Colts Place DT Sheldon Day On IR, Set Practice Squad
The other 49ers starting defensive tackle from Super Bowl LIV the Colts added this offseason, Sheldon Day will miss time to start the season.
Day, who came to Indianapolis after the Colts’ DeForest Buckner game, underwent a knee surgery this offseason and will begin the 2020 campaign on IR. However, he will not have to miss the customary eight games required for IR-return players.
Teams can activate players off IR after three weeks this year, thanks to the COVID-19-related rule adjustments for this season. There is no limit to how many players can return from IR. The new CBA will allow for three in future years, assuming the NFL nixes the pandemic-induced rule changes in 2021, but this year the league will permit maximum roster flexibility to aid teams in this unusual landscape.
Day started each of the 49ers’ three playoff games last year but mostly worked in a reserve capacity in San Francisco. The former fourth-round pick will join Kemoko Turay as Colt D-linemen unavailable to start the season. Turay will begin the year on the Colts’ reserve/PUP list, which still requires a six-game absence.
The Colts signed tackle Chaz Green to take Day’s roster spot. They also added 14 players to their practice squad Sunday. Longtime Steelers tight end Xavier Grimble agreed to join the Colts’ P-squad, after the team made him one of its Saturday cuts.
Here is the full list:
- CB Andre Chachere
- DT Kameron Cline
- G Jake Eldrenkamp
- WR Daurice Fountain
- TE Farrod Green
- DE Gerri Green
- TE Xavier Grimble
- C Joey Hunt
- QB Chad Kelly
- T Carter O’Donnell
- CB Tremon Smith
- DT Chris Williams
- DT Rob Windsor
Colts Place DE Kemoko Turay On PUP List, Cut Roster To 53
Here are the players the Colts cut to slash their roster down to 53 players Saturday:
Waived:
- CB Andre Chachere
- TE Dominique Dafney
- G Jake Eldrenkamp
- WR Daurice Fountain
- TE Farrod Green
- DE Gerri Green
- WR DeMichael Harris
- T Brandon Hitner
- C Joey Hunt
- WR Marcus Johnson
- QB Chad Kelly
- DT Kameron Kline
- K Chase McLaughlin (story)
- T Carter O’Donnell
- C Javon Patterson
- CB Lafayette Pitts
- CB Jackson Porter
- S Donald Rutledge
- CB Tremon Smith
- TE Andrew Vollert
- DT Chris Williams
- DT Robert Windsor
- CB Travis Reed
Released:
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- DE Kemoko Turay
Turay’s PUP placement will shelve him for at least the season’s first six games. It is a concerning sign for the former second-round pick, who suffered a broken ankle last October. The Colts were counting on him to play a key edge-rushing role, potentially as the counterpart to starter Justin Houston. The team has not been connected to Jadeveon Clowney since March and also avoided investments in other available pass rushers this offseason.
Kelly spent time on Indianapolis’ practice squad last year and could well end up there again. The Colts recently signed Hunt, a former Seahawks backup/spot starter, and added Grimble this offseason. Both Grimble and his ex-Steelers teammate, Roosevelt Nix, failed to make the Colts’ roster. However, despite the players’ extensive experience, each could be placed on Indianapolis’ 16-man practice squad this year. Teams are permitted to carry six practice squad players with unlimited experience.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OT Ka’John Armstrong
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: RB Jordan Scarlett
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated: WR John Ross
- Placed on IR: DT Renell Wren
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Will Clarke
- Released: OL Caleb Benenoch
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Daren Bates, LS Anthony Kukwa
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Andre Chachere, C Joey Hunt
- Placed on IR: Andrew Donnal
- Waived/injured: TE Ian Bunting
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Matt Flanagan
- Waived/injured: TE Charles Jones
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: CB Hakeem Bailey
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: RB William Stanback
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Paul Quessenberry, DT Xavier Williams
- Released: TE Alex Ellis, DT Darius Kilgo
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated: WR Travis Fulgham
- Waived: OL Casey Tucker
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Kyle Markway
NFL Workout Updates: 8/21/20
Here are the notable workouts teams conducted recently:
Carolina Panthers
- LB Devante Bond, LB Corey Nelson, LB Julian Stanford
Chicago Bears
- DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DT Jay Bromley, DT Nazair Jones, CB Brandon Williams, DB Howard Wilson
Detroit Lions
- DE Jayrone Elliott, DT T.Y. McGill
Houston Texans
- LS Andrew DePaola, RB Tyler Gaffney, LS Carson Tinker
Indianapolis Colts
Miami Dolphins
- QB Jake Rudock (visit)
New York Jets
Seahawks Cut Joey Hunt, Branden Jackson
The Seahawks have dropped nine players from their roster, including a couple of surprise releases. Center Joey Hunt and defensive end Branden Jackson were let go in an apparent effort to trim salary. Between Hunt and Jackson, the Seahawks have saved $4.26MM against the cap. All in all, they have roughly $18.7MM in space now, money that may or may not be used to bring Jadeveon Clowney back to Seattle. 
Hunt, a 2016 sixth-round pick, has appeared in 34 games for the Seahawks, including eleven starts. The Seahawks leaned on him last year after starter Justin Britt went down with an ACL tear. Without Hunt, it seems that Ethan Pocic has secured the Seahawks’ starting center job. Jackson, meanwhile, has appeared in 36 games across the last three seasons.
The Seahawks also cut running back Patrick Carr, receiver Seth Dawkins, offensive guard Kahlil McKenzie, defensive back Josh Norwood, offensive guard Jordan Roos, linebacker Sutton Smith, and tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson. Their roster now stands at 81 – they’ll likely look to get down to 80 before the August deadline, allowing them to have everyone practice at a single site.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/17/20
Tuesday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.
RFAs
Tendered at second-round level:
- Chargers: DB Michael Davis
Tendered at original-round level:
- Falcons: RB Brian Hill
- Raiders: OT David Sharpe
- Seahawks: C Joey Hunt, DL Branden Jackson
- Steelers: OT Zach Banner
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: DL Isaac Rochell, T Trent Scott
- Jaguars: LB Austin Calitro
- Packers: WR Jake Kumerow, WR Allen Lazard
- Panthers: OL Jordan Roos
- Rams: TE Johnny Mundt, C Coleman Shelton
- Seahawks: DT Bryan Mone, DB Ryan Neal, WR Malik Turner
Non-tendered:
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/20
Monday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.
RFAs
Tendered at original-round level:
- Bengals: TE Cethan Carter, G Alex Redmond, DT Josh Tupou, S Brandon Wilson
- Broncos: WR Tim Patrick
- Dolphins: LB Vince Biegel, P Matt Haack
- Raiders: QB Nathan Peterman, LB Nicholas Morrow
- Seahawks: WR David Moore, C Joey Hunt, DE Branden Jackson
Non-tendered:
- Bills: WR Isaiah McKenzie
- Dolphins: S Adrian Colbert, LB Deon Lacey
- Eagles: RB Corey Clement
- Giants: C Jon Halapio
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Broncos: S Trey Marshall, WR Diontae Spencer, CB Shakial Taylor
- Browns: Pharaoh Brown, RB Dontrell Hilliard, WR KhaDarel Hodge
- Chiefs: G Andrew Wylie
- Colts: DB Rolan Milligan
- Lions: CB Dee Virgin
- Ravens: RB Gus Edwards
Non-tendered:
- Chiefs: TE David Wells
Seahawks Hope To Keep O-Line In Tact
The Seahawks’ entire offensive line could wind up with a face lift in March. With several key linemen headed towards free agency, head coach Pete Carroll says he wants to keep the band together. 
[RELATED: Latest On Jadeveon Clowney]
“I hope we can keep our guys connected here,” Carroll said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). “I think the whole group, it could be a really solid group coming back. I’d like to see the guys that have played for us stay with us.”
Carroll is aiming for continuity, because the unit “made good progress” in 2019. But, to keep the O-Line in tact, they’ll have to work out new deals with right tackle Germain Ifedi, left guard Mike Iupati, and backup left tackle George Fant, all of whom are set to be unrestricted free agents. Center Joey Hunt, meanwhile, will be a restricted free agent.
Seahawks coaches might have liked what they saw out of the offensive line, but the advanced metrics saw things differently. The Seahawks graded out 30th in pass blocking and 14th in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus.
The individual rankings for the pending free agents weren’t so hot, either. Out of 214 qualified offensive linemen, PFF had Fant (No. 133), Iupati (No. 135), Ifedi (No. 150), and Hunt (No. 180) all positioned as below average players.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have bigger fish to fry with six other key players headed towards the open market, including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and defensive tackle Jarran Reed. On the plus side, they have upwards of $58MM in projected cap space this offseason, giving them the most flexibility they’ve had in seven years.
Seahawks OT George Fant Signs RFA Tender
Seahawks offensive tackle George Fant has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, while defensive end Quinton Jefferson has signed his original round RFA tender, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
A collegiate basketball player with only one year of NCAA football experience (which came as a tight end), Fant went undrafted in 2016 but still managed to start 10 games during his rookie campaign in Seattle. A torn ACL cost Fant the 2017 season, but he rebounded to appear in all 16 games and play 35% of the Seahawks’ offensive snaps in 2018.
Fant, who will now collect a $3.095MM base salary next year, graded out well in 2018, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the No. 26 offensive tackle among 80 qualifiers. While he won’t be locked in as a starter heading into next season, Fant could compete with former fist-round pick Germain Ifedi for playing time at right tackle.
In addition to Fant and Jefferson, the Seahawks have also re-signed the following exclusive rights free agents:
- LB Austin Calitro
- LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- C Joey Hunt
- DE Branden Jackson
- S Shalom Luani
- RB J.D. McKissic
- WR David Moore
- LS Tyler Ott
- CB Kalan Reed
- G Jordan Simmons
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/19
Here is the latest news involving restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents, with updates coming throughout the day:
ERFA
Tendered:
- Bears: DE Roy Robertson-Harris, LB Isaiah Irving, OL Rashaad Coward
- Seahawks: LB Austin Calitro, LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, C Joey Hunt, RB J.D. McKissic, CB Kalan Reed
Non-tendered:
- Bears: S DeAndre Houston-Carson (via Howard Balzer on Twitter)
- Bengals: QB Brad Kaaya (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Gabe Martin, DE Zach Moore, C Daniel Munyer (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: TE Alex Ellis (via Balzer)
- Colts: S Ronald Martin (via Balzer)
- Falcons: WR Marvin Hall (via Balzer)
- Giants: DT Kristjan Sokoli (via Balzer)
- Patriots: WR Cody Hollister (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Raiders: CB Tevin Mitchel (via Balzer)
- Rams: LB Garrett Sickels (via Balzer)
- Ravens: OT Steven Moore (via Balzer)
- Saints: DB Rickey Jefferson (per NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein, on Twitter)
- Seahawks: DE Ricky Ali’ifua, DB T.J. Green, RB Tre Madden, DB T.J. Mutcherson
- Steelers: T Joseph Cheek, S Malik Golden, LB Keith Kelsey, TE Jake McGee (via Balzer)
- Vikings: OT Cedrick Lang, TE Josiah Price (via Balzer)
RFA
Tendered at second-round level:
- Seahawks: T George Fant (per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, on Twitter)
Tendered at original-round level:
- Chiefs: S Jordan Lucas
- Saints: CB Ken Crawley (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate)
- Seahawks: DL Quinton Jefferson (via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Non-tendered:
- Bears: LS Patrick Scales (via Balzer)
- Bengals: TE Matt Lengel (via Balzer)
- Bills: TE Logan Thomas (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
- Broncos: QB Kevin Hogan, LB Deiontrez Mount, WR Jordan Taylor (via Balzer)
- Browns: CB Juston Burris, TE Orson Charles (via Balzer)
- Buccaneers: TE Alan Cross, CB Javien Elliott, T Leonard Wester (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Jeremy Cash, OT John Wetzel (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: LB Terrance Smith (via Balzer)
- Dolphins: WR Leonte Carroo (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald)
- 49ers: S Tyvis Powell (via Balzer)
- Jaguars: OG Chris Reed (via Balzer)
- Jets: DT Destiny Vaeao (via Balzer)
- Panthers: WR Damiere Byrd (via Balzer)
- Raiders: DE Shilique Calhoun (via Balzer)
- Redskins: WR Maurice Harris (per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, on Twitter), RB Rob Kelley (via Balzer)
- Saints: WR Tommylee Lewis (via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, on Twitter)