NFL Workout Updates: 9/25/19
Here are today’s workout updates:
New Orleans Saints
Seattle Seahawks
Saints Sign Six Players To Futures Deals
The Saints’ season is officially in the books, which means that it’s on to the offseason for New Orleans. To kick things off, the Saints signed the following six practice squad players to reserve/futures deals:
- QB J.T Barrett
- DB Chris Campbell
- DB J.T. Gray
- DT Tomasi Laulile
- LB Darnell Sankey
- OT Nate Wozniak
Barrett has been jockeyed on and off of the Saints’ practice squad all year. Over the weekend, Barrett was signed to the Saints’ taxi squad for the 13th time this season. In total, he was involved in a whopping 25 transactions during the 2018 campaign and was released 12 times. Barrett frequently switched placed with wide receiver Paul Turner, but there’s no word yet on whether Turner will be retained via a futures contract.
Sankey, 25 in October, appeared in six games for the Colts last season. This year, he did not see live action for the Saints, but he was on the scout team for most of the year.
Wozniak, a tight end at the University of Minnesota, was signed as a UDFA last year. The Saints moved the 6’10” prospect over to offensive tackle and they’re hoping he’ll be able to use his size and length to his advantage.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/18
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Jalen Simmons
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Makinton Dorleant
Detroit Lions
- Signed WR Keon Hatcher
- Released: LB Alex Barrett
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Brandon Allen, DE Marcus Martin
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Nick O’Leary
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: S Jack Tocho
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Darnell Sankey
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DL Gabe Wright
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Asantay Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Marcus Henry
NFL Workout Updates: 9/18/18
Here’s the latest from the NFL workout circuit on a busy Tuesday. All links to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Kennan Gilchrist, Hayes Pullard (Twitter link via Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan)
Atlanta Falcons
- CB Taveze Calhoun, CB Taurean Nixon, CB Malik Reaves (link)
Buffalo Bills
- DT Michael Bennett, DT Quinton Dial, QB Tyler Ferguson, CB Michael Hunter, OL Austin Pasztor, WR Hunter Sharp, WR Brandon Shippen, OL Jylan Ware (link)
Carolina Panthers
- T Isaiah Battle, TE Blake Bell, TE Billy Brown, TE Kyle Carter, T Roubbens Joseph, T Michael Ola, QB Dalton Sturm, T Darrell Williams (link)
Cleveland Browns
- WR Bennie Fowler, WR Dontrelle Inman, LB Azeem Victor (link)
Dallas Cowboys
- CB Jeremy Boykins, WR Chad Hansen, LB Ufomba Kamalu, WR Justice Liggins, DE Cameron Malveaux, WR Francis Owusu, T William Poehls, DT Christian Ringo, DT Adolphus Washington (link)
Detroit Lions
- DT Darius Kilgo (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter)
Houston Texans
- RB Matthew Dayes, DE Anthony Lanier, RB Jeremy McNichols, CB Herb Waters, CB D.J. White, WR Isaac Whitney (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- T Gerhard de Beer, T Christian DiLauro, T Antonio Garcia, WR Francis Owusu, WR Brandon Reilly, WR Travis Rudolph (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- TE Jerell Adams, TE Nick Keizer, TE David Wells, , (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Los Angeles Chargers
- G Spencer Drango, T Jamar McGloster (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Los Angeles Rams
- G Ian Silberman, T David Steinmetz, T Darrell Williams (link)
New England Patriots
- QB Kyle Allen, RB Andre Ellington, RB Charcandrick West (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
New Orleans Saints
- LB Jonathan Freeny, LB Josh Keyes, LB Darnell Sankey, LB Martrell Spaight (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- CB De’Vante Bausby, DE Hunter Dimick, DT Sealver Siliga, LB Emmanuel Smith, CB Herb Waters, LB Antwione Williams (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Tennessee Titans
- CB Makinton Dorleant, DT Darius Kilgo, DT Dee Liner, DT Jamie Meder, S Josh Robinson, CB Henre’ Toliver (link)
Washington Redskins
- G Kofi Amichia, G Jamil Douglas, T Chris Durant, C Jake Eldrenkamp, T Justin Evans, G Kaleb Johnson (link)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/18
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Trevor Bates, C Leo Koloamatangi
- Cut: S Rolan Milligan, LB Darnell Sankey, T Dan Skipper
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Maurice Smith
- Cut: RB Jeremy Langford
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Jalen Myrick
- Placed on injured list: DB Jack Tocho
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Trey Edmunds
- Cut: RB Jarvion Franklin
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: LB Antwione Williams
Washington Redskins
- Signed: WR Jehu Chesson, TE J.P. Holtz
- Cut: QB Nic Shimonek
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 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. 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
Signed:
Cut:
Placed on injured reserve:
- TE Adam Shaheen
Detroit Lions
Claimed:
- OT Andrew Donnal
- DB Dee Virgin
Cut:
Practice squad:
- LB Alex Barrett
- CB Mike Ford
- WR Chris Lacy
- S Rolan Milligan
- QB Jake Rudock
- LB Darnell Sankey
- OL Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
Practice squad:
- RB Joel Bouagnon
- C Austin Davis
- LB Kendall Donnerson
- FB Joe Kerridge
- DL Tyler Lancaster
- DL James Looney
- LB Greer Martini
- G/T Adam Pankey
Minnesota Vikings
Claimed:
Cut:
Practice squad:
- WR Jeff Badet
- WR Chad Beebe
- LB Reshard Cliett
- DT Curtis Cothran
- LB Garret Dooley
- C Cornelius Edison
- G Colby Gossett
- T Storm Norton
- S Jack Tocho
Lions Announce Roster Cuts
In addition to trading offensive tackle Corey Robinson to the Panthers, the Lions have also reduced their roster to 53 players.
Released:
- LB Jonathan Freeny
- C Wesley Johnson
- TE Sean McGrath
- CB DeShawn Shead
Waived:
- DE Alex Barrett
- WR Jace Billingsley
- LB Freddie Bishop
- WR Dontez Ford
- CB Mike Ford
- CB Chris Jones
- WR Chris Lacy
- DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
- S Rolan Milligan
- QB Jake Rudock
- LB Darnell Sankey
- P Ryan Santoso
- T Dan Skipper
- RB Dwayne Washington
Placed on injured reserve:
- RB Zach Zenner
Placed on PUP:
- WR Andy Jones
Waived from injured reserve:
- DT Toby Johnson
With Rudock out of the picture, Matt Cassel will serve as the backup to quarterback Matthew Stafford. Freeny conceivably could have made the roster based on his familiarity with head coach Matt Patricia, but the Lions went in another direction.
Lions Sign LB Darnell Sankey
The Lions made a series of moves today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Besides making their signing of Ricky Jean-Francois official, the Lions also signed linebacker Darnell Sankey. To make room on the roster, the team has waived linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton and offensive lineman Beau Nunn.
Sankey, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of Sacramento State, has bounced around the league over the past two years. The six-foot-two, 250-pound linebacker has had stints with the Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Vikings, Colts, and Ravens. He ended up appearing in six games for Indy last season without compiling a tackle. He’ll joined a crowded Lions depth chart that already has Christian Jones, Jonathan Freeny, Cam Johnson, Trevor Bates, and Steve Longa competing for backup reps.
Benton, a former standout at West Virginia, signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent back in May. Nunn, an Appalachian State product, also signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent. With the offensive tackle off the roster, one of Corey Robinson, Brian Mihalik, Adam Bisnowaty, and Dan Skipper will presumably have a better shot of making the roster.
After meeting with the Lions yesterday, Jean-Francois inked a one-year deal with Detroit. The 31-year-old split last season between the Patriots and Packers, compiling seven total tackles.
Colts Waive RB Matt Jones
The Colts announced that they have waived running back Matt Jones. Linebackers Darnell Sankey and Jermaine Grace, wide receiver Justice Liggins, nose tackle Joey Mbu, and defensive end Arthur Miley were also waived while defensive tackle Johnathan Calvin was waived-injured. 
Jones was once primed to be the Redskins’ primary running back, but he slipped down the team’s depth chart over time. The Redskins waived Jones after they were unable find a trade partner for him, leading him to the Colts. He cycled between the Colts’ active roster and practice squad throughout last year, but the team has decided against keeping him on the expanded roster now that the draft has concluded.
The Colts selected NC State’s Nyheim Hines in the fourth round and Mississippi’s Jordan Wilkins in the fifth round, so there was little hope for Jones to make the final cut. Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin project to be the Colts’ lead rushers while Christine Michael and Josh Ferguson will battle alongside the two rookies for a place on the roster.
Jones, a 6’2″, 239-pound athlete, has played in 25 career games with seven starts. All in all, he has averaged 3.9 yards per carry with six rushing touchdowns.
Sankey appeared in six games for the Colts last year and spent time on the team’s practice squad. He wrapped up the year on the Ravens’ taxi squad, but circled back to the Colts for a futures deal in January.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/18
Here are today’s reserve/futures deals.
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
- ILB Max Bullough
Indianapolis Colts
- ILB Darnell Sankey