Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Justin Zimmer
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Trent Scott, K Joey Slye
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: CB Chris Jones
- Placed on IR: DE Julian Okwara
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Byron Cowart, G Shaq Mason, DE Derek Rivers
- Placed on IR: T Jermaine Eluemunor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Matt Pryor
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: DB Delano Hill
Washington Football Team
- Signed off Packers’ practice squad: WR Robert Foster
Seahawks Re-Sign LB Mychal Kendricks
Mychal Kendricks will be on track to play a ninth NFL season. The Seahawks will provide another opportunity, signing the veteran linebacker to their practice squad.
Kendricks will take the place of Damarious Randall, whom the Seahawks promoted to their active roster Wednesday. The Seahawks hosted Kendricks on a visit earlier this month. He will join a practice squad that now has two high-profile players, with Damon Harrison still part of that 16-man unit (despite poaching attempts from two Florida teams).
This will be a third season for the Kendricks-Seahawks partnership. The former Eagles starter landed with the Seahawks in 2018, shortly after the Browns released him when his insider trading scandal surfaced. But sentencing in that case has been delayed many times over the past two years, with the pandemic tabling it again in 2020. Kendricks has also recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in December, prompting the Raiders to take a look. But Kendricks will return to Seattle.
The Seahawks used Kendricks as a starter in 14 games last season, playing him extensively alongside Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright in base sets. Kendricks, 30, made 71 tackles (eight for loss) and recorded three sacks. His extensive usage last season points to a near-future promotion from Seattle’s taxi squad.
Seahawks, Other Teams Looking Into Antonio Brown
With Antonio Brown‘s eight-game suspension entering its final stretch, the Seahawks are circling back to the mercurial All-Pro. Other teams are also in the mix now, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The Seahawks, however, have been the team most closely linked to Brown this year. Both of Seattle’s QBs, Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, worked out with Brown this offseason and have stayed in touch with him regarding the idea of a Seahawks signing. Pete Carroll confirmed the Seahawks are “tuned into” this situation and added the team’s interest is not connected to the delay on Josh Gordon‘s potential reinstatement (Twitter links via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta).
No contract talks with Brown have commenced, per Schefter, but the Seahawks have been monitoring this situation for many months. Brown was believed to be interested in signing with Seattle in July, but this preceded another retiring/unretiring sequence from Brown. The NFL then announced the eight-game suspension, and teams backed off. The Seahawks moved to re-sign Gordon, but nothing concrete has emerged on his reinstatement. And despite Brown being three years older, at 32, he has proven to be a bigger on-field difference-maker than Gordon in recent years.
With other teams in the mix for AB now, the former Steelers superstar is poised to resurface in NFL news cycles (after a rare stint out of the limelight). Brown, though, is not out of the woods. The civil suit he’s involved in could extend his suspension beyond eight games. And matters are not going especially smoothly on that front. The NFL’s investigation into Britney Taylor’s sexual assault allegation remains ongoing, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post (on Twitter).
Brown’s historic volatility gives any upcoming deal a “last chance” feel. But despite his Pittsburgh, Oakland and New England exits, teams may be competing to give him that final opportunity.
Dolphins Tried To Sign Damon Harrison
- The Buccaneers weren’t the only team to express interest in Snacks. Pelissero tweets that the Dolphins recently made a run at defensive tackle Damon Harrison. However, just like he did with Tampa Bay, the veteran rejected Miami in order to stick with Seattle’s practice squad. Fortunately, it sounds like his opportunity with the Seahawks is coming, as the reporter adds that Harrison is “ramping up towards joining Seattle’s active roster.” Snacks, 31, has operated as a nose tackle starter since his second season (2013), playing that role for the Jets, Giants and Lions.
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
As shown by Le’Veon Bell‘s recent deal with the Chiefs, big name free agents can come available at any point throughout the season. His contract wasn’t particularly pricey, but teams like to keep cash on hand during the year, especially when mulling potential trades before the deadline. Excess cap room can also be rolled over from year-to-year and give clubs the opportunity to lock up their most valuable players with extensions.
Here are the most recent figures for each team, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $33.1MM
- New York Jets – $27.9MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $23.9MM
- Washington Football Team – $23.6MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars– $22.9MM
- New England Patriots – $22.9MM
- Denver Broncos – $19.7MM
- Detroit Lions – $17MM
- Philadelphia Eagles– $18MM
- Miami Dolphins – $15.8MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $10.4MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $9.6MM
- Cincinnati Bengals– $9MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $9MM
- Arizona Cardinals– $8.9MM
- Chicago Bears – $8.4MM
- Tennessee Titans – $8.3MM
- Houston Texans – $8.1MM
- Los Angeles Chargers — $8MM
- New Orleans Saints – $8MM
- Green Bay Packers – $7.7MM
- New York Giants – $7.2MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $7MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $6.3MM
- Carolina Panthers – $6.2MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $5.8MM
- Buffalo Bills – $5MM
- San Francisco 49ers – $4MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $4MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $2MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $1.4MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $158K
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/20
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB James Burgess
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DB Chris Cooper
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Victor Bolden
- Released: RB Tavien Feaster
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Kalija Lipscomb
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Eric Banks
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Eddie Yarbrough
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: LB Tim Williams
2021 NFL Draft Order
With most of Week 5 in the books, we bring you a way-too-early look at the current order for the 2021 NFL draft. For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2020 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. After that, the same goes for the six clubs eliminated from each round of the postseason, with the final two picks determined by the outcome of the Super Bowl.
Here’s where things stand in the race to the bottom:
- New York Giants (0-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (0-5)
- New York Jets (0-5)
- Washington Football Team (1-4)
- Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
- Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans, 1-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (1-3)
- Detroit Lions (1-3)
- Denver Broncos (1-3)
- Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1)
- Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1)
- Miami Dolphins (2-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
- New Orleans Saints (2-2)
- New England Patriots (2-2)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
- Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
- Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
- Carolina Panthers (3-2)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
- Cleveland Browns (4-1)
- Chicago Bears (4-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams, 4-1)
- Tennessee Titans (3-0)
- Green Bay Packers (4-0)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0)
- Buffalo Bills (4-0)
- New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks, 4-0)
Bucs Contacted Snacks After Vea Injury
Damon Harrison spent the offseason waiting for an opportunity to continue his career, and the Seahawks provided one by opening up a practice squad slot for him. That could turn into a promotion to Seattle’s active roster soon, but another team inquired about a 53-man spot this week.
The Buccaneers contacted Harrison about poaching him from the Seahawks’ practice squad this week, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (video link). However, Harrison declined the opportunity and will remain with the Seahawks.
Tampa Bay lost emerging standout Vita Vea during its Week 5 loss to Chicago on Thursday, but the Bucs may have to look in-house to replace their starting nose tackle. Were the Bucs to have officially offered a 53-man roster spot to Harrison, the Seahawks would have needed to promote him to their active roster to prevent such a move. The team has yet to do so but still has time to promote its recent acquisition ahead of their Sunday night game against the Vikings.
Snacks, 31, has operated as a nose tackle starter since his second season (2013). He has played that role for the Jets, Giants and Lions. The veteran will almost certainly be called upon to suit up for the Seahawks soon.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Kentrell Brice
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DB Damontae Kazee
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Taywan Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): T Brett Toth
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: DL Jonathan Bullard
- Placed on IR: DB Neiko Thorpe
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Curtis Riley
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jonas Griffith
New York Jets
- Restored to practice squad roster: WR Donte Moncrief
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Lawrence Cager
San Francisco 49ers
- Restored to practice squad roster: CB Tim Harris
- Signed: DL Josiah Coatney, DL Adam Shuler
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB DeMarkus Acy, LB Michael Divinity
- Released: WR Lance Lenoir