HEADLINES

Quavian White

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/23

September 26th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: S A.J. Finley

New England Patriots

  • Released: CB William Hooper

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Geron Christian is back in Houston for his second stint with the team, as the lineman started eight of his 14 appearances for the Texans in 2021. The former Washington third-round pick spent the 2022 campaign with the Chiefs, where he mostly played on special teams in his 10 games.

A pair of notable running backs found jobs today. Deon Jackson joined the Browns practice squad after getting cut by the Colts last week. The RB started Week 1 for Indy, and he ultimately finished his stint with the team having collected 504 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in 27 games. Meanwhile, Jeremy McNichols is heading to San Francisco after having spent the past two seasons as one of Derrick Henry‘s backups. The former fifth-round pick got into 30 games between 2021 and 2022, collecting 655 yards from scrimmage.

Cardinals Place DE L.J. Collier On IR

September 16th, 2023 at 7:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

2023 presented a needed change of scenery for L.J. Collier, but his debut season with the Cardinals has been interrupted. The former first-round defense end has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Collier is dealing with a biceps injury, and today’s moves means he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has not given specifics regarding the severity of the ailment, however, so he could be shut down for an even longer stretch. In any case, his bid to rebuild his value in a new setting has taken a blow, and Arizona has lost a starting member of its defense.

The 28-year-old had a highly disappointing four year run with the Seahawks, never seeing a snap share above 49% during his time with the team. He found himself a healthy scratch at times, so it came as no surprise that he departed in free agency. Likewise, few eyebrows were raised when it was learned his one-year Cardinals pact is worth the veteran minimum. Collier thus has plenty at stake this season, one in which signficant playing time should be available to him upon return.

The TCU product started in Arizona’s Week 1 loss, and he should remain a key figure in the team’s defensive front (one which lost J.J. Watt to retirement and saw Zach Allen depart in free agency this offseason). For the sake of tomorrow’s contest, at least, Eric Banks will likely be tasked with taking on a large role in the edge rush department. The latter was one of the Cardinals’ practice squad elevations for Week 2, the other being cornerback Quavian White.

To fill the open roster spot created by Collier’s injury, Arizona has signed safety Andre Chachere to the active roster. The veteran special teamer logged nine total snaps last week after being designated as one of the team’s gameday taxi squad elevations. Chachere was claimed off waivers in May from the Eagles, then stashed on the practice squad following roster cutdowns. In the meantime, Collier will turn his attention to recovery in the hopes of resuming his Cardinals campaign and helping his free agent stock come the offseason.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/4/23

September 4th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: CB Quavian White

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

The Giants are not certain to have Wan’Dale Robinson available in Week 1. The 2022 second-round pick just came off the team’s active/PUP list, a sign the team believes he can return at some point during the season’s first four weeks. Beasley did not make the Giants’ 53-man roster but resided as a possible P-squad elevation option as Robinson protection. This moves nixes that path, as Beasley cannot play until Week 5.

Morrow has gone from potential Eagles starting linebacker to a player who did not make the defending NFC champions’ active roster. But the team still has the former Raiders and Bears starter in its plans. Morrow, who had signed a one-year deal worth the league minimum this offseason, is now positioned as a depth piece who could be elevated ahead of Week 1. Teams can use two P-squad elevations each week, in addition to standard promotions — which require corresponding roster moves — ahead of the Saturday-afternoon deadline.

Better known as the player chosen with the second-round pick obtained for DeAndre Hopkins, Blacklock moved from Houston to Minnesota via trade in August 2022. But he did not make the Vikings’ 53-man roster this year. The fourth-year D-lineman will be a depth option for the Jaguars.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/23

September 1st, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Teams continue to tinker with their taxi squads in the aftermath of roster cutdowns. Here are Friday’s updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR T.J. Luther
  • Released: WR Thyrick Pitts

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Get Down To 53 Players

August 29th, 2023 at 7:04pm CST by Ely Allen

The source of some strange, unpredicted preseason trades in the past few weeks, the Cardinals have been busy trying to figure out the 53-man roster they’ll open the season with. While some of their biggest cuts came in the days leading up to the deadline and the team is likely to continue making adjustments leading up to opening day, here are the cuts made to officially set team’s initial 53-man roster:

Waived:

Released:

Placed on IR:

Waived/injured:

Veteran running back Clement and former Ravens standout Williams both fell victim to a resurgent Keaontay Ingram, who surpassed them both on the depth chart after getting healthy. That means a roster spot for undrafted rookie Emari Demercado, who will get to reap the unfortunate benefit of Marlon Mack‘s season-ending injury. He’s joined by undrafted wide receiver Daniel Arias and tight end Blake Whiteheart.

The release of the long-time Cardinals long snapper, Brewer, comes as a bit of a surprise as the only other long snapper on the roster, undrafted rookie Matt Hembrough, is currently on injured reserve. They’ll likely target a free agent who is left available after cut day.

Quarterback Kyler Murray was not moved from the physically unable to perform list, nor was cornerback Garrett Williams moved from the non-football injury list. Both will attempt to make returns shortly after the start of the season. Rookie backup center Gaines’ first NFL season is unfortunately over before it could begin after sustaining a knee injury in the team’s preseason finale.

Cardinals Add 10 UDFAs

May 2nd, 2023 at 7:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The team that did the most wheeling and dealing on Day 1 of the draft picked up a few extra picks for 2024. Some of the Cardinals’ most recent UDFA class could be factors by that point. Here is Arizona’s post-draft contingent:

One member of the Spartan duo will have a decent chance to crack the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. They are guaranteeing $200K of Slade’s salary, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. As GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer notes, that guarantee tops six of the veterans the Cards signed this offseason. Slade missed four games due to injury last season, but the former Michigan State defensive tackle earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2021. Like Slade and numerous other UDFAs this year, Brooks used the extra eligibility year enabled after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Division II transfer forced three fumbles last season. Slade’s teammate, Brooks, received $80K to sign, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

The elder of the NFL’s two Aaron Brewers — Arizona’s long snapper of the past seven seasons — is not under contract. The Cardinals have Joe Fortunato, who has played one career game, set to compete with Hembrough for the position. While another Cardinals-Brewer contract should not be ruled out, Hembrough was one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly award given to the top Division I-FBS long snapper. He spent six years at Oklahoma State.

Demercado played five seasons with the Horned Frogs but only totaled 338 carries. Ranking inside Scouts Inc.’s top 300 prospects, Demercado enjoyed his best season during the Big 12 program’s surprising run to the national championship game. He finished with 681 yards (5.6 per carry) and six rushing touchdowns as a senior. The Cardinals did not draft a running back but have 2022 sixth-rounder Keaontay Ingram and veteran Corey Clement behind starter James Conner.