NFL Workout Updates: 12/12/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
- LBs Josh Forrest, Jameer Thurman, James Vaughters; CBs Doran Grant, Sterling Moore
Green Bay Packers
Miami Dolphins
- T Chris Durant; G Landon Turner
New Orleans Saints
- RBs Martez Carter, Jalen Simmons; FB Dimitri Flowers
San Francisco 49ers
- CB Michael Hunter; S Harlan Miller.
49ers’ Kentavius Street Cleared To Practice
The 49ers have opened the practice window for rookie defensive end Kentavius Street. Street remains on the PUP list but may have an opportunity to see the field before the year is through. 
The Niners selected Street in the fourth round of this year’s draft after he suffered a torn ACL. Prior to the injury, the N.C. State product had some second/third round buzz, so the Niners were happy to take the patient approach with the 21-year-old.
Street appeared in 51 games (35 starts) during his collegiate career, compiling 9.5 sacks. He had one of his best seasons as a senior in 2017, finishing with 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 13 games.
If activated for the 49ers’ final games, the rookie figures to support starters Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas along with rotational players Cassius Marsh and Ronald Blair. Depending on team needs elsewhere, activating Street may require waiving seventh-round rookie Jullian Taylor.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/11/18
Here are the latest NFL practice squad decisions:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Shay Fields
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Joel Bouagnon, LB Jonathan Celestin
- Released: S Tyvis Powell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Josh Hawkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Marcus Lucas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Emmanuel Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Jonathan Anderson
- Signed from Seahawks’ practice squad: DT Vincent Valentine
- Placed on IR: LB Thurston Armbrister
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: CB Taron Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Trevon Young
- Placed on IR: Dominique Hatfield
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OL Cameron Hunt, OL Denver Kirkland
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: S Tyree Robinson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Tanner Hudson
- Placed on IR: LB Kevin Minter
Washington Redskins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: G Kyle Fuller
- Waived: C Demetrius Rhaney
Titans Place RT Jack Conklin On IR
The Titans have formally placed right tackle Jack Conklin on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. The club also officially placed tight end Jonnu Smith on IR. 
Both Conklin and Smith went down in Thursday night’s game against the Jaguars. For Smith, the seriousness of the injury was readily apparent – the Titans learned on Friday that he would be sidelined for the year with a severe MCL injury. However, the Titans were hoping to get Conklin back on the field for the postseason, should they qualify.
Conklin, the No. 8 pick in the 2016 draft, played in every possible regular season game over the first two years of his career before going down with a torn ACL in the Titans’ divisional round loss to the Patriots. That injury cost Conklin time this year, as he missed the first three games of the season before returning in Week 4. Since then, Conklin played nearly every snap for Tennessee (save for Week 5 when he suffered a concussion), grading as the NFL’s No. 42 offensive tackle among 78 qualifiers in the process, per Pro Football Focus.
Unfortunately, Conklin’s knee issue will keep him out of action the rest of the way. The Titans, meanwhile, still have a 34% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.
To fill the gaps, the Titans signed tight end Cole Wick off of the 49ers’ practice squad and signed veteran offensive lineman Austin Pasztor.
Kentavius Street May Practice This Year
- The 49ers drafted N.C. State’s Kentavius Street shortly after he tore his ACL in a pre-draft workout with the Giants, but the rookie defensive end may be on the verge of practicing, Kyle Shanahan said Monday. Street is on the 49ers’ NFI list and will not play in a game this season, though, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Still, practice work would help as Street prepares for a hopefully healthy 2019 offseason.
49ers To Place Pierre Garcon On IR
The second of Pierre Garcon‘s two 49ers seasons will end with the veteran wide receiver on injured reserve. The 49ers will place Garcon on IR this week, Kyle Shanahan said (via the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows, on Twitter).
A knee injury has sidelined Garcon for the past four games. He will end a second straight 49ers slate having played in just eight contests.
Garcon will undergo arthroscopic surgery on the injured knee this week. This spate of injury trouble is new for the 11-year veteran, whose Redskins tenure concluded with 71 straight regular-season starts.
The former Colts and Redskins wideout generated trade interest before the deadline, but the 49ers opted not to move their then-healthy wideout. The 32-year-old pass-catcher will conclude his season with 24 receptions for 286 yards and one touchdown — his only score as a 49er thus far. Garcon posted a 40-500-0 season in 2017, doing so with Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard as San Francisco’s QBs.
A coveted free agent in 2017, Garcon chose the 49ers’ five-year, $47.5MM offer. He received $17MM fully guaranteed and would not provide the 49ers much in cap savings if they opted to move on after 2018. It would cost the 49ers $7.2MM in dead money if they cut Garcon after this season. Though, the 49ers are projected to hold more than $66MM in cap space and could absorb that cap hit if they wanted to go in another direction.
Sherman To Consider Position Change In Future
It won’t be this year or the next, but at some point before he calls it quits on a likely Hall of Fame career, cornerback Richard Sherman is likely to make the move to safety, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch writes.
In the first of a three-year deal with the 49ers, Sherman still rates as an above average cornerback according to Pro Football Focus. Now in his 30s, however, the star defender is already looking to make a similar move that prolonged the careers of Charles Woodson, Rod Woodson and Aeneas Williams. Despite the move, don’t expect him to play into his late 30s.
- With the college game becoming more intertwined with the professional ranks, Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports listed 10 college coaches who could make the jump to the NFL. To no one’s surprise, Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley was at the top of the heap thanks to his high-powered offense that produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Baker Mayfield, and potentially another in Kyler Murray. Other notable names on the list include Stanford’s David Shaw, former 49ers coach and current Michigan man Jim Harbaugh and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald.
Latest On Reuben Foster
- In her first comments to the media after Reuben Foster was arrested on domestic violence charges in Tampa last month, Foster’s ex-girlfriend Elissa Ennis indicated the 49ers attempted to intervene during Foster’s arrest. It’s unclear whether Ennis was referring to San Francisco staffers or other players, but the club has issued a statement nonetheless. “The 49ers fully cooperated with authorities, assisted in locating Mr. Foster and in no way impeded their investigation,” said the team. San Francisco, of course, immediately waived Foster following the arrest, but he was claimed by the Redskins. Tampa Police are still reviewing the case against Foster, but an arraignment is tentatively scheduled for January 3, tweets Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Latest On Reuben Foster
Reuben Foster‘s ex-girlfriend admitted that she falsely recanted her allegations of abuse earlier this year in an effort to protect the linebacker. In an interview with ABC, Elissa Ennis explained that she helped get the charges dropped against Foster in order to keep him out of prison and continue their relationship. 
“Love will have you doing things that’s not in your best interests,” she said (via ESPN.com) “I did what I had to do for the person I love. I thought that he would change.”
Ennis also claims the 49ers tried to intervene during Foster’s arrest last month. When police arrived to the team hotel, she alleges that people from the 49ers told cops she was the same woman who previously recanted allegations against Foster. It’s not immediately clear whether Ennis is alleging interference from players or other team staffers.
During the interview, Foster’s ex-girlfriend described a pattern of abuse between her and Foster. On at least three different occasions, she says, she was punched and kicked by the former first round pick.
The 49ers released Foster soon after the November arrest and the Redskins claimed him off waivers. Foster was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list (paid suspension) while the legal process plays out, so he is unlikely to suit up for Washington this year.