NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Chris Miller, CB Picasso Nelson
- Released: DT Daylon Mack
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: P Ryan Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: P Cameron Nizialek
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Casey Tucker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Cyril Grayson
- Released: WR Josh Pearson
Colts P Rigoberto Sanchez Will Play In Week 15
Dec. 18: The Colts will indeed have their primary punter and kickoff specialist back in action this weekend, per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). Sanchez’s could be key for an Indy squad that is neck-and-neck with the Titans in the AFC South.
Dec. 17: After undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor earlier this month, Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez returned to practice this week. In fact, there’s a chance he could end up seeing the field this weekend, as head coach Frank Reich said he’s holding out hope that the 26-year-old can play against the Texans (via ESPN).
Sanchez, a former undrafted free agent out of Hawaii, burst on the scene when he earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors during the 2017 campaign. He didn’t miss a game for the Colts up to Week 12 of this season, when he had a season-high in punts (five) and punting yards (254). That performance came only days after the 26-year-old received his diagnose.
“I wasn’t going to do that to my team,” Sanchez said of potentially missing that Week 12 contest (via ESPN’s Mike Wells). “It’s all about the team. At the end of the day, I don’t think they would have been able to get a punter in in time, and it wasn’t going to be any worse. That was already worst-case scenario. I was going to fight through the pain, whatever it was. No need to make a bigger deal than it is. I was going to get surgery Tuesday already, so I was like, ‘Can it get any worse?’ I asked the doctor if it could get any worse and he said, ‘No.’ So then I’m like, ‘OK, I’m going to play. I’m going to do it for my brothers. They need me.’ That’s what it was.”
Ryan Allen has filled in for Sanchez over the past two weeks, with the veteran compiling a net average of 36.7 yards…10.5 yards behind Sanchez’s 2020 numbers. Before long, whether it’s this weekend or next, Sanchez should resume his punting and kickoff duties.
“I was overwhelmed throughout this crazy process of ups and downs mentally and all of it, but it helped out so much having everybody by my side — family members reaching out, friends, you name it,” Sanchez said.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/12/20
Here is Saturday’s usual barrage of minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: LB Tyrel Dodson
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: LB Adarius Taylor
- Promoted: DT Woodrow Hamilton, WR Marken Michel, DT Mike Panasiuk
- Waived: LB Chris Orr
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: S Trayvon Henderson, DT Kahlil McKenzie, WR Stanley Morgan
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: C Tyler Biadasz
- Promoted: T William Sweet, CB Chris Westry
- Waived: C Adam Redmond
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Derrek Tuszka
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, CB Nate Hairston, S Alijah Holder, LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: Kareem Martin, S Bobby Price, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: G Ben Braden, TE Dominique Dafney, WR Juwann Winfree
Houston Texans
- Promoted: CB Anthony Chesley, WR Chad Hansen, WR Steven Mitchell Jr., S Jonathan Owens
- Waived: LB Nate Orchard
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: P Ryan Allen, C Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: CB Quenton Meeks, K Aldrick Rosas, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
- Waived: K Chase McLaughlin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Chris Lammons, OL Stefen Wisniewski
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DE Vic Beasley, DE Chris Smith
- Placed on IR: S Jeff Heath
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: RB Justin Jackson
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello
- Waived: LB Asmar Bilal
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jachai Polite; Polite tested positive for the coronavirus, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter)
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Blake Lynch, LB Hardy Nickerson
- Waived: S Curtis Riley
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: CB Justin Hardee
- Promoted: WR Juwan Johnson, WR Tommylee Lewis
- Placed on IR: CB Patrick Robinson
New York Giants
- Promoted: CB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Bless Austin, TE Trevon Wesco
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager, LB Noah Dawkins, S Saquan Hampton, WR Jaleel Scott
- Placed on IR: S Ashtyn Davis, S Bennett Jackson, G Greg Van Roten
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: OL Jason Peters (story)
- Promoted: CB Jameson Houston, CB Kevon Seymour, LB Rashad Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DL Alex Barrett, CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DL Darrion Daniels, OL Dakoda Shepley
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, T Chad Wheeler
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Herb Miller
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: CB Kareem Orr
- Promoted: LB Wyatt Ray, LB Tuzar Skipper
- Placed on IR: CB Breon Borders
Washington Football Team
- Placed on IR: DE Ryan Anderson
- Promoted: RB Javon Leake, T David Steinmetz
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Leki Fotu
- Promoted: TE Seth Devalve, RB D.J. Foster
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: WR Stanley Morgan
- Placed on IR: CB Tony Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: FB/TE Andrew Beck
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, S Alijah Holder, LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: CB Darryl Roberts
- Promoted: S Bobby Price
- Waived: TE Isaac Nauta
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: G Ben Braden, TE Dominique Dafney
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: RB Cullen Gillaspia
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: P Ryan Allen, C Joey Hunt
- Placed on IR: TE Noah Togiai
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: S Josh Jones, LB Shaquille Quarterman
- Promoted: TE Ben Ellefson, DT DaVon Hamilton, CB Nate Meadors, DL Caraun Reid
- Waived: RB Craig Reynolds
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Asmar Bilal
- Promoted: LB Cole Christiansen, NT Breiden Fehoko
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: DB J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: S Nate Holley
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DE Eddie Yarbrough, TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: TE Dalton Keene
- Promoted: TE/DL Rashod Berry, WR Donte Moncrief, DL Akeem Spence
- Waived: WR Isaiah Ford
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Devonta Freeman; Freeman remains on IR
- Promoted: DL Niko Lalos, QB Clayton Thorson
New York Jets
- Promoted: DB Elijah Campbell, LB Noah Dawkins
- Released from IR: WR Chris Hogan
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT Raequan Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: T Chad Wheeler
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bryan Mone
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: T Marshall Newhouse, LB Tuzar Skipper
Colts Sign P Ryan Allen
Ryan Allen has not been able to stick with a team since his Patriots run ended, having punted in just nine games over the past two seasons. But the veteran specialist is set to receive another opportunity for a playoff contender.
In need of a punter after Rigoberto Sanchez received a cancer diagnosis, the Colts added Allen to their practice squad. He will head to Indianapolis after punting in a game with Tennessee this season. Sanchez underwent surgery to address a cancerous tumor Tuesday.
The Titans cut Allen from their practice squad last month. The four-time Super Bowl punter played eight games for the Falcons in 2018. With the Colts not having another punter on their active roster or practice squad, Allen should be expected to be promoted by Saturday. This will be contingent on the punter having tested negative for COVID-19 across a six-day period this week.
Sanchez, who signed an extension last year, has been the Colts’ punter since Week 1 of the 2017 season. With the exception of one Pat McAfee absence in 2010, the Colts have only used two punters in games over the past 12 seasons.
Allen, 30, has punted in 105 NFL games. He averaged just 41.9 yards per punt in 2019 with Atlanta but finished at 45.1 in his final New England season, which he capped with a strong Super Bowl LIII showing.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/24/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Stephone Anthony, T Rick Leonard, RB Khalfani Muhammad
Carolina Panthers
- Released: K Taylor Bertolet
Houston Texans
- Signed: C Cohl Cabral
- Released: DE Kendal Futrell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: S Lavert Hill
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
- Released: WR Corey Coleman
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Mike White
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: RB Adrian Killins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed LB/LS Christian Kuntz
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Kai Nacua, WR Shawn Poindexter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Sam Sloman
- Released: P Ryan Allen, K Giorgio Tavecchio
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/20
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: P Ryan Allen
Washington Football Team
- Signed: RB Javon Leake
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/20
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: TE Nick Boyle, CB Terrell Bonds
- Signed from practice squad: S Geno Stone
Denver Broncos
- Released: CB Davontae Harris
Green Bay Packers
- Activated off IR: WR Allen Lazard
Houston Texans
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jacob Martin
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: DT Sheldon Day
- Activated off PUP: DE Kemoko Turay
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Clelin Ferrell, S Lamarcus Joyner
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: OL Brett Jones
New York Giants
- Signed: P Ryan Santoso
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: Michael Jacquet
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: SS Johnathan Cyprien, RB JaMycal Hasty
Tennessee Titans
- Released: P Ryan Allen
Washington Football Team
- Released off IR: OL Michael Liedtke
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Matt Ioannidis
Titans Sign P Ryan Allen
As Brett Kern deals with a wrist injury, the Titans have turned to one of the top punters on the market. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Tennessee has signed Ryan Allen.
Allen made a name for himself by spending the first six seasons of his career with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl rings. The Louisiana Tech product was a standout during Super Bowl LIII, with three of his five punts pinning the Rams inside the 20-yard line.
He inked a one-year extension with the Patriots the following offseason, but he ultimately lost his job to rookie Jake Bailey ahead of the 2019 campaign. Allen subsequently signed with the Falcons, and he proceeded to appear in eight games for them during the 2019 campaign. The 30-year-old was cut by Atlanta back in August, and he’s been sitting in free agency ever since.
In Tennessee, Allen will be reuniting with former Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, although you’ve got to assume that Allen’s stay with the Titans will be short. After all, Kern is a three-time Pro Bowler, and while his wrist injury will sideline him this weekend against the Bears, he should probably be back before the season ends.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/20
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: P Ryan Allen, C Austin Capps, OT Scottie Dill, TE Caleb Repp, LB Jordan Williams
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: DT Daylon Mack, P Dom Maggio
New York Giants
- Released: RB Jon Hilliman, LB Chris Peace, S Rashaan Gaulden and CB Shakial Taylor, QB Case Cookus, FB George Aston, LB Oluwole Betiku, LB Dana Levine
New Orleans Saints
- Released: WR Krishawn Hogan, CB Deatrick Nichols, RB Ricky Ortiz
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett, RB Ralph Webb, WR Quadree Henderson, OL Christian Montano, LB Christian Kuntz, LB Dewayne Hendrix, S Tyree Kinnel, DE Josiah Coatney