Ethan Cooper

Extra Points: Titans, Lions, Colts, Giants

By Dallas Robinson | at October 6, 2017 9:23 pm

As had been expected, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota will be a gametime decision in Week 5, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Mariota is day-to-day with a strained hamstring, and backup Matt Cassel will start against the Dolphins if Mariota is unable to play. Tennessee signed veteran signal-caller Brandon Weeden earlier this week, passing over other free agent options such as Colin Kaepernick.

Here’s more from around the league:

• The Lions haven’t decided whether they’ll activate defensive Armonty Bryant — who is returning from a four-game suspension — before Sunday’s contest against the Panthers, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Detroit has a roster exemption for Bryant, and it must either add him to the 53-man roster or release by Monday. Given how thin they are along the defensive line (Kerry Hyder is out for the year, Khyri Thornton is still banned), Bryant seems likely to claim a roster spot by next week at the latest.
• Before signing with the Bears’ practice squad on Friday, defensive end Howard Jones worked out for the Colts, tweets veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. Jones, 27, had drawn a good deal of interest since being non-tendered by the Buccaneers earlier this year, as he’d also met with the Titans and Jets. Still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November of 2016, Jones wasn’t a major contributor in eight games last season before going down, but he did manage five sacks in a rotational role for Tampa Bay in 2015.
• Speaking of workouts, the Giants auditioned a large group of free agents today, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. New York focused on front five as it worked out the following players: offensive linemen Kareem Are, Willie Beavers, Ethan Cooper, Kaleb Johnson, Cameron Jefferson, Storm Norton, Jeremiah Poutasi, Cyril Richardson, Kristjan Sokoli, and Zach Voytek, plus defensive tackle Greg Milhouse.
• The Buccaneers will be without defensive end for two-to-four weeks Ryan Russell after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Patriots, per Rapoport (Twitter link). Russell, 25, has managed four tackles on 110 defensive snaps as a rotational end this season. If Tampa Bay is looking for depth, the club could potentially promote Channing Ward from its practice squad.