bobby Hart
Titans Waive OL Bobby Hart, DL Amani Bledsoe
The Titans moved on from two players today. The team announced that they’ve waived offensive lineman Bobby Hart and defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe.
Hart has managed to stick around the NFL for seven seasons despite being selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft. The lineman started 21 games for the Giants between the 2015 and 2017 seasons, and he later started 45 games (of 46 appearances) for the Bengals between 2018 and 2020. Hart was released by the Bengals back in March, and he’s spent most of the 2021 campaign on the Bills and Dolphins practice squad.
The 27-year-old joined the Titans back in October, and he started a game for the team while filling in for injured offensive tackles Taylor Lewan and Kendall Lamm. Hart ultimately saw time in three total games during his stint in Tennessee.
Bledsoe joined the Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2019, and after starting four of his 14 games with the Bengals in 2020, he returned to the Titans (via the practice squad) back in September. The 23-year-old saw time in five games (two starts) for the Titans this season, collecting a single tackle.
Titans Place LB Jayon Brown On IR
Jayon Brown has battled multiple injuries early this season, and the Titans will give the veteran linebacker at least three weeks off. Brown is now on Tennessee’s IR list.
After running into hamstring trouble earlier this season, Brown was on Tennessee’s injury report this week with a knee malady. The fifth-year veteran did not practice this week and had been ruled out of the Titans’ Week 5 game against the Jaguars.
Brown played 93% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps in Week 1 but has not cleared the 35% threshold since. He missed Week 2 with the hamstring problem. This will mark the second straight season in which Brown misses at least four games. An elbow injury sidelined him for six games to end last season.
The Titans re-signed Brown to a one-year deal worth $5.25MM, making this season critical for the former fifth-rounder’s long-term earning potential. Tennessee’s defense is coming off a brutally ineffective season, and Shane Bowen‘s unit enters Week 5 ranked 26th in points allowed. Brown’s absence will not help matters.
Additionally, the Titans placed wide receiver Racey McMath, offensive lineman Aaron Brewer and tight end Tommy Hudson on IR. The Titans promoted offensive lineman Corey Levin, defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe and linebacker Joe Jones to fill their respective roster spots.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/21
Here is Saturday’s batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, OL Eric Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Cam Lewis
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: WR Malik Turner
- Promoted: DT Austin Faoliu, DT Justin Hamilton, RB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: LB Curtis Robinson, OL Austin Schlottmann
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: K Ryan Santoso
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Placed on IR: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, DB A.J. Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: RB Buddy Howell, LB Justin Lawler
- Waived: S J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: C Cameron Tom
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, T Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
New York Giants
- Promoted: C Jonotthan Harrison
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: S Ashtyn Davis, S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams
- Waived: RB Josh Adams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: OL Jack Driscoll, CB Josiah Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: OT Chaz Green, WR Cody White
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DL Maurice Hurst
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, TE Codey McElroy, CB Rashard Robinson
- Waived: DL Khalil Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Amani Bledsoe, FB Tory Carter
Bengals Down To 53
The Bengals are in the books. With less than an hour before the deadline, the Bengals announced a series of roster cuts to take them down to 53. Here’s the full rundown:
Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury list:
- OT Hakeem Adeniji (pectoral)
- DE Wyatt Hubert (pectoral)
Placed on Reserve/Injured list:
- DE Joseph Ossai (Knee)
Released:
- DT Mike Daniels
- TE Mason Schreck
- DE Noah Spence
- WR Trent Taylor
Waived:
- LB Joe Bachie
- DE Amani Bledsoe
- CB Tony Brown
- P Drue Chrisman
- S Trayvon Henderson
- LB Keandre Jones
- G Michael Jordan
- DT Kahlil McKenzie
- TE Thaddeus Moss
- HB Jacques Patrick
- CB Antonio Phillips
- CB Winston Rose
- K Austin Seibert
- QB Kyle Shurmur
- G Keaton Sutherland
- OT Gunnar Vogel
- WR Scotty Washington
- HB Pooka Williams Jr.
- HB Trayveon Williams
- DT Renell Wren
For now, this leaves the Bengals with seven wide receivers on the roster: Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, Mike Thomas, Auden Tate, Stanley Morgan Jr., Tee Higgins, and Trenton Irwin. Meanwhile, they’re down a couple starters from last year in Michael Jordan and Mike Daniels.