NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/15
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: G Ben Garland (press release)
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nick O’Leary (via Mike Rodak on Twitter)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: C Shane McDermott (Twitter link via Joseph Person)
- Cut: CB Carrington Byndom (Twitter link via Person)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Bronson Hill (Twitter link)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Kendrick Ings (Twitter link via Dave Birkett)
- Cut: WR Andrew Peacock (Twitter link via Birkett)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Jonathan Dowling (Twitter link via Adam Caplan)
- Cut: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson (Twitter link via Caplan); RB Rajion Neal (Twitter link via Adam Beasley)
New York Giants
- Signed: QB G.J. Kinne; LB Gerald Rivers (press release), WR Myles White (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: T Martin Wallace (press release)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Jason Ankrah; LB Justin Staples (Twitter link via Terry McCormick)
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Chicago Bears
- Claimed off waivers:
- G Patrick Omameh (link via Pro Football Talk)
- DB Harold Jones-Quartey (link via Pro Football Talk)
- Cut:
- S Sherrod Martin (Twitter link via Brad Biggs)
- T Jordan Mills (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk)
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Jonathan Anderson (Twitter link via Biggs)
- RB Paul Lasike (Twitter link via Kevin Fishbain)
- TE Gannon Sinclair (Twitter link via Biggs)
- WR Ify Umodu (Twitter link via Biggs)
- DT Terry Williams (Twitter link via Biggs)
Detroit Lions
- Signed to practice squad:
- C Braxton Cave (link via Tim Twentyman)
- DT Kerry Hyder (link via Tim Twentyman)
- CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport)
- S Isaiah Johnson (link via Tim Twentyman)
- WR Andrew Peacock (link via Tim Twentyman)
- TE Casey Pierce (link via Tim Twentyman)
- DE Larry Webster (link via Tim Twentyman)
- RB George Winn (link via Tim Twentyman)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Jared Abrederis (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky)
- LB Carl Bradford (Twitter link via Ryan Wood)
- TE Justin Perillo (Twitter link via Tony Pauline)
- G Matt Rotheram (Twitter link via Demovsky)
- LB James Vaughters (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein)
- T Jeremy Vujnovich (Twitter link via Demovsky)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE B.J. DuBose (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson)
- G Isame Faciane (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- WR Isaac Fruechte (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- S Anthony Harris (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- DE Zach Moore (Twitter link via Jeff Howe)
- LB Brian Peters (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- FB Blake Renaud (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- LB Brandon Watts (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- RB Dominique Williams (Twitter link via Tomasson)
- G David Yankey (Twitter link via Tomasson)
NFC Notes: Bucs, Byrd, Brooks
After taking a peek at a few AFC notes this morning, let’s have a look at some NFC links in advance of today’s flurry of waiver claims and practice squad news:
- The Buccaneers are first in line to claim players waived by the 31 other teams in the league, and Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times says one position where the Bucs will likely add a player is defensive end. After placing Larry English on injured reserve and cutting backups Lawrence Sidbury and rookie Ryan Delaire, Tampa Bay currently has only three defensive ends on its roster.
- We learned yesterday that Saints safety Jairus Byrd had avoided the regular season PUP list, meaning that he is eligible to play immediately when he is medically ready. As Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune observes, it is still unclear as to exactly when Byrd will be back, but the fact that he is on the 53-man roster indicates that he could be ready to go soon.
- Ahmad Brooks will remain on the 49ers‘ 53-man roster as the league continues to monitor his criminal case, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. Head coach Jim Tomsula said he expects Brooks to play next week’s season opener, and the NFL issued a statement stating that it was not appropriate to place Brooks on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at this time.
- John Keim of ESPN.com takes a closer look at some of the fallout from the Robert Griffin III drama in Washington. Keim notes that not everyone in the organization believes in Kirk Cousins, and Griffin’s biggest fan is team owner Dan Snyder. If Cousins gives Snyder a reason to believe in him, then Griffin may be traded or released. But if Cousins struggles, and there is plenty of reason to believe he will, the possible tension between ownership and the rest of Washington’s brass may be further illuminated.
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com looks at five Washington starting jobs that could change hands this season, including quarterback (obviously), left guard, and strong safety.
- If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Eagles will definitely sign RB Raheem Mostert to their practice squad, according to Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
- The Lions, meanwhile, plan to sign Andrew Peacock to their practice squad today, according to a tweet from Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. Peacock cleared waivers last week.
Lions Waive Three Players
The Lions have cut a trio of players to get down to a 75-man roster. First, Detroit dropped wide receiver Andrew Peacock and linebacker Justin Cherocci, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Then, to go from 76 to 75, the Lions waived tight end Jacob Maxwell, according to Twentyman (via Twitter).
With Peacock out of the picture, the Lions’ depth chart at wide receiver features Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Corey Fuller, Lance Moore, Jeremy Ross, T.J. Jones, and Greg Salas at receiver. The Lions will likely retain five of those players on the 53-man roster.
At linebacker, DeAndre Levy, Stephen Tulloch, Tahir Whitehead, Josh Bynes, Kyle Van Noy, Travis Lewis, Brandon Copeland, and Julian Stanford remain on the 75-man roster. The team kept six linebackers heading into the season last year, so it stands to reason that one or two of those players could get dropped in the coming days.
At tight end, the Lions have Tim Wright, Joseph Fauria, and Casey Pierce behind Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew.
Lions Sign 12 Players To Futures Deals
4:37pm: Twentyman (Twitter link) adds Williams, whose pending deal was noted below, to the list of Lions signees, bringing the total to 12.
3:31pm: The Lions became the latest team to announce a series of reserve/futures signings for 2015 today, confirming that they’ve inked 11 players to new deals. Here’s the complete list of signees, via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter links):
- Taylor Boggs, C
- Braxston Cave, C
- Skye Dawson, WR
- Jerrell Harris, LB
- Kerry Hyder, DT
- Emil Igwenagu, FB
- Nate Ness, S
- Andrew Peacock, WR
- Roy Philon, DT
- Xavier Proctor, DT
- Jordan Thompson, TE
Of the 11 players signed today by the Lions, eight finished the season on the team’s practice squad, with Boggs, Cave, and Hyder representing the new additions. Cornerback Trevin Wade and offensive tackle Michael Williams have yet to officially sign new deals, though Williams is expected to re-sign soon, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Sunday/Monday Transactions: NFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Chicago Bears:
- Waived (officially announced): Brandon Hartson, LS
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced via Twitter): Taylor Boggs, C; Ryan Groy, G; DeDe Lattimore, LB; Al Louis-Jean, CB; Rashad Ross, KR; Josh Bellamy, WR; Brandon Dunn, DT; Isaiah Frey, CB; Terrance Mitchell, CB; Roy Philon, DT; Rashad Ross, WR
Detroit Lions:
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Rodney Austin, G; Emil Igwenagu, FB; Nate Ness, S; Andrew Peacock, WR; Xavier Proctor, DT; Mohammed Seisay, CB; Julian Stanford, LB; Jordan Thompson, TE; Michael Williams, OT; George Winn, RB
Green Bay Packers:
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Chris Banjo, S; Kevin Dorsey, WR; Garth Gerhart, C; Alex Gillett, WR; Michael Hill, RB; Adrian Hubbard, LB; Justin Perillo, TE; Luther Robinson, DE; Jeremy Vujnovich, T, Myles White, WR
Minnesota Vikings:
- Claimed off waivers: MarQueis Gray, TE (via Tom Pelissero on Twitter); Mike Harris, OT (via Pelissero on Twitter)
- Cut: Larry Dean, LB (via Darren Wolfson on Twitter); Austin Wentworth, G (via Wolfson on Twitter)
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Joe Banyard, RB; Kain Coulter, WR; Isame Faciane, DT; Chase Ford, TE; Donte Foster, WR; Kendall James, CB; Zac Kerin, C; Mike Remmers, OL; Justin Trattou, DT
Lions Release Leshoure, Roster To 53
2:50pm: The Lions have announced their remaining cuts, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. In addition to the players listed below, the following players have been let go:
- Rodney Austin, OL
- Patrick Edwards, WR
- Andre Fluellen, DL
- Emil Igwenagu, RB
- Nate Ness, S
- Andrew Peacock, WR
- Xavier Proctor, DL
- Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, DL
- Julian Stanford, LB
- Jordan Thompson, TE
1:45pm: The Lions have let go of one of Matthew Stafford‘s favorite targets, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports (via Twitter) that the team has released wideout Kris Durham.
The 26-year-old finished 2013 with career-highs in receptions (38) and yards (490). He also led all of the Lions offensive skill players in snaps, even topping All-Pro Calvin Johnson.
The Lions weren’t done there, as they released an additional six players:
- Chris Greenwood, CB (via Birkett on Twitter)
- Shamari Benton, LB (via Birkett on Twitter)
- Brandon Hepburn, LB (via Birkett on Twitter)
- Michael Egnew, TE (via Rand Getlin on Twitter)
- Michael Williams, OT (via Birkett on Twitter)
- George Winn, RB (via Birkett on Twitter)
11:40am: The Lions’ starting running back from 2012 is no longer on the roster, as the team informed Mikel Leshoure today that he’s being waived as the 53-man cutdown deadline nears, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While the move leaves a little dead money on Detroit’s cap, the team avoids having to pay the running back his non-guaranteed base salary for 2014.
Leshoure wasn’t the only veteran among the Lions’ cuts today. Here’s the complete running list:
- Darren Keyton, C (via Birkett on Twitter)
- Mikel Leshoure, RB
- Garrett Reynolds, OL (via Pro Football Talk on Twitter)
- Mohammed Seisay, CB (via Michael Rothstein on Twitter)
- Darryl Tapp, DE (via Josh Katzenstein on Twitter)
Lions Sign 12 UDFAs, Cut Eight Players
FRIDAY, 10:09am: The Lions have officially signed one more undrafted free agent, inking Robert Morris offensive lineman A.J. Dalton to a contract, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Dalton received a $2.5K signing bonus, per Birkett (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 3:45pm: The Lions have signed 11 undrafted free agents to contracts, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. In order to make room for the new additions, the team also cut eight players: Cornerback Nate Ness, safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, tight end Matt Veldman, kicker John Potter, wide receiver Carlin Isles, linebacker Jon Morgan, center Sherman Carter and wide receiver Cody Wilson.
While none of those players was expected to be a real contributor in Detroit this season, there are a couple notable names in the group. Isles is a rugby speedster who was considering coming to camp with the Lions, while Potter had been expected to compete for the kicking job vacated by David Akers.
Here’s the full list of the club’s UDFA signings:
- Chad Abram, FB, Florida State ($7.5K bonus, per Dave Birkett)
- Alex Bullard, G, Tennessee ($500 bonus)
- Jerome Couplin, S, William and Mary ($6K bonus)
- James Franklin, QB, Missouri ($2K bonus)
- Justin Jackson, LB, Wake Forest ($2.5K bonus)
- Cornelius Lucas, OT, Kansas State ($20K bonus)
- Gabe Lynn, S, Oklahoma ($2.5K bonus)
- Jacob Maxwell, TE, Louisiana Lafayette ($3K bonus)
- D.J. Morrell, G, Old Dominion ($2.5K bonus)
- Andrew Peacock, WR, Appalachian State ($2.5K bonus)
- Mohammed Seisay, CB, Nebraska ($5K bonus)
