Bills Place CB Levi Wallace On IR
The Bills will be without one of their secondary starters for at least three games. They placed cornerback Levi Wallace on IR Wednesday.
Buffalo, which promoted Cam Lewis from its practice squad to replace Wallace on the active roster, has used Wallace as a starter since his 2018 rookie season. The former UDFA has started all 27 games in which he’s played.
Wallace left Sunday’s game in Las Vegas with an ankle injury, exiting the Week 4 contest on a cart after just six plays. The third-year defender played 76% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps last season and was used at a higher rate prior to this injury. Wallace has intercepted one pass — the third of his career — and made 21 tackles this season. Through three-plus games, Pro Football Focus graded Wallace as the Bills’ top corner (19th overall).
Josh Norman‘s 2020 debut, which included a forced fumble, will help the Bills at corner opposite All-Pro Tre’Davious White. Norman, 32, has 92 career starts. After beginning his Bills career as a backup, Norman figures to see more time without Wallace.
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
Titans Place Corey Davis On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Earlier Wednesday, reports indicated the Titans had two new COVID-19 positives. One of those appears to have been fourth-year wide receiver Corey Davis.
The Titans placed Davis on their reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday afternoon. Tennessee now has 12 players on that list. The team still cannot re-enter its facility for practice, putting its Sunday game against Buffalo in doubt.
The league, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), has launched an investigation into the Titans. They have seen a coronavirus outbreak spread among their roster and are believed to have conducted an illegal offsite workout. Some around the league believe the league is set to levy a “historic” punishment against the team to set an example, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. In addition to levying six-figure fines against teams for their coaches not complying with mask protocols, the NFL has threatened to strip teams of draft picks. That would seem to be the baseline for a “historic” punishment.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Davis joins fellow wideout Adam Humphries, defensive line starters Jeffery Simmons and DaQuan Jones, second-round cornerback Kristian Fulton, linebacker Kamalei Correa, long snapper Beau Brinkley, first-round tackle Isaiah Wilson, running back Khari Blasingame and practice squad players Cameron Batson, Greg Mabin and Tommy Hudson.
If the Titans-Bills game does happen this week — which is still the league’s plan — Tennessee could be severely shorthanded at wide receiver. No. 1 target A.J. Brown has not played since Week 1, but the team’s virtual injury report listed the second-year player as going through a pseudo-limited practice. This marks a pivotal year for Davis, after the Titans did not pick up his fifth-year option in May. Through three games, the former top-five pick has 15 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown.
Seahawks Add Snacks Harrison To P-Squad
Damon Harrison will be on track to play a ninth NFL season. The Seahawks intend to sign the free agent nose tackle, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Snacks visited the Seahawks on Tuesday and was scheduled to make a trip to Green Bay for a Packers meeting Wednesday. But the latter summit is off.
While Harrison needed to go through the NFL’s beefed-up COVID-19 testing protocols — six days’ worth of coronavirus tests — before officially joining the Seahawks, Pete Carroll said he has done so and is officially on the team’s 16-man practice squad. The accomplished veteran joining Seattle’s taxi squad likely doubles as a way for the team to stash the longtime starter while he reacclimates.
Harrison, 32 in November, considered retirement while with the Lions, who acquired him via trade from the Giants in 2018. He did start 15 games for Detroit last season and has logged 111 starts in his career. Being 1-for-8 in playoff appearances in his career, Harrison has made it known he seeks a winning situation. The Seahawks, who have made the playoffs in seven of the past eight seasons prior to their 4-0 start this year, will certainly qualify.
Jaguars Place CB D.J. Hayden On IR
The Jaguars will be down their slot cornerback for at least three weeks. They placed D.J. Hayden on IR Wednesday, further thinning out the team’s new-look secondary.
Hayden left the Jags’ Week 4 game with a hamstring injury. The third-year Jaguar represents the team’s most experienced corner, having been a regular since coming into the league as a 2013 first-round pick.
Jacksonville signed Hayden in 2018 and, for the most part, has seen the former Raiders bust rejuvenate himself. Hayden graded as a top-25 corner in 2018 and ’19, per Pro Football Focus, which is less bullish on his early-2020 returns.
Hayden teamed with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye in 2018 and to start last season. Both have since been traded, leaving the veteran with younger defenders. The Jags will be forced to use their less seasoned talents exclusively against the Texans in Week 5.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward
- Released: DB Curtis Riley
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: WR Reggie Begelton
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bill Murray; Murray was on Patriots’ practice squad
New York Giants
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DE Alex Barrett
- Waived: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson
Washington Football Team
- Released from IR: WR Jordan Veasy
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/20
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad updates:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on practice squad IR: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: DL Demarcus Christmas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on practice squad suspended list: RB Kenjon Barner (four-game PED ban)
Raiders Place DT Maurice Hurst On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Raiders may be without one of their rotational defensive linemen Sunday against the Chiefs. They placed Maurice Hurst on their reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Players do not have to test positive for the coronavirus to land on this list; they only need to have come in contact with someone who has. But considering the NFL’s issues with COVID-19 over the past several days, this bears monitoring.
Hurst was not among the Raiders fined for being photographed without masks at Darren Waller‘s fundraiser, but the third-year defensive lineman did play 35 snaps against the Bills. Hurst was not at the fundraiser, according to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed (on Twitter). But the prospect of Hurst playing last week while carrying the virus would present a major issue, though it is not yet known if he has tested positive.
Hurst, 25, also dropped in the draft due to a heart condition. That has not, however, impeded him as a pro. The former fifth-round pick has missed just three games since being drafted. A second-generation NFLer, Hurst has played 42% of Las Vegas’ defensive snaps this season. At present, he is the only player on the Raiders’ COVID list.
Cowboys Release DB Brandon Carr
Brandon Carr‘s second act with the Cowboys will end early in the season. The team released the 13th-year veteran defensive back Tuesday.
The Cowboys brought Carr back just before the season, stashing him on their practice squad before promoting him ahead of Week 1. Carr, however, did not see much playing time. Dressing for three games, the iron-man defender played just 21 defensive snaps — despite Dallas being shorthanded in its secondary.
The Ravens did not pick up Carr’s 2020 option, sending him to free agency. The past three 2020 games marked the first time the former 2008 draftee did not start an NFL game, ending a 192-game start streak. Said streak included 80 games with the Cowboys, who signed Carr to a five-year deal in 2012 and watched him play out the contract before signing with the Ravens in 2017.
Additionally, the Cowboys waived tackle Alex Light, signed tackle Greg Senat off the Browns’ practice squad and added tackle William Sweet to their taxi squad.
49ers To Release Mohamed Sanu
The 49ers will release wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With Deebo Samuel and Richie James on the mend, the Niners will shift their focus to their younger targets. Meanwhile, Sanu is now available for teams in need of an experienced receiver. 
Sanu joined the Niners just a few weeks ago on a deal worth just over the veteran’s minimum. The former Bengals, Falcons, and Patriots wideout reunited with former Falcons coach Kyle Shanahan, but the party didn’t last long. Sanu suited up for three games, but he leaves SF with just one catch for nine yards from their Week 2 romp over the Giants.
The 31-year-old didn’t impress in his eight regular season games (six starts) with the Patriots last year, either. He finished out with 26 grabs (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. Then, he was invisible during New England’s playoff loss to the Titans as he caught just one pass for eleven yards. Although he’s accomplished and experienced, the Niners are far more fixated on the acrobatics of rookie Brandon Aiyuk and the rest of the bunch.
In 2018, Sanu turned in perhaps the best performance of his career, catching 66 passes for 838 yards and four TDs with the Falcons. He might not be able to reprise that performance, but he will try to get a bit closer to that.