Dolphins Waive DT Kendrick Norton
The car accident that resulted in Dolphins rookie Kendrick Norton needing to have one of his arms amputated at the scene led to the team waiving him Sunday.
The Dolphins announced they waived the defensive tackle with an non-football injury designation. Norton, 22, will not play football again, but this transaction will allow him to collect a rookie salary from the Dolphins. He will revert to the team’s reserve/NFI list.
Norton caught on with the Dolphins in December 2018, when the team signed him off of the Panthers’ practice squad.
“I realize that I will not be able to play for anyone,” Norton said, via CBS 4 Miami. “We are working past that, you know. That reality is sinking in. I am alive and I am grateful.”
Insurance from the NFL and Dolphins will pay for Norton’s medical expenses. The Jacksonville, Fla., native, chosen in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, was released from the hospital this week.
Dolphins’ Kendrick Norton Injured In Car Crash
Defensive tackle Kendrick Norton was involved in a “serious car accident,” according to an announcement from the Dolphins. The 22-year-old had to have his arm amputated at the scene of the crash, Andy Slater of 640 AM (on Twitter) hears. It’s unlikely that Norton will play football again, though his life is not believed to be in danger.
Norton, a University of Miami product, entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2018. Last December, the Dolphins signed him off of Carolina’s practice squad, but he has yet to appear in an NFL game.
Norton spent three years at the U of M, racking up five sacks and 18 tackles for a loss during his time there. Athleticism, and fighting, is in his blood – he’s the son of Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton and the grandson of former heavyweight champion Ken Norton Sr.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Norton and his family.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Chris Jones, CB Deatrick Nichols
- Waived: CB Dontae Johnson, CB Quinten Rollins
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jeremy Langford
Buffalo Bills
- Signed off 49ers’ practice squad: WR Victor Bolden
- Placed on IR: RB Marcus Murphy
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Chris Worley
- Placed on IR: LB Malik Jefferson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: DT John Atkins
- Placed on IR: DL Da’Shawn Hand
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: WR Allen Lazard
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: DT Kendrick Norton
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: CB Antonio Hamilton
New York Jets
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: T Eric Smith
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Rico Gafford, DT Gabe Wright
- Waived: LB Emmanuel Lamur
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Tyvis Powell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: RB Bo Scarbrough
- Placed on IR: G Jordan Simmons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Donnie Ernsberger, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- Placed on IR: TE Alan Cross, S Justin Evans
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Harlan Miller
- Placed on IR: CB Joshua Holsey
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/18
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Christian Blake
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Kendrick Norton
- Cut: QB Kyle Allen
Denver Broncos
- Reinstated: Carlos Henderson
- Cut: WR River Cracraft
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Reggie Davis, WR Dorren Miller
- Cut: TE Billy Brown
Panthers Sign Connor Cook To P-Squad
The Panthers’ quarterback situation behind Cam Newton is rather thin. They’ve added a notable player to that mix.
Connor Cook will join the Panthers’ practice squad, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets. To make room for the 2016 fourth-round pick on the 10-man unit, Carolina released defensive tackle Kendrick Norton, a rookie seventh-round pick.
The Raiders waived Cook last weekend, and the former Michigan State prospect passed through waivers unclaimed. He worked out for the Jets and Panthers this week and will now venture to Charlotte and attempt to revive his career there.
Taylor Heinicke is the only quarterback behind Newton on the Panthers’ active roster. A former UDFA, Heinicke’s played in one game and attempted one pass. The Panthers now have two quarterbacks on their practice squad, with Cook joining Kyle Allen.
Cook failed to sufficiently impress new Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who’s jettisoned many players from recent Reggie McKenzie drafts. The third-year player’s only start came in a 2016 wild card game, after the Raiders lost both Derek Carr and Matt McGloin to previous injuries. He struggled badly in Oakland’s loss to Houston that day and could not solidify his spot with the new Raiders regime.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South 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 Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers 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 South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
Practice squad:
- QB Kurt Benkert
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- DB Deante Burton
- TE Jaeden Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- C J.C. Hassenauer
- DB Ryan Neal
- LS Jeff Overbaugh
- DT Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Carolina Panthers
Placed on injured reserve:
Signed:
- CB Lorenzo Doss
Practice squad:
- QB Kyle Allen
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- WR Mose Frazier
- TE Jason Vander Laan
- G Taylor Hearn
- OL Dorian Johnson
- DE Kiante Anderson
- DT Kendrick Norton
- CB Cole Luke
- S Dezmen Southward
New Orleans Saints
Signed to practice squad:
- QB J.T. Barrett
- LB Vince Biegel
- TE Garrett Griffin
- DT Woodrow Hamilton
- DE Alex Jenkins
- WR Keith Kirkwood
- T Rick Leonard
- RB Dwayne Washington
- RB Jonathan Williams
- OL Nate Wozniak
- TE Deon Yelder
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Panthers Reduce Roster To 53
The Panthers have finalized their team, trimming their roster to 53 players. The team’s moves are below:
Waived:
- QB Kyle Allen
- DE Kiante Anderson
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- CB Lorenzo Doss
- WR Austin Duke
- WR Mose Frazier
- C Kyle Friend
- QB Garrett Gilbert
- DE Daeshon Hall
- OG Taylor Hearn
- OG Dorian Johnson
- CB Cole Luke
- DT Kendrick Norton
- TE Jason Vander Laan
Waived/reserve:
- RB Elijah Hood
- CB Kevon Seymour
- OT Jeremiah Sirles
Waived/injured:
- WR Jamaal Jones
Terminated vested veteran:
The Panthers also acquired offensive lineman Corey Robinson from the Lions earlier today. The 26-year-old had spent his entire three-year career in Detroit, starting eighth of his 23 games. Carolina sent Detroit a conditional 2020 seventh-rounder in the deal.
Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/18
Here are the rest of Thursday’s draft pick accords:
- The Buccaneers signed one of their three second-round picks in cornerback M.J. Stewart (No. 53 overall), Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. They also agreed to terms with their final three picks — Kansas State safety Jordan Whitehead (Round 4, pick 117), Penn wide receiver Justin Watson (Round 5, pick 144) and Wisconsin linebacker Jack Cichy (Round 6, pick 202).
- Five-sixths of this Falcons draft class is now signed. Atlanta agreed to a deal with third-round defensive tackle Deadrin Senat (No. 90 overall out of South Florida). After already signing four other selections, only first-rounder Calvin Ridley remains unsigned.
- The Steelers signed one of the safeties they drafted last month in agreeing to terms with Penn State product Marcus Allen (Round 5, pick 148). Pittsburgh also signed Alabama defensive tackle Joshua Frazier (Round 7, pick 246).
- The Jaguars came to terms with four of their seven draftees — the final four Jacksonville selected in this year’s draft. N.C. State tackle Will Richardson (Round 4, pick 129), Nebraska quarterback Tanner Lee (Round 6, pick 203), Wisconsin linebacker Leon Jacobs (Round 7, pick 230) and Mississippi State punter Logan Cooke (Round 7, pick 247) all signed their first Jags contracts Thursday. Cooke has a clear path toward the Jags’ punter job since the team released Brad Nortman two days after the draft.
- Beginning their signings, the Titans agreed to deals with half of their four-man draft class. Tennessee signed Arizona cornerback Dane Cruikshank (Round 5, pick 152) and Washington State quarterback Luke Falk (Round 6, pick 199). The latter will attempt to develop behind Marcus Mariota and Blaine Gabbert.
- Following suit in bringing aboard the back half of their draft, the Bills agreed to deals with four rookies. Jacksonville State safety Siran Neal, Virginia Tech guard Wyatt Teller (Round 5, pick 166), Clemson wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud (Round 6, pick 187) and North Carolina wideout Austin Proehl (Round 7, pick 255) signed their initial Buffalo deals.
- Second-round Panthers pick Donte Jackson (No. 55 overall) signed his rookie contract. Indiana tight end Ian Thomas (Round 4, pick 101), Ole Miss defensive end Marquis Haynes (Round 4, pick 136), Maryland linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. (Round 5, pick 161) and Miami defensive tackle Kendrick Norton (Round 7, pick 242) followed suit.