Coaching Notes: Ravens, Colts, Bills, Browns
Ken Norton Jr. is heading to the NCAA. The long-time coach is expected to join UCLA as their new linebackers coach, reports Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Norton Jr. started his coaching career with USC, but he’s been in the NFL since 2010. After winning three Super Bowl rings as a player, Norton Jr. added another championship to his resume as the Seahawks linebackers coach. After five seasons in Seattle, Norton Jr. was defensive coordinator for three years with the Raiders and four years with the Seahawks (second stint).
Norton Jr. was let go by Seattle following the 2021 campaign. Now, he’ll be joining Chip Kelly’s staff in Los Angeles.
More coaching notes:
- The Ravens announced that they’ve officially promoted Anthony Weaver to be their assistant head coach/defensive line coach. Weaver had a long coaching stint with the Texans, culminating in him serving as their defensive coordinator in 2020. The 41-year-old joined the Ravens last year as their defensive line coach/run game coordinator.
- Former NFL safety Mike Mitchell is joining the Colts staff as an assistant secondary coach, according to Stephen Holder of The Athletic (on Twitter). Mitchell had a 10-year playing career, including a one-year stint with Indianapolis. The Colts are also hiring Nate Ollie as their defensive line coach, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). Following two seasons with the Eagles, Ollie spent last season as the Jets assistant defensive line coach.
- Bills secondary coach John Butler got a promotion, adding the role of defensive passing game coordinator to his title, according to Wilson. The veteran has spent the past four seasons as the secondary coach in Buffalo. The Bills also confirmed a number of additional hires, including Kyle Shurmur (defensive quality control coach), Nick Lacy (strength and conditioning assistant coach), Marcus West (assistant defensive line coach), Jaylon Finner (defensive quality control coach), Cory Harkey (assistant special teams coach), and Austin Gund (fellowship coach).
- The Browns are expected to promote offensive assistant T.C. McCartney to tight ends coach, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The 32-year-old has bounced around the NFL a bit during his coaching journey. After spending the 2019 campaign as the Broncos quarterbacks coach, McCartney spent the 2020 season as an offensive assistant on the Browns.
AFC Coaching Notes: Colts, Bills, Jaguars, Ravens
Since Frank Reich was able to land defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to replace Bears’ head coach Matt Eberflus, Bradley has begun the process of putting his staff together. Today Bradley added longtime defensive backs coach Ron Milus to coach his secondary, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Milus first started coaching defensive backs at his alma mater, the University of Washington, about eight years after playing cornerback there. He held the college position for seven years before getting an NFL coaching opportunity in 2000. Since then, Milus hasn’t spent a season out of work with stints in Denver, Arizona, New York (Giants), St. Louis, Carolina, San Diego, and Las Vegas. His longest stint was with the Chargers, spending eight years in southern California and transitioning with the team to Los Angeles. It was in Los Angeles that Milus was retained when Bradley joined the Chargers’ staff. He followed Bradley to Las Vegas and will join him once more in Indianapolis.
Here are a few other coaching notes from around the AFC starting with another bit from the Hoosier State:
- In addition to Milus, Mike Chappell of Fox59 reports that Indianapolis is also in the process of hiring linebackers coach Richard Smith, who worked with Bradley and Milus in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Smith has coached in the NFL since he debuted for the Houston Oilers in 1988 coaching special teams and tight ends. He found his niche as a linebackers coach in 1997 for the 49ers and has had three short stints as a defensive coordinator in Miami, Houston, and Atlanta.
- ESPN’s Yates also tweeted out a report that the Bills have added former QB Kyle Shurmur on staff in a defensive quality control position. After four years at Vanderbilt, Shurmur signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs, spending time on their practice squad as well as on the Bengals’ and Washington’s practice squads. He was released by Washington a little over a month ago and that appears to mark the end of his playing career. He seems to be following in the footsteps of his father, Pat Shurmur, and joining the coaching track.
- A castaway from the Matt Nagy Bears’ staff, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey will not be without work for long as Curtis Crabtree of NBC Sports reports that Shuey is joining Doug Pederson‘s staff in Jacksonville in the same role. Shuey and Pederson had two separate tenures together in Philadelphia.
- Pederson also made a crucial move of retaining running backs coach Bernie Parmalee. Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network tells us that keeping Parmalee was a priority for Pederson, especially due to his strong relationship with star running back James Robinson.
- Baltimore has hired Rob Leonard as outside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (Twitter). Leonard will replace Drew Wilkins who left to join Brian Daboll‘s staff in New York. Leonard spent the past three seasons in the same position with the Dolphins. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds that former Michigan analyst Ryan Osborn will follow Mike Macdonald to the Ravens for a quality control position. Osborn is credited with having a role in the development of Wolverines’ EDGE players like Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/5/22
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DB Bashaud Breeland
- Released: DB Isaiah Johnson
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: RB Antonio Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Jalen Julius
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Stanford Samuels
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE Mason Schreck
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Artavis Pierce
Denver Broncos
- Released: LB Pita Taumoepenu
Houston Texans
- Released: K Dominik Eberle, RB Darius Jackson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: RB B.J. Emmons
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Matt Bushman
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Warren Jackson
- Released: K Ryan Santoso, LS Carson Tinker
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DB Bryan Mills, G Cole Banwart
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Braxton Hoyett
New York Giants
- Released: T Isaiah Wilson
New York Jets
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE Daniel Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: P Cameron Nizialek, K Sam Sloman
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Darqueze Dennard, RB Brian Hill
- Resleased: P Colby Wadman
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Ryan Izzo, DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Released: DB Shyheim Carter, DB Rodney Clemons, WR Golden Tate
Washington Football Team
- Signed: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
- Released: QB Kyle Shurmur, P Ryan Winslow
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/30/21
Here are Thursday’s reserve/COVID-19 list updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T D.J. Humphries
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on virus list: OL Jason Spriggs
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from virus list: QB Tyler Huntley, S Tony Jefferson, DL Justin Madubuike
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from virus list: OL Cody Ford, CB Cam Lewis
- Activated from practice squad virus list: TE Quintin Morris
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from virus list: CB Rashaan Melvin
- Placed on virus list: DE Darryl Johnston, S Kenny Robinson
- Placed on practice squad virus list: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from virus list: DE Wyatt Ray, DT D.J. Reader
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from virus list: DT Jordan Elliott, K Chase McLaughlin, CB Greg Newsome II, C J.C. Tretter
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from virus list: CB Jourdan Lewis
- Placed on practice squad virus list: CB Kyron Brown, S Tyler Coyle
Denver Broncos
- Placed on virus list: CB Bryce Callahan, CB Mike Ford, T Bobby Massie, OLB Stephen Weatherly
Detroit Lions
- Placed on virus list: WR Kalif Raymond
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on virus list: OL Elgton Jenkins and LB Randy Ramsey
Houston Texans
- Placed on virus list: WR Danny Amendola
- Activated from virus list: DB A.J. Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from virus list: LB Darius Leonard, WR Zach Pascal, S Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on virus list: OL Will Richardson, S Andrew Wingard
- Placed on practice squad virus list: RB B.J. Emmons
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from virus list: WR Bryan Edwards
- Placed on virus list: DE Carl Nassib, G Jordan Simmons
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from virus list: LB Emeke Egbule, WR Mike Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from virus list: T Andrew Whitworth
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on virus list: LB Nick Vigil
New England Patriots
- Placed on virus list: T Yodny Cajuste
- Activated from virus list: DL Deatrich Wise
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on virus list: C Erik McCoy
- Activated from virus list: DE Carl Granderson, Jalyn Holmes
New York Giants
- Placed on practice squad virus list: LB Omari Cobb
New York Jets
- Activated from virus list: S Ashtyn Davis, G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, DE John Franklin-Myers, G Alijah Vera-Tucker
- Placed on virus list: RB Tevin Coleman
- Activated from practice squad virus list: DE Hamilcar Rashed, WR Vyncint Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from virus list: LB Shaun Bradley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from virus list: LB Marcus Allen
- Placed on virus list: CB Arthur Maulet
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on virus list: G Damien Lewis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from virus list: DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from virus list: G Nate Davis, CB Caleb Farley; Farley remains on IR
Washington Football Team
- Placed on virus list: T Sam Cosmi, P Tress Way
- Placed on practice squad virus list: QB Kyle Shurmur
- Activated from virus list: DE Nate Orchard
- Activated from practice squad virus list: G Zack Bailey
WFT To Start Garrett Gilbert
It’s now official. On Tuesday, the Washington Football Team announced that quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen were unable to test out of COVID-19 protocols. With that, journeyman Garrett Gilbert will start tonight against the Eagles.
Gilbert, recently signed off of the Patriots’ taxi squad, started for the Cowboys last year in a Week 9 loss to the Steelers. Filling in for Dak Prescott (injured) and Andy Dalton (on the COVID list), Gilbert went 21-of-38 for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It wasn’t a particularly memorable performance, but it was at least better than what the Cowboys were getting out of Ben DiNucci.
The 30-year-old passer has dressed for just seven games in his NFL career. This will be his biggest one yet as Washington fights for a playoff spot. A win tonight would give them a 43% chance of qualifying; a loss would require them to win out and get extremely lucky.
Washington has been able to activate a couple of its players for tonight’s game — cornerback Troy Apke and defensive tackle Tim Settle. Beyond that, they’ll elevate four practice squaders: fullback Alex Armah, linebacker De’Jon Harris, tackle David Steinmetz, and quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who will serve as the QB2 behind Gilbert.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
- Released: TE David Wells
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: S Shawn Williams
- Released: CB Will Sunderland
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Claimed: DE Azur Kamara (from Cowboys)
- Released from IR: T Matt Kaskey
- Placed on IR: DB A.J. Bouye
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Thomas Graham
- Released: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Porter Gustin
- Released: TE Nick Guggemos, WR Alexander Hollins
- Placed on IR: Takkarist McKinley (story)
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, LB Pita Taumoepenu, T Casey Tucker, RB Kerrith Whyte, RB Damarea Crockett
- Placed on IR: FB Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Ron’Dell Carter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: RB, Carlos Hyde, S Rayshawn Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, DB Damarious Randall
- Released: CB Delrick Abrams, T Adrian Ealy, TE Kyle Markway, C Austin Reiter
- Activated from IR: RB Jake Funk, LB Travin Howard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier
- Released: RB A.J. Rose, WR Darrius Shepherd
New York Giants
- Released: Jake Hausmann
New York Jets
- Claimed: DB Will Parks (from Dolphins)
- Placed on IR: TE Ryan Griffin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: G Jack Anderson
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Tyrell Adams
Seattle Seahawk
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, RB Josh Johnson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: WR Chris Godwin, DE Pat O’Connor
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: RB Alex Armah, LB De’Jon Harris, QB Kyle Shurmur, T David Steinmetz
- Placed on IR: RB J.D. McKissic
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/21
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Corn Elder, S Jalen Julius, CB Rashaan Melvin
- Released: WR Omar Bayless
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Robert Foster , K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Placed on IR: CB Deante Burton, S Darian Thompson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: WR Maurice Ffrench
Miami Dolphins
- Released: FB Carl Tucker
New Orleans Saints
- Reverted to practice squad: K Aldrick Rosas, S Jeff Heath
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Chris Cooper
Washington Football Team
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Shurmur will give WFT another option as Ryan Fitzpatrick recovers from his hip injury. For now, this likely means that Taylor Heinicke will serve as their starter. Heinicke stepped in for Fitz against the Chargers on Sunday, completing 11-for-15 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Bengals Down To 53
The Bengals are in the books. With less than an hour before the deadline, the Bengals announced a series of roster cuts to take them down to 53. Here’s the full rundown:
Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury list:
- OT Hakeem Adeniji (pectoral)
- DE Wyatt Hubert (pectoral)
Placed on Reserve/Injured list:
- DE Joseph Ossai (Knee)
Released:
- DT Mike Daniels
- TE Mason Schreck
- DE Noah Spence
- WR Trent Taylor
Waived:
- LB Joe Bachie
- DE Amani Bledsoe
- CB Tony Brown
- P Drue Chrisman
- S Trayvon Henderson
- LB Keandre Jones
- G Michael Jordan
- DT Kahlil McKenzie
- TE Thaddeus Moss
- HB Jacques Patrick
- CB Antonio Phillips
- CB Winston Rose
- K Austin Seibert
- QB Kyle Shurmur
- G Keaton Sutherland
- OT Gunnar Vogel
- WR Scotty Washington
- HB Pooka Williams Jr.
- HB Trayveon Williams
- DT Renell Wren
For now, this leaves the Bengals with seven wide receivers on the roster: Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, Mike Thomas, Auden Tate, Stanley Morgan Jr., Tee Higgins, and Trenton Irwin. Meanwhile, they’re down a couple starters from last year in Michael Jordan and Mike Daniels.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: C Adam Redmond
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Tramaine Brock (story)
- Released: CB Dee Virgin
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on COVID-19 list: DE Tyshun Render
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Chase Harrell
- Placed on IR: WR Shawn Poindexter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OT Andrew Jones, OT Wyatt Miller
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/20
We’ll post all the minor moves from what has been a very busy Monday here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: TE Evan Baylis
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated off reserve/COVID list: OLB Jaylon Ferguson, G D.J. Fluker, CB Iman Marshall, DT Broderick Washington
- Activated of injured reserve: G Tyre Phillips
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID list: DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers from Chiefs: S Tedric Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Bears: DL Anthony Rush
New England Patriots
- Place on reserve/COVID list: WR Julian Edelman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated off injured reserve: DE Genard Avery
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated off reserve/COVID list: DE Isaiah Buggs, OL Kevin Dotson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated off reserve/COVID list: RB T.J. Logan, WR Jaydon Mickens
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: LS Matt Orzech
