NFL Workout Updates: 12/25/18
Today’s workouts, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Green Bay Packers
- TE: Evan Bayliss
Houston Texans
- LB: Cory James
San Francisco 49ers
- DE: Damontre Moore
Seattle Seahawks
- CB: Quinten Rollins; SS’s: Keith Tandy, Shamarko Thomas
Tennessee Titans
- DEs: Christian LaCouture, Kendall Vickers; DT: Dee Liner
Washington Redskins
- TE: Jace Amaro; Ts: Isaiah Battle, Cyrus Kouandjio, Darius James; DL: Kwaku Boateng (EDM CFL); QBs: Max Browne, Joe Callahan; LBs: Marquis Flowers, Hau’oli Kikaha, Corey Nelson, John Timu; WRs: Carlos Henderson, ArDarius Stewart, Tre McBride, Devin Smith.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/24/18
Today’s workouts, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Cincinnati Bengals:
- K’s Ty Long (BC CFL), Tristan Vizcaino
Detroit Lions:
- LSs Justin Drescher, Taybor Pepper, Zach Triner; TE Erik Swoope; RB Kerwynn Williams
Indianapolis Colts:
- S Harold Jones-Quartey; LB Chris Odom; WR Brian Quick; Julius Warmsley
Kansas City Chiefs:
- LB Josh Keyes, RB Terry Swanson
New York Giants:
- DEs Tobi Antigha (SASK), Jake Ceresna (EDM); QB Bo Levi Mitchell (CALG); WRs Bryant Mitchell (EDM), Jordan Williams-Lambert (SASK); RB Terry Williams
Philadelphia Eagles:
- WRs Carlton Agudosi, Marken Michel (CALG), Devin Smith; DB Mercy Maston (EDM); LBs Alex Singleton (CALG), Jameer Thurman (CALG)
Pittsburgh Steelers:
- QB Max Browne; LB Sam Eguavoen (SASK); DE Avery Ellis (OTT); WR Dominique Rhymes (OTT
Tennessee Titans:
- WRs Kaelin Clay, Kalif Raymond; LB Tyrone Holmes; RB Akeem Hunt; DE Hau’oli Kikaha; LB Anthony Winbush
Washington Redskins:
- QBs Max Browne and Joe Callahan, WRs Tre McBride and Carlos Henderson, TE Jace Amaro, OTs Isaiah Battle and Cyrus Kouandjio, DE Hau’oli Kikaha and LB Corey Nelson
This time of year, a lot of teams are auditioning guys for potential reserve/futures deals to be a part of their 90-man rosters for 2019. It’s also common to see a lot of CFL guys getting looks this time of year, because players participating in the 2018 CFL season aren’t eligible to sign NFL contracts until after the regular season is over.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/18
Today’s practice squad moves as the regular season winds down, with two AFC South teams shuffling their taxi squads:
Houston Texans:
- Signed: LB Chris Landrum
- Released: LB Kennan Gilchrist
Tennessee Titans:
- Signed: DL Kendal Vickers, WR Kalif Raymond
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/18
Here are the NFL’s minor moves on Christmas Eve:
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated off IR: CB C.J. Goodwin
- Waived: WR Lance Lenoir
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Paul Butler, S Dallin Leavitt
- Placed on IR: CB Daryl Worley
- Waived: DE Damontre Moore
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: LB LaTroy Lewis
- Placed on IR: TE Cole Wick
Marcus Mariota’s Week 17 Status Uncertain; Titans To Sign Austin Davis
Going into their do-or-die Week 17 assignment, the Titans are again unsure about the availability of their starting quarterback.
Marcus Mariota was forced out of Saturday’s win over the Redskins with an elbow injury. Although Mike Vrabel said Monday (via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com) this is a stinger and not the same injury that forced Mariota to miss time earlier this season, he did not commit to his starter being ready to face the Colts in the NFL’s 2018 regular-season finale.
The Titans did not provide much information on Mariota’s previous injury, one that did not subside quickly and forced the fourth-year passer to wear a glove on his throwing hand during the season’s first half. Vrabel did say Mariota feels better the Monday after this setback compared to his state following the Week 1 injury.
The team is taking precautions, however, with Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reporting (via Twitter) Austin Davis will sign with Tennessee. This is a similar course of action to the Mariota-related strategy the Titans took in September. Davis signed with the Titans in late September but was released two weeks later. He does not have practice squad eligibility remaining, per McCormick.
Mariota may be limited this week, but Vrabel said that would not stop him from playing. Blaine Gabbert would start if Mariota cannot go.
Titans Place DL Jurrell Casey On IR
The Titans will be battling the Colts this weekend for a playoff spot, but they’ll be without the services of a key defensive lineman. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing defensive end Jurrell Casey on the injured reserve.
Casey exited yesterday’s win over the Redskins with a knee injury, and Schefter notes that veteran suffered a sprained MCL. The defensive lineman had also suffered a knee injury during the Titans previous game against the Giants, but it’s uncertain if Casey aggravated that ailment or suffered a brand-new injury. Either way, the lineman’s season has come to an end.
Losing Casey will certainly hurt, as the Titans had been relying on the 29-year-old all season. In 15 games, the eight-year veteran had compiled 62 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles, a performance that helped earn him his fifth-straight Pro Bowl nod. Pro Football Focus was bullish of his performance in 2018, ranking him 13th among 118 eligible interior defenders.
Casey would have been particularly useful against Marlon Mack and the Colts rushing game this weekend, as the lineman had graded out as one of the top run-stoppers in the league. Now, the team will have to rely on their depth to make up for Casey’s absence, although that’s easier said than done. With Casey now out of the picture, the team is only rostering a pair of healthy defensive ends in DaQuan Jones and Matt Dickerson.
Giants, Jaguars, Titans Put In Claims For WR Pharoh Cooper
The Cardinals acquired ex-Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper off waivers earlier this week, but they weren’t the only team with interest in the return man. The Giants, Jaguars, and Titans also put in claims for Cooper, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Once the NFL’s trade deadline passes in November, every player is subject to waivers once they are cut. (Cooper, as a player with fewer than four pro seasons under his belt, would have gone on the waiver wire even if he’d been released before the deadline.) After the first three weeks of the season, the waiver order is based on standings, with the league’s worst team earning priority. Arizona has the No. 1 waiver slot, while Jacksonville is fifth, New York is ninth, and Tennessee is 22nd.
A fourth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2016, Cooper earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017 as a return man. The 23-year-old handled 66 combined kick and punt returns, and led the NFL in yards per kickoff return (27.4). Cooper hasn’t been much of an offensive force through two-plus years in the NFL, as he played roughly 400 offensive snaps from 2016-17 and managed only 25 total receptions during that time. This season, Cooper was on injured reserve for nine weeks and thus only made five appearances.
Neither the Giants nor the Jaguars are headed to the postseason this year, but both clubs may have been attracted to Cooper’s contractual status, which will now keep him with the Cardinals through 2020 at a league minimum rate. The Titans would reaped the benefits of Cooper’s cheap salary, as well, but they’d have been hard-pressed to improve their kick return unit, which already ranks as the league’s best per Football Outsiders.
Titans Place David Fluellen On IR
The Titans placed running back David Fluellen on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. To take his place on the roster, the club called up linebacker Nigel Harris from the practice squad. 
Fluellen has missed the past five gives with a knee injury and he didn’t recover as fast as the club had hoped. It’s not a huge blow to the Titans – Fluellen has just eight carries over the last two years – but it does impact their depth somewhat as they push for a playoff spot.
Harris, meanwhile, will join outside linebackers Derrick Morgan, Brian Orakpo, Harold Landry, Kamalei Correa, and Sharif Finch on the roster. He may have a chance to play this weekend since Orakpo and Finch have been ruled out for Saturday.
With wins over the Redskins and Colts in the next two weeks, the 8-6 Titans will be virtually assured a place in the postseason. There’s even hope of winning the division, though that would require two wins plus two Texans losses to close out the year.
Dorial Green-Beckham Arrested
Former Eagles and Titans wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested on a felony drug possession charge on Wednesday, according to TMZ Sports. Green-Beckham has not been on the NFL radar since being released by the Eagles in the summer of 2017 and this latest incident will surely be another barrier between him and the league. 
[RELATED: Patriots’ Josh Gordon Facing Indefinite Ban]
Police were called to a residence and found Green-Beckham attempting to flee through a window when they arrived. When he was captured, cops found one pound of marijuana in his backpack along with several vials of THC oil. Further inspection of the premises uncovered seven more pounds of marijuana, though authorities believe that weed belongs to someone else.
In high school, DGB was one of the country’s most sought after recruits. In the NFL, however, he washed out after two disappointing seasons. Green-Beckham’s lack of work ethic led the Titans to ship him out just one year after the organization used a second round pick on him. Then, his stint with the Eagles ended after less than one calendar year. During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: LB Jonathan Anderson
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Kyle Allen, TE Jason Vander Laan
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Frank Gore (story)
New York Giants
- Activated from injured reserve: WR Cody Latimer (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Jeremy Reaves
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Danny Johnson