NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: WR Xavier Malone
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Collin Johnson
- Released: K John Parker Romo
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR Michael Bandy
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Anthony Averett (story), TE Anthony Firkser
- Released: CB Darius Phillips, WR Trey Quinn
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: WR Juwann Winfree
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong
- Released: WR Marquez Callaway, CB Rejzohn Wright
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Jake Funk
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: QB Tanner Morgan
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Yodny Cajuste
- Designated to return: WR Cole Beasley
- Released: CB Amani Oruwariye, WR Cam Sims
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: FB Jack Colletto
Anthony Firkser will provide the Lions with some veteran tight end depth. Darrell Daniels has mostly transitioned to a fullback role and James Mitchell is sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright as the two healthy TEs on the roster. Firkser has seen time in 69 regular season games, hauling in 115 catches for 1,207 yards and five touchdowns. The 28-year-old tight end got into 11 games for the Falcons in 2022, finishing with nine catches for 100 yards.
Yodny Cajuste is back in New York after getting cut by the Jets back in August. The former third-round pick got into 17 games (five starts) for the Patriots between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He was waived by New England back in May before catching on with the Jets for the preseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/23
Here are the day’s minor transactions heading into Week 5:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Ben Stille
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Xavier Malone
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on IR: DB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram, DT Kendal Vickers
- Placed on IR: CB Tre’Davious White (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: WR Kwamie Lassiter
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: S P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: OLB Julian Okwara
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: WR Jameson Williams
- Elevated: WR Dylan Drummond
- Placed on IR: FB Jason Cabinda
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Parker Washington
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: T Cam Robinson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Tommy Kraemer
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, S Daniel Sorensen
- Waived: RB Tony Jones Jr.
New York Giants
- Elevated: G Jalen Mayfield, T Jaylon Thomas
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Irvin Charles, CB Craig James
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: P Braden Mann, CB Bradley Roby
- Placed on IR: G Cam Jurgens (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: OL Ryan McCollum, P Brad Wing
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DE Austin Bryant, CB Kendall Sheffield
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Kyle Philips
- Elevated: S Dane Cruikshank, DT Jaleel Johnson
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South
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 Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints moves are noted below.
Atlanta Falcons
Signed:
Claimed:
Waived:
- OL Josh Miles
Signed to practice squad:
- DB Micah Abernathy, DB Natrone Brooks, DL Timmy Horne, RB Godwin Igwebuike, DL LaCale London, OL Justin Shaffer, WR Matthew Sexton, OL Tyler Vrabel, OL Barry Wesley, LB Andre Smith, TE Parker Hesse, TE Tucker Fisk, WR Xavier Malone, DL Kemoko Turay
Carolina Panthers
Claimed:
- LB Claudin Cherelus, DB D’Shawn Jamison, T Calvin Throckmorton
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- OL Deonte Brown, RB Spencer Brown, OL J.D. DiRenzo, OL Justin McCray, OLB Eku Leota, CB Mark Milton, DB Eric Rowe, T David Sharpe, DT Taylor Stallworth, OLB Jordan Thomas, DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver, DT Raequan Williams
New Orleans Saints
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- S Jonathan Abram, WR Lynne Bowden, LB Ryan Connelly, WR Shaquan Davis, OL Mark Evans, DT Jack Heflin, CB Anthony Johnson, WR Jontre Kirklin, G Tommy Kraemer, DE Niko Lalos, RB Ellis Marriweather, T Storm Norton, LB Anfernee Orji, DE Kyle Phillips, LB Jaylon Smith (story), LB Ty Summers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, DL C.J. Brewer, OL Silas Dzansi, OL Luke Haggard, CB Keenan Isaac, WR Cephus Johnson, S Richard LeCounte, WR Ryan Miller, WR David Moore, T Raiqwon O’Neal, OLB Jose Ramirez, LB J.J. Russell, TE Tanner Taula, QB John Wolford
Falcons Sign Six UDFAs
The Falcons kept their UDFA class small this year. Here are the six players Atlanta brought in as post-draft priority signings:
- DL Ikenna Enechukwu (Rice)
- WR Keilahn Harris (Oklahoma Baptist)
- LB Mike Jones Jr. (LSU)
- WR Xavier Malone (Henderson State)
- WR Justin Marshall (Buffalo)
- RB Carlos Washington Jr. (Southeastern Louisiana)
Only one of these prospects comes from a Power 5 program. The Falcons reached to the mid-major level in Division I-FBS (Enechukwu, Marshall), Division I-FCS (Washington) and Division II (Harris, Malone) for their UDFAs this year.
The Commanders also pursued Harris, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the NFC East team offered the small-school wideout an $80K guarantee (Twitter link). It is unclear what the Falcons are guaranteeing Harris, but it is likely in that ballpark. Harris posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Oklahoma Baptist; he caught 16 touchdown passes in 2021 and combined for 172 catches in that span. He also excelled as the Bison’s kick returner.
Atlanta lost Olamide Zaccheaus and Damiere Byrd in free agency and did not draft a wide receiver, opening a door for this UDFA class. The team did add Mack Hollins and Scotty Miller to its equation. Malone joined Harris as a Division II All-American last season. The former JUCO transfer caught 67 passes for 1,382 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022. The Falcons certainly placed a premium on production with this receiver duo, which both produced out of the Great American Conference. That said, Harris and Malone will obviously be set for quite the competition level jump this offseason.