Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/17
Here are today’s minor transactions:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Waived: WR Bernard Reedy
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Signed from practice squad: WR Freddie Martino
Today’s practice squad updates:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Braedon Bowman
- Waived: OT Jake Rogers
Latest On Jameis Winston Allegation
The woman who accused Jameis Winston of groping her in an Uber vehicle in 2016, via Buzzfeed report earlier today, said only she and Winston were in the car at the time. But Winston’s representatives assert there were several people in the car, with the Buccaneers quarterback sitting in the backseat, NFL.com reports. Winston’s statement pointed to there being multiple passengers in the vehicle as well. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) listened to the voicemail an Uber representative sent Winston, with the phrase “you or someone else in your vehicle engaged in inappropriate behavior” used. This led to Winston being banned from Uber but also has the third-year passer’s representatives saying there were more people in the car than the accuser’s account suggests.
NFL Investigating Bucs QB Jameis Winston
An Uber driver alleges that she was groped by Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston in March of last year, Talal Ansari of BuzzFeed News has learned. In a letter to the alleged victim, lead NFL investigator Lisa Friel indicated that an investigation is underway. 
“The League has been informed that you may have been the victim of such a violation perpetrated by Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Jameis Winston,” the letter reads. “The league takes allegations of this nature very seriously and has opened an investigation into this matter.”
The female driver, identified only as Kate, says that she picked up Winston early on a Sunday morning. His friends placed him in the front seat, even though he was the only passenger. Kate agreed to take Winston to get fast food and the quarterback, she says, placed his hand on her crotch while they were waiting at the drive-thru.
Meanwhile, a Winston’s representative, Russ Spielman, issued a statement denying the allegations:
“We categorically deny this allegation. It is our understanding the Uber driver was unable to identify the specific individual who allegedly touched this driver inappropriately. The only reason his name is being dragged in to this is that his Uber account was used to call the ride.”
An Uber spokesperson issued a statement as well, indicating Winston is “permanently banned” from using the app.
“The behavior the driver reported is disturbing and wrong,” the statement read (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, on Twitter). “The rider was permanently removed from the app shortly after we learned of the incident.”
Winston has since released a statement on the matter. The third-year Bucs quarterback does not deny he was in the car at that point but said he was not the person in the front seat at the time this alleged incident occurred.
“(Buzzfeed’s story) falsely accuses me of making inappropriate contact with this driver. I believe the driver was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her,” Winston said (via Twitter). “The accusation is false, and given the nature of the allegation and increased awareness and consideration of these types of matters, I am addressing this false report immediately. At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account.
“I am supportive of the national movement to raise awareness and develop better responses to the concerns of parties who find themselves in these types of situations, but this accusation is false. While I am certain I did not make any inappropriate contact, I don’t want to engage in a battle with the driver and I regret if my demeanor or presence made her uncomfortable in any way.”
Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter told reporters that the team will soon release a statement on the matter. The franchise has since done so.
“We are in the process of obtaining further information regarding today’s media report,” the team said in a statement. “We take these matters seriously and are fully supportive of the investigation that is being conducted by the NFL.”
Winston has encountered trouble on this front before. While at Florida State, the quarterback was accused of rape in 2012. However, Tallahassee, Fla., police did not charge him with a crime in connection with that alleged incident. In 2016, Winston settled a civil suit with his accuser.
No police report was filed by this latest accuser with the Phoenix or Scottsdale, Ariz., Police Departments, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Bucs Sign Senquez Golson To P-Squad
The Buccaneers announced that they signed former Steelers second-round draft pick Senquez Golson to the practice squad. 
Despite entering the league in 2015, Golson has yet to see live action in the NFL. As a rookie, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. The following year, a Lisfrancc injury knocked him out of action. This past summer, he suffered a hamstring injury, leading the Steelers to release him before the 53-man deadline in early September. Golson has had some bad luck, but the good news is that he has not been held back by one particularly injury. If he can stay healthy, he could prove to be a valuable addition to the Bucs’ main roster at some point this year.
Martino, 26, has been cycled through the Buccaneers’ roster for the past two years. After spending most of his first two seasons with the Falcons and Eagles practice squads, Martino found his way to the Buccaneers in May of 2016. Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter was Martino’s offensive coordinator in Atlanta, so the connection helped him find work. Last year, he appeared in 13 games for the Bucs and had eight catches for 142 yards and one touchdown.
Buccaneers Work Out Senquez Golson
Tampa Bay worked out 2015 second-round cornerback Senquez Golson and 2016 seventh-round defensive end Alex McCalister, according to Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). 
Golson, who has yet to step on the field in his first three seasons, was released from the Steelers before the start of the 2017 season. He suffered a hamstring injury on the first day of practice in pads at training camp and had to be carted off the field. In an unfortunate trend, the cornerback also was injured and had to be carted off the field on the first day of padded practice in 2016 with a Lisfranc injury. That came on the heels of missing his rookie campaign with a shoulder injury.
After registering 10 interceptions in 2014 and 16 during his three-year stay at Ole Miss, Golson entered the NFL Draft with significant upside and impressed Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake. “What I measure defensive backs on is how tough they are. They have to check that box for me. I suspect he’ll do that,” Lake said after the pick.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Garrett Grayson
- Waived: K Mike Meyer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Sojourn Shelton
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: FB Ricky Ortiz
- Waived: G Jason King
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Dres Anderson
- Waived: WR KeVonn Mabon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Rickey Hatley
- Waived: T Nick Becton, WR Amba Etta-Tawo
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Jack Tocho
- Waived: G Willie Beavers
New York Giants
- Signed: T Nick Becton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Harold Jones-Quartey
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Cameron Hunt
- Placed on injured list: OL J.P. Flynn
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Alex Carter, LB P.J. Dawson, CB Trovon Reed
- Placed on injured list: CB Akeem King
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Freddie Martino
- Waived: DE Patrick Gamble, CB David Rivers
Washington Redskins
- Waived: DE Tavaris Barnes
Koetter Expects Winston To Play Again This Season
We heard yesterday that Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston could miss “an extended period” of time as he recovered from a shoulder injury. However, head coach Dirk Koetter was still adamant that the franchise signal-caller would take the field again this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/17
Today’s minor moves:
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB Dexter McDougle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: WR Freddie Martino
Winston May Miss More "An Extended Period Of Time"
Despite putting an end to their five-game losing streak this afternoon, the Buccaneers did it without their starting quarterback Jameis Winston. The former first overall pick was expected to miss “a couple of weeks” with a shoulder injury, but general manager Jason Licht admitted during the team’s pre-game show that their franchise signal caller may actually miss more time than that, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
Could Jon Gruden Return To Buccaneers?
- Every year, it seems, we hear rumors concerning Jon Gruden‘s potential return to the sidelines as a head coach. With his former team, the Buccaneers, sputtering in 2017, and with Dirk Koetter looking less likely to return in 2018, Gruden-to-Tampa Bay rumors will only continue to pick up steam, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. Gruden has mended his relationship with Bucs ownership and still lives about 10 minutes from the team facility, and a source close to him indicated it is possible that Gruden returns to the Bucs.