Jake Funk

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

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 ColtsJaguarsTexans and Titans moves are noted below.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Released:

Released from IR via injury settlement:

Colts Move Roster To 53

Some higher-profile Colts news has overshadowed their roster construction, but the Jonathan Taylor drama factors into Indianapolis’ roster construction. Here is how the team moved down to 53:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

While Funk could be a practice squad candidate, Indianapolis’ 53-man roster includes three running backs: Deon Jackson, Zack Moss and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull. Moss is rehabbing a broken arm and looms as a candidate for in-season IR. The Colts released late-summer pickup Kenyan Drake recently. The Taylor move sidelines the disgruntled All-Pro for the first four games.

Smith, Rodgers, Strachan and Winfree moving off the roster leaves only four receivers (Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs and Isaiah McKenzie) on the active. It seems likely another will be added before Week 1. Even with Brown gone, Indy’s 53-man roster houses five tight ends. Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, fifth-round rookie Will Mallory and Drew Ogletree, a second-year sixth-rounder, comprise that group. This would seem to be a place the Colts would be willing to cut into, should they be awarded any players on waivers before Wednesday’s 11am CT deadline.

The Colts added Harrison this offseason, signing the former Browns safety after the Browns brought in 2022 Colts cog Rodney McLeod. It should be expected Harrison, who is going into his sixth season, lands somewhere soon. Teams can keep up to six vested veterans on their respective practice squads, leaving the door ajar for Harrison — who only signed with the Colts on Aug. 14 — to stay. The 26-year-old defender has 45 starts on his resume.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/23

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/22

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/22

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rams Notes: OBJ, Injuries, Offensive Line

Odell Beckham Jr. took to Twitter earlier today to express disappointment in the Rams’ latest offer, noting that the front office offered him “the lowest of low offers.” Despite OBJ’s public complaint about negotiations, Rams head coach Sean McVay actually expressed optimism about re-signing the veteran receiver.

“I love Odell. We have constant dialogue,” McVay said today (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue). “I think he also knows that certainly I don’t think that’s the last (offer) that will come from us. I’m not familiar with exactly what it is, he knows how we feel about him. We’ve got a little bit of time. Love Odell, nothing but good things coming from me.”

While OBJ has been considering overtures from various teams, the receiver did admit that the Rams “know where [he] wanted to be.” If the organization is willing to extend a bit financially, it sounds like they should have the inside track on signing the wideout.

Beckham Jr. joined the Rams midway through last season and had 305 receiving yards and five touchdowns in eight games. He added another 21 catches in four playoff games, with his postseason ending prematurely thanks to a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl. The Rams have continually been connected to the receiver throughout the offseason, even after extending Cooper Kupp and spending on Allen Robinson.

More notes out of Los Angeles:

  • Rams wideout Cooper Kupp (foot), defensive tackle Aaron Donald (foot), and tight end Tyler Higbee (ankle) were all held out of practice today. McVay said the three players are dealing with injuries sustained during their Week 5 loss to the Cowboys, but he doesn’t expect the ailments to impact the players’ availability for Sunday’s game against the Panthers (per NFL.com).
  • The Rams have yet to find their footing on offense, with the running game struggling in particular. McVay was asked about the team’s struggles so far, and instead of pointing the finger at Cam Akers or Darrell Henderson, he instead attributes the issues to a lack of continuity on the offensive line. “It depends on the types of concepts and things that we’re trying to activate, but we’ve been at our best when there’s an identity but enough versatility to be able to alleviate the stress off of some of your core concepts, and it takes all 11 (players),” McVay said (h/t to John Dillon of The Rams Wire). “It has been a challenge because we’ve never had the same guys up front. We’ve had backs that haven’t really practiced, we’re trying to get a bunch of different things going, all of which is an excuse that just is what I think is for weak-minded people. I’m not going to make them, but we just got to continue to keep swinging and keep plugging along and figure it out because nobody cares and we’ve got to fix it.” The Rams lost another lineman yesterday when they placed guard David Edwards on injured reserve.
  • Speaking of running backs, the Rams moved on from RB Jake Funk earlier this week, and the RB has since found a new home on the Saints practice squad. Funk saw time in 10 games with Los Angeles in 2021, mostly appearing on special teams.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/12/22

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/22

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rams Activate Von Miller

The Rams have activated Von Miller from the COVID-19 list, per a club announcement. Ditto for running back Jake Funk and linebackers Travin Howard and Christian Rozeboom.

[RELATED: Chiefs Place Hill On COVID-19 List]

Miller is now eligible to play tonight against the Seahawks, but the Rams will still be playing without several key starters. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, tight end Tyler Higbee, and strong safety Jordan Fuller were not able to test out of protocol, so they’ll be watching from a distance.

Miller, 32, has 110.5 sacks to his credit, more than any other active player in the NFL. He’s still on the hunt for his first Rams sack, though he did notch 4.5 sacks for the Broncos earlier this year. Sacks aside, Miller is still giving quarterbacks fits. As of this writing, Pro Football Focus has Miller ranked as the ninth-best edge defender in the NFL with an 86.6 overall score. That’s just a tick below his finest work in Denver and well ahead of his 2019 showing, a career-low 79.3 mark.

At 9-4, the Rams can more or less clinch their playoff spot with a W over the Seahawks. A win would also bring them one step closer to capturing the NFC West.