NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/23
Teams continue to tinker with their taxi squads in the aftermath of roster cutdowns. Here are Friday’s updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Daniel Arias, G Marquis Hayes, S Jovante Moffatt, DL Ben Stille, TE Blake Whiteheart
- Released: CB Quavian White
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T David Sharpe, RB Jashaun Corbin, LB Chandler Wooten, WR Derek Wright
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S A.J. Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB A.J. Green
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Ben Niemann
- Released: WR Michael Bandy
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Darrell Daniels
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DL Jonathan Ford
- Released: C James Empey
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Gerrit Prince
- Released: DT Chris Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Chris Wilcox
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR T.J. Luther
- Released: WR Thyrick Pitts
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Jaylon Thomas
- Released: OL Tyre Phillips
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Robert Rochell, LB Jon Rhattigan
- Released: QB Holton Ahlers, OL Greg Eiland
Tennessee Titans
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.
Arizona Cardinals
Claimed:
- C Trystan Colon, TE Elijah Higgins, C Keith Ishmael, T Ilm Manning, DB Starling Thomas, DB K’Von Wallace
Waived:
- WR Daniel Arias, G Marquis Hayes, S Javonte Moffatt, DL Ben Stille, TE Blake Whiteheart
Signed to practice squad:
- QB Jeff Driskel
Los Angeles Rams
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- OL A.J. Arcuri, OL Logan Bruss, DT Marquise Copeland, RB Royce Freeman, DB Tanner Ingle, WR Tyler Johnson, TE Nikola Kalinic, OL Mike McAllister, DB Cameron McCutcheon, OL Grant Miller, LB Troy Reeder, QB Brett Rypien, WR Xavier Smith, OLB Keir Thomas II, WR Austin Trammell
San Francisco 49ers
Placed on IR:
- DL Robert Beal, WR Danny Gray
Signed:
- DL Austin Bryant, DL Kerry Hyder
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Alex Barrett, FB Jack Colletto, WR Chris Conley, DL Marlon Davidson, TE Troy Fumagalli, OL Alfredo Gutierrez (via International Player Pathway), RB Brian Hill, CB Qwuantrezz Knight, OL Corey Luciano, WR Tay Martin, DL T.Y. McGill, LB Curtis Robinson, WR Willie Snead, CB Tre Swilling, OL Leroy Watson, WR Isaiah Winstead
Seattle Seahawks
Claimed:
- CB Kyu Blu Kelly, LB Drake Thomas
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- QB Holton Ahlers, OLB Levi Bell, CB Lance Boykin, CB Artie Burns, T Greg Eiland, DT Matthew Gotel, C Joey Hunt, WR Cade Johnson, RB Bryant Koback, WR Matt Landers, TE Tyler Mabry, LB Patrick O’Connell, S Ty Okada, RB SaRodorick Thompson, WR Easop Winston Jr.
Cardinals Add 10 UDFAs
The team that did the most wheeling and dealing on Day 1 of the draft picked up a few extra picks for 2024. Some of the Cardinals’ most recent UDFA class could be factors by that point. Here is Arizona’s post-draft contingent:
- WR Daniel Arias (Colorado)
- S Kendell Brooks (Michigan State)
- RB Emari Demercado (TCU)
- LS Matt Hembrough (Oklahoma State)
- TE Joel Honigford (Michigan)
- LB Marvin Pierre (Kent State)
- DL Jacob Slade (Michigan State)
- LB Kyle Soelle (Arizona State)
- CB Quavian White (Georgia State)
- TE Blake Whiteheart (Wake Forest)
One member of the Spartan duo will have a decent chance to crack the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. They are guaranteeing $200K of Slade’s salary, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. As GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer notes, that guarantee tops six of the veterans the Cards signed this offseason. Slade missed four games due to injury last season, but the former Michigan State defensive tackle earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2021. Like Slade and numerous other UDFAs this year, Brooks used the extra eligibility year enabled after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Division II transfer forced three fumbles last season. Slade’s teammate, Brooks, received $80K to sign, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
The elder of the NFL’s two Aaron Brewers — Arizona’s long snapper of the past seven seasons — is not under contract. The Cardinals have Joe Fortunato, who has played one career game, set to compete with Hembrough for the position. While another Cardinals-Brewer contract should not be ruled out, Hembrough was one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly award given to the top Division I-FBS long snapper. He spent six years at Oklahoma State.
Demercado played five seasons with the Horned Frogs but only totaled 338 carries. Ranking inside Scouts Inc.’s top 300 prospects, Demercado enjoyed his best season during the Big 12 program’s surprising run to the national championship game. He finished with 681 yards (5.6 per carry) and six rushing touchdowns as a senior. The Cardinals did not draft a running back but have 2022 sixth-rounder Keaontay Ingram and veteran Corey Clement behind starter James Conner.