NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OL J.J. Dielman
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Tyrique Jarrett
Houston Texans
- Released: WR Riley McCarron
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Joshua Perry
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Greg Ward
- Released: T Victor Salako
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Pace Murphy
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick has been criticized by some for not publicly stating his desire to play in the NFL. On Sunday, Kaepernick broke his silence and made his intentions clear. 
“Yes,” Kaepernick said when asked by Shaun King of the Daily News (Twitter link) if he wants to play . “I’ve never stopped. I’m ready right now. Working out daily.”
Kaepernick is reportedly working out five days a week and is back to his 2013 weight of 230 pounds. This offseason, the 29-year-old was knocked for his slender frame and for not announcing that he wants to get back into football. He has now checked those boxes, but it’s not clear if or when he will get an opportunity to play. It’s possible that Kaepernick could get a call from a contending club in the event of an injury, but that would require him to learn someone’s playbook on the fly.
For now, it sounds like it’s NFL-or-bust for Kaepernick. But, if the NFL doesn’t come calling and he has a change of heart, he could have a place on the Montreal Alouettes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Jason Verrett‘s impending injury absence will cause the Chargers to add cornerback depth. The Bolts signed cornerback Michael Davis from their practice squad and cut wideout Geremy Davis, Eric Williams of ESPN.com reports. The Chargers signed Geremy Davis on Monday as Dontrelle Inman insurance, but he didn’t play in Los Angeles’ Week 1 game. Michael Davis is a rookie UDFA out of BYU.
- The 49ers promoted cornerback Asa Jackson from their practice squad and waived fellow corner Keith Reaser to clear a roster spot, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. A fifth-round 49ers pick in 2014, Reaser played in 29 games for the team — including last week’s loss to the Panthers — but didn’t start any. San Francisco signed Jackson, an ex-Ravens starter, in August and stashed him on the practice squad after the preseason.
- Nose tackles Kyle Peko and Tyrique Jarrett will once again trade places with the Broncos. Denver will promote Peko from its practice squad and waive Jarrett, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. A rookie UDFA out of Pittsburgh, Jarrett saw Week 1 work on a depleted Broncos line. Peko, a cousin of Broncos starting nose Domata Peko, was waived last weekend.
- The Colts promoted linebacker Darnell Sankey from their practice squad, cutting wide receiver Matt Hazel to make room, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com reports (via Twitter). Both Antonio Morrison and Anthony Walker are dealing with injuries, making this an insurance addition.
- The Jets signed outside linebacker Freddie Bishop and defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas from their practice squad, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. The team also waived linebacker Edmond Robinson with an injury settlement.
Colin Kaepernick’s CFL Rights Go From One Team To Another
It’s not clear how or when this happened, but Colin Kaepernick‘s CFL rights have been transferred from one team to another. At one point, his rights were held by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Now, the Montreal Alouettes have dibs on him if he ever plays in the CFL, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora (on Twitter). 
La Canfora adds the rather obvious caveat of “not that he’s going,” but were the 29-year-old quarterback be interested in a CFL path, it appears Montreal would be his destination.
This news comes after La Canfora reported Johnny Manziel has a legitimate path to the Tiger-Cats. So it appears a Manziel-to-Hamilton route has formed, while a Kaepernick-to-Montreal path seems much less likely.
ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert reported in March the Tiger-Cats acquired Kaepernick’s rights, with both he and Robert Griffin III residing on the team’s exclusive negotiation list.
Kaepernick has been a free agent since he opted out of his 49ers contract; the team would have released him had he not done so. A visit with the Seahawks did not produce a contract, and not much has emerged on a Kaepernick NFL job since. Although, that subject’s produce plenty of ire, and protests, due to the number of less accomplished quarterbacks currently on teams’ rosters.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
49ers Work Out Seven Defenders
The 49ers hosted a few established defensive linemen on Wednesday, working out free agents Ahtyba Rubin, Jaye Howard, Kendall Langford and Tony McDaniel, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). They also tried out defensive tackle Stefan Charles and a pair of defensive backs – Devonte Johnson and Josh Thornton – per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Rubin, perhaps the most notable of the bunch, spent the previous two years in the 49ers’ divisio – the NFC West – with Seattle. The Seahawks, who play the 49ers this week, released Rubin at the outset of the month, and his only known interest prior to his meeting with San Francisco came from the Bills. The 31-year-old DT started in all 32 appearances with the Seahawks, registering 75 tackles and three sacks, and previously started in 75 of 99 games as a Brown from 2008-14. Kyle Shanahan, the Niners’ rookie head coach, was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator during Rubin’s last season there.
Howard, 28, worked out for the Lions this week before his visit to San Francisco. The former Chief has been on the hunt for a job since the Bears released him Sept. 2. Howard didn’t play a down in Chicago, which signed him in May after the Chiefs released him, and is coming off an injury-played 2016. After Howard posted back-to-back 16-game seasons and combined for 24 starts from 2014-15, a hip ailment limited him to eight and five in those categories last year.
Like Rubin and Howard, Langford and McDaniel earned summer releases from their previous employers. The Colts cut Langford with a failed physical designation in August, indicating that the 31-year-old hadn’t recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2016 campaign in October. He was, however, the picture of durability from 2008-15 with the Dolphins, Rams and Colts, appearing in eight straight 16-game seasons. Langford’s also just two years removed from a career-high seven-sack showing.
McDaniel, whom the Saints released at the beginning of the month, is an 11-year veteran who spent three of the previous four years in Seattle. The 295-pounder is familar with first-year 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who worked on the Seahawks’ staff during one of McDaniel’s seasons with them (2013). McDaniel started a personal-best 15 games that season and notched 53 tackles (a career mark) and two sacks.
It’s unclear if the 49ers will sign any of these players, but doing so would perhaps improve a defensive line that didn’t generate much pressure during their 23-3 loss to the Panthers in Week 1. The 49ers hit Panthers quarterback Cam Newton just twice and failed to register a sack in Saleh’s debut atop their defense. They did, however, hold Carolina to a measly 3.1 yards per rush on 38 attempts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/13/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Released from IR: RB Brandon Wilds
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted to active roster: OL Adam Pankey
Houston Texans
- Promoted to active roster: TE Evan Baylis
- Waived: WR Andy Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Released from IR: TE Bucky Hodges
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: T John Theus
Tennessee Titans
- Released from IR: RB Joe Bacci, DL Jimmy Staten
49ers Sign LB Elijah Lee Off Vikings’ PS
The 49ers have signed linebacker Elijah Lee off the Vikings’ practice squad, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter links).
San Francisco had interest in signing Lee to its practice squad following final cutdowns, but the Vikings increased his salary above the $7,200 per week minimum in order to convince to stick in Minnesota. Lee, whom the Vikings selected in the seventh round of the 2017 draft, spent three seasons at Kansas State. Last year, he appeared in 13 games and managed 110 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two interceptions.
The 49ers are searching for linebacker depth following the news that rookie Reuben Foster is expected to be sidelined for at least one month with a high-ankle sprain. While San Francisco worked out veterans Sean Spence and Donald Butler earlier this week, the club has decided to go with a less experienced option in Lee.
49ers Work Out Sean Spence, Donald Butler
As linebacker Reuben Foster deals with an ankle injury, the 49ers are looking into some outside help. San Francisco auditioned linebackers Sean Spence and Donald Butler on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). 
Spence spent last season with the Titans and recorded 50 tackles with three sacks in 15 appearances (six starts). He hooked on with the rival Colts in March, but Indianapolis decided to eat the $750K guaranteed in his deal rather than keep him on the 53-man roster. Spence might not be starting material, but he could be a worthwhile reserve for SF until Foster gets back on the field.
Butler, a former third-round pick, spent his entire six-year career with the Chargers before being released by the team in March of 2016. He joined up with the Dolphins in September of last year and saw time in 14 games, including five starts. His 28 total tackles marked a career low and it was his first season without at least half a sack.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/17
Tuesday’s practice squad moves…
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Josh Woodrum
- Cut: TE Ryan Malleck
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Malachi Dupre
- Cut: WR Daikiel Shorts
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Johnathan Calvin, WR Devin Lucien
- Cut: WR Fred Brown, S Ronald Martin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Rickey Hatley
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Daniel Lasco
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Max Valles
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: T Victor Salako, CB De’Vante Bausby
- Cut: CB C.J. Smith, WR Greg Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Jarnor Jones
- Cut: LB Ben Boulware
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: WR Kenny Lawler, OT Jarron Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Tim Semisch, OL Cody Wichmann
- Cut: TE Jerome Cunningham, OL Steven Moore
NFC Notes: Cousins, Foster, Scandrick, Cards
The Redskins are using the franchise tag arrangement with Kirk Cousins once again, and some more information about how the franchise planned its negotiations this past summer has emerged. Washington submitted the offer Bruce Allen referenced — a five-year proposal worth just less than $110MM, with $53MM fully guaranteed at signing — in May, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. But Rapoport adds the team did not do anything to sweeten its offer in the months that followed, leading to the stalemate dragging past July 17.
This lack of a notably different second offer came in spite of Allen meeting with Cousins’ agent in Chicago and the Redskins president meeting with Cousins and his father in a four-plus-hour summit Rapoport describes as friendly. Allen, per Rapoport, said he would make another proposal between then and the July 17 deadline. But it did not arrive, and the same offer ended up being a take-it-or-leave-it submission.
Washington cannot renegotiate with Cousins until after the season, when the price for a tag will skyrocket — up to approximately $34MM — and put the Redskins to a higher-stakes decision.
Here’s the latest from the NFC as the conference’s Week 1 slate winds down.
- Orlando Scandrick broke his hand during the Cowboys‘ Sunday-night win over the Giants, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). However, the veteran slot cornerback underwent surgery on Monday and is adamant on playing in Week 2. Scandrick’s goal might have been a bit optimistic, though. The surgery was a success, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer, but the Cowboys don’t sound like they’re counting on him next week. Week 3 looms as a target, Archer notes. Scandrick missed four games last season and struggled with foot trouble. He’s back in his primary role, though, and is a key cog on a Cowboys defense that lost multiple cornerback regulars in free agency.
- While an official timetable for Reuben Foster‘s high-ankle sprain isn’t yet known, Kyle Shanahan is expecting the first-round pick to miss at least a month. The rookie 49ers coach said Monday, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter), the four-to-six-week range would be the typical hiatus length. The 49ers are down to their third option at outside linebacker after Malcolm Smith tore a pectoral muscle and was lost for the season in training camp.
- Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told reporters on Monday morning that left tackle D.J. Humphries will miss a week or two with a sprained MCL. John Wetzel is expected to start in his absence. Humphries debuted on the left side on Sunday after he and Jared Veldheer switched positions in the offseason.
Zach Links contributed to this report.