Teams continue to sign players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:
18 teams had their seasons come to an end yesterday, and their front offices have already turned the page to the 2023 NFL seaon. This started today, as a number of players were signed to reserve/futures contracts, which allows organizations to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Tuesday marked the day teams were forced to cut down from 85 to 80 players. Here are the moves teams made made to reach the new maximum. Players who land on the reserve/PUP or reserve/NFI list must miss at least the first four regular-season games.
Julién Davenport is heading to Chicago. The veteran offensive tackle is signing with the Bears, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter).
The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Bucknell spent the first two seasons of his career with the Texans, including a 2018 campaign where he started 15 games. He was included in the Dolphins/Texans Laremy Tunsil trade in 2019, and he started eight games during his first season in Miami. However, despite dressing for every game, he was limited to only five percent of his team’s offensive snaps in 2020.
The lineman spent the 2021 season in Indy, and he started four of his nine games for the Colts. The 27-year-old also had a part-time role on special teams.
2021 second-round Teven Jenkins currently sits atop the Bears depth chart at left tackle, and he’ll likely get the first shot at the starting gig. Davenport will provide some veteran competition, with 2020 seventh-round pick Lachavious Simmons also vying for a role.
The Colts formed an interesting post-Anthony Castonzo plan at left tackle this offseason, signing Eric Fisher to take over after his Achilles rehab concludes. But the longtime Chiefs edge protector is not certain to be ready by Week 1. Indianapolis’ stopgap options have not impressed thus far.
Julie’n Davenport, Sam Tevi and Will Holden represent the trio vying to be the fill-in while Fisher recovers and the Colts’ swing tackle once Fisher is back, and Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star notes all three have struggled during training camp. Colts O-line coach Chris Strausser said it is somewhat disappointing no clear-cut favorite has emerged to be the team’s stopgap solution here.
Indy signed Davenport and Tevi this offseason, while Holden arrived last December after being plucked off Baltimore’s practice squad. Davenport has taken the bulk of the first-team reps lately, per Ayello, but the Colts are planning to also give him work at right tackle to prepare for a potential swing role. Davenport, who has started for the Texans and Dolphins, began Colts camp on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
Neither Tevi nor Davenport has impressed as a starter during their respective careers. The Colts gave each one-year deals, with Tevi’s guarantee ($1MM) topping Davenport’s ($388K). But one could well end up being entrusted to protect Carson Wentz — or one of his backups — come Week 1. This underwhelming left tackle competition has taken place while Quenton Nelson recovers from a foot injury. The All-Pro guard is also not a lock to be ready by Week 1.
When the Colts signed Fisher, marking a reunion between he and ex-Chiefs exec Chris Ballard, the prospect of the ninth-year veteran not being ready until October loomed. Frank Reich said recently the 30-year-old tackle looked “really good” in his solo ramp-up workouts, but the timetable here remains murky. Fisher suffered the Achilles tear in the AFC championship game.
As far as outside options go, Russell Okung remains a free agent. The veteran starter, who is 32, has been waiting for a viable offer. The Bears, who may be without rookieTeven Jenkinsfor the season, just signed Jason Peters to take away one option here. Beyond Okung, the free agent market is fairly lean at this position. How the Colts’ group looks in the team’s second preseason game may determine whether another outside option will be considered, though Fisher’s timetable represents the key component here.
The Colts have agreed to sign Julien Davenport to a one-year contract, according to a source who spoke with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Specific terms of the ex-Dolphins tackle’s deal are not yet known.
Davenport spent the first two seasons of his career with the Texans, including the 2018 season in which he started 15 games. He was then traded to the Dolphins as part of the 2019 Laremy Tunsil trade. Between ’19 and ’20, he saw his role in the Dolphins’ offense dip. After starting eight games for Miami in 2019, Davenport appeared in just 5% of the offensive snaps last year, despite dressing for every game.
The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Bucknell will now join up with the Colts, who need support at left tackle. But, of course, Davenport is no Anthony Castonzo. In that aforementioned ’18 season with the Texans, Davenport allowed a league-high 67 total pressures. The Colts’ next starter may come early in the April draft, where the Colts own the No. 21 overall pick.
The Colts are apparently eyeing some offensive line help. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that free agent offensive tackle Julie’n Davenport visited the team today.
The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Bucknell spent the first two seasons of his career with the Texans, including a 2018 campaign where he started 15 games. He was traded to Miami as part of the Laremy Tunsil trade in 2019, and he proceeded to spent the next two years with the organization. After starting eight games for the Dolphins in 2019, Davenport only appeared in five percent of his team’s offensive snaps in 2020 (although he did see time in all 16 games).
It would make sense for the Colts to be sniffing around at some offensive line help. The team has a hole at left tackle following Anthony Castonzo‘s decision to retire.
The Dolphins have placed left tackle Austin Jackson on IR due to a foot injury he suffered during Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports (via Twitter). Although the rookie LT would be eligible to return after three weeks under the modified rules for 2020, Barry Jackson says in a full-length piece that head coach Brian Flores was non-committal when asked if Austin Jackson would be back this season.
Indeed, Flores said the team is looking for a “long-term replacement” for Austin Jackson, so it sounds as if the USC product very well may miss the rest of the year. Though Miami has several options, Barry Jackson suggests that Julie’n Davenport — who filled in for Austin Jackson during the Seattle game and played well — might have the first crack at the LT job.
Austin Jackson was the second of three first-round choices that the Dolphins had in this year’s draft. He was thrown into the fire right away, and he acquitted himself reasonably well. He had not allowed a sack this season, and he recently earned praise from his position coach.
“Austin has had a great start to this season,” offensive line coach Steve Marshall said earlier this week. “He’s learning every time he’s going out there. I’m very excited for his future. He can be a heck of a pro offensive left tackle.”
Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics considered Austin Jackson to be a below-average performer in terms of both run-blocking and pass-blocking, but he has certainly shown enough flashes to justify Marshall’s enthusiasm. One wonders if Austin Jackson’s absence will have any bearing on Flores’ decision as to when to insert rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa into the starting lineup.
To take Austin Jackson’s place on the roster, the Dolphins have promoted rookie running back Salvon Ahmed from the practice squad. As Barry Jackson observes (via Twitter), the team has liked what it has seen from the UDFA, though he will be joining a crowded RB depth chart.
The Dolphins’ left tackle to start the season, Julien Davenport will have a chance to make another impression on his second NFL team. Miami activated the third-year blocker from IR, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com tweets.
Davenport will return to the Dolphins’ active roster, taking offensive lineman Andrew Donnal‘s spot.
Veteran J’Marcus Webb has started in Davenport’s place, but the rebuilding team will likely want to get a look at one of the pieces acquired in the Laremy Tunsil trade. Webb and Jesse Davis have been the Dolphins’ primary tackles this season.
A 2017 fourth-round pick, Davenport started 15 games for an embattled Texans line last season. Davenport suffered a hyperextended knee and a small crack in his tibia in practice sessions before Week 2. The Dolphins have deployed one of the league’s worst offensive lines this season but have won back-to-back games, so Davenport’s reintegration into the starting lineup may not be immediate. Davis, though, has experience at both tackle and guard and could move inside to accommodate the younger blocker’s return.
