NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/21
We’ll keep track of today’s taxi squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Matt Dickerson, LB Tahir Whitehead
- Released: OL Koda Martin, TE Ross Travis
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Marvin Hall
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Jake Fromm, WR Tanner Gentry
- Signed: OL Jacob Capra, WR Austin Proehl
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Josh Love
- Released: WR Devin Smith
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL LaCale London
- Released: G Dareuan Parker
Denver Broncos
- Released: CB Rojesterman Farris
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Kurt Benkert
- Signed: DL Abdullah Anderson
- Released: LB Aaron Adeoye
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: LB Paddy Fisher
New York Jets
- Signed: S Natrell Jamerson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: K Josh Lambo, DT Khalil Davis
- Released: DL Chris Slayton
Washington Football Team
- Signed: G Zack Bailey, RB Wendell Smallwood
- Released: RB Jonathan Williams
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North
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 Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Chicago Bears
Claimed:
- WR Nsimba Webster (from 49ers)
Signed:
Waived:
- WR Rodney Adams
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Auzoyah Alufohai, C Dieter Eiselen, CB Thomas Graham Jr., OL Arlington Hambright, WR Isaiah Coulter, K Brian Johnson, WR Jon’Vea Johnson, OLB Sam Kamara, RB Ryan Nall, WR Dazz Newsome, RB Artavis Pierce, OLB Charles Snowden, DB Teez Tabor
Detroit Lions
Released/Waived:
- TE Darren Fells, S Dean Marlowe
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Tanner Beckett, LB Rashod Berry, DT Miles Brown, S Jalen Elliott, K Zane Gonzalez, DL Bruce Hector, G Tommy Kraemer, TE Alize Mack, WR Javon McKinley, RB Dedrick Mills, OT Darrin Paulo, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, WR Sage Surratt, TE Brock Wright, TE Shane Zylstra
Green Bay Packers
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Abdullah Anderson, QB Kurt Benkert, WR Chris Blair, G Ben Braden, OL Jacob Capra, CB Kabion Ento, S Innis Gaines, LB Tipa Galeai, TE Bronson Kaufusi, K J.J. Molson, DL Willington Previlon, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, RB Patrick Taylor, OL Cole Van Lanen, LB Ray Wilborn, WR Juwann Winfree
Minnesota Vikings
Signed:
Claimed:
- TE Ben Ellefson (from Jaguars)
Placed on IR:
- WR Dan Chisena, RB Kene Nwangwu, TE Irv Smith Jr. (story)
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Zack Bailey, FB Jake Bargas, LB Tuf Borland, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, G Dakota Dozier, G Kyle Hinton, WR Myron Mitchell, CB Parry Nickerson, WR Whop Philyor, RB A.J. Rose, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
Packers Cut 26 Players
The Packers cut their roster down to 52 players today, providing the organization with some extra flexibility over the next few days. The team announced the following transactions:
Waived
- DL Abdullah Anderson
- QB Kurt Benkert
- G/T Jacob Capra
- G/T Coy Cronk
- CB Stephen Denmark
- CB Kabion Ento
- CB Rojesterman Farris
- S Innis Gaines
- LB Tipa Galeai
- LB De’Jon Harris
- WR Damon Hazelton
- DL Carlo Kemp
- K JJ Molson
- DL Willington Previlon
- LB Delontae Scott
- P JK Scott
- WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- RB Patrick Taylor
- S Christian Uphoff
- T/G Cole Van Lanen
- LB Ray Wilborn
- RB Dexter Williams
- WR Juwann Winfree
Released
Placed on Reserve/PUP
Placed on Reserve/Suspended
Packers To Sign QB Kurt Benkert
Shortly after reuniting Blake Bortles and OC Nathaniel Hackett, the Packers are adding another quarterback to their roster. Their Kurt Benkert workout led to agreement (Twitter link).
The Packers worked out Benkert and Chad Kelly at their rookie minicamp; it appears they will choose Benkert to be their fourth QB. This will mark Benkert’s second NFL team. He spent the past three seasons with the Falcons.
[RELATED: Packers To Sign Blake Bortles]
A 2018 UDFA, Benkert played two seasons at East Carolina and Virginia. He started two seasons for the Cavaliers, throwing 46 touchdown passes between his junior and senior seasons. The Falcons used him as roster depth behind Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub but moved in a different direction this offseason. The Falcons waived Benkert in February.
With Aaron Rodgers wanting out, Jordan Love stood alone at this position coming into the week. The Packers now have some depth ahead of the on-field portion of their OTA workouts and minicamp. Should the Rodgers stalemate drag into the late summer, the team has a potential third-string option in Benkert.
Packers To Host Chad Kelly, Kurt Benkert
Two quarterbacks will be reporting to Green Bay this weekend, and neither are named Aaron Rodgers. The Packers will host Chad Kelly and Kurt Benkert at their rookie minicamp this weekend for tryouts, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). They’ll be the only two signal-callers brought in for now, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.
The Packers currently only have two passers on the roster, Rodgers and Jordan Love. Rodgers likely isn’t showing up any time soon, meaning they really only currently have one guy willing to throw the ball for them. As such, they’ll be signing at least a quarterback or two soon, as GM Brian Gutekunst recently acknowledged. Kelly and Benkert will get the first cracks at being those guys.
Kelly is well known to many football fans for being the nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, and for his rollercoaster college career that had plenty of ups and downs (including some off-field issues). The Broncos drafted Kelly with the final pick of the 2017 draft, and he was released midway through the 2018 season after getting arrested for trespassing.
After serving a two-game suspension for that he was with the Colts the past two seasons, mostly on the practice squad. Benkert is a 2018 UDFA from Virginia, who has spent the past three seasons with the Falcons. He’s mostly been on Atlanta’s practice squad, and was waived back in February.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/18/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: QB Kurt Benkert
Denver Broncos
- Released: DT Kyle Peko; Peko was a COVID-19 opt-out in 2020
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DL Joel Heath
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/21/20
Here is Saturday’s usual flood of minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: QB Kurt Benkert
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: DB Natrell Jamerson, LB Chris Orr
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Jack Conklin, K Cody Parkey
- Promoted: G Michael Dunn, DE Cameron Malveaux, FB Johnny Stanton
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: T Brandon Knight
- Promoted: C Adam Redmond, CB Rashard Robinson
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Biadasz
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: OL Elijah Wilkinson
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, LB Josh Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: P Drew Kaser
- Promoted: RB Mike Weber
Houston Texans
- Promoted: LB Nate Hall, OL Greg Mancz, RB Scottie Phillips
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: CB D.J. Hayden
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, LB Joe Giles-Harris, WR Terry Godwin, TE Eric Saubert
- Waived: S Doug Middleton
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: C Joey Hunt, DE Cassius Marsh, DT Rob Windsor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Gehrig Dieter, OL Bryan Witzmann
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DL David Irving
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Theo Riddick
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, LB Cole Christiansen, S Jaylen Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Kyzir White
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: K Matt Gay
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: TE Chris Myarick
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: T Aviante Collins, LS Andrew DePaola
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: FB C.J. Ham
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Terez Hall, WR Donte Moncrief
- Waived: OL Hjalte Froholdt, DE Derek Rivers
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DT Ryan Glasgow, TE Garrett Griffin
New York Jets
- Promoted: QB Mike White
- Activated from IR: LB Frankie Luvu
- Placed on IR: CB Bless Austin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: RB Elijah Holyfield, DT T.Y. McGill, DE Joe Ostman, TE Caleb Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DT Chris Wormley
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jordan Kunaszyk, T David Steinmetz
Falcons To Carry Two QBs On Practice Squad
The Falcons agreed to add 14 players to their practice squad Sunday. Teams can re-sign players they cut to P-squads if they clear waivers after Saturday’s cuts.
Atlanta will take the unusual step of carrying two P-squad quarterbacks. The team cut both Kyle Lauletta and Kurt Benkert on Saturday, but both landed on the Falcons’ taxi squad. Teams are allowed to carry 16 players — up from 10 in 2019 — on their squads.
Benkert, who was with Atlanta in 2019, and Lauletta — a recent Giants draftee who recently joined the Falcons — will play behind active-roster QBs Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub. Here is the Falcons’ full squad:
- CB Delrick Abrams Jr.
- QB Kurt Benkert
- S Jamal Carter
- DE Austin Edwards
- WR Juwan Green
- CB Tyler Hall
- OL Sean Harlow
- CB Josh Hawkins
- QB Kyle Lauletta
- P Cameron Nizialek
- TE Jared Pinkney
- LB Edmond Robinson
- WR Chris Rowland
- OL John Wetzel
Falcons Release Laquon Treadwell, Slash Roster To 53
Here are the players the Falcons cut to trim their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit:
Waived:
- DB Delrick Abrams Jr.
- DT Hinwa Allieu
- OT Ka’John Armstrong
- QB Kurt Benkert
- DB Jamal Carter
- DB Chris Cooper
- RB Mikey Daniel
- DE Austin Edwards
- OG Justin Gooseberry
- WR Devin Gray
- WR Juwan Green
- DB Tyler Hall
- OG Sean Harlow
- DB Josh Hawkins
- OT Evin Ksiezarczyk
- OT Sailosi Latu
- QB Kyle Lauletta
- WR Jalen McCleskey
- TE Jared Pinkney
- RB Craig Reynolds
- LB Edmond Robinson
- WR Chris Rowland
- LB Ray Wilborn
Released:
- WR Laquon Treadwell
- DB J.J. Wilcox
Atlanta added Treadwell last year but did not see a considerable impact from the former first-round pick. The Vikings cut Treadwell ahead of the 2019 regular season, following the formerly coveted prospects struggles to claim a consistent role in Minnesota.
Wilcox re-signed with the Falcons a month ago. He has played for five teams but has not seen regular-season action since the 2018 season. The former Cowboys started suffered a season-ending injury last summer.
The cuts of Benkert and Lauletta leave two quarterbacks — Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub — on Atlanta’s roster. With Ryan being one of the most durable passers in the NFL, the Falcons can take advantage of an extra roster spot by keeping just two QBs.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/19
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Jarron Jones
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Tommy Doles
- Placed on IR: QB Kurt Benkert
Cleveland Browns
- Released from IR: WR Blake Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Lukayus McNeil
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Johnathan Alston
- Waived/injured: Tarvarus McFadden
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: LB James Onwualu
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: P Brock Miller
New York Jets
- Waived: TE Nick Truesdell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE Kasim Edebali, CB Ajene Harris
- Placed on IR: DE Joe Ostman
- Waived/injured: T Casey Tucker
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Jermaine Ponder
- Waived: CB Derrek Thomas
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Chris Worley
- Waived: WR Nyqwan Murray