Broncos Place Elijah Wilkinson On IR
The Broncos will be without their starting right tackle for a while. On Tuesday, Broncos head coach Vic Fangio announced that Elijah Wilkinson will be placed on injured reserve with a leg injury. 
[RELATED: Broncos’ Jurrell Casey Likely Done For Year]
Wilkinson is just the latest Bronco bit by the injury bug, joining linebacker Justin Strnad, cornerback A.J. Bouye, linebacker Mark Barron, and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones on injured reserve. Wilkinson will play again this year, though edge rusher Von Miller and star wide receiver Courtland Sutton will not return from IR. And, of course, the Broncos are without Drew Lock for at least another couple weeks as he nurses a shoulder injury.
Wilkinson, who previously played on the interior, performed well after he was moved to right tackle last year. Demar Dotson is the most likely fill-in candidate for him, especially given his eleven years of starting experience.
Next up for the badly bruised Broncos — a Thursday night clash with the Jets, who are also 0-3 to start the year.
49ers Place TE Jordan Reed On IR
Another year, another trip to the IR for Jordan Reed. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports (via Twitter) that the 49ers will put the veteran tight end on the short-term injured reserve.
The 30-year-old was briefly sidelined during this weekend’s win over the Giants with an ankle injury. Reed ended up returning to the field, but he subsequently sustained an MCL injury, leading to his placement on IR. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Reed will likely be back in six to eight weeks (via Maiocco on Twitter).
Reed considered retiring this past offseason after missing the 2019 campaign with a concussion (at least his seventh since the start of his collegiate career). Reed has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, but there’s no denying his talent. Between 2013 and 2018, Reed racked up 329 catches for 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns for Washington, and that was despite missing 31 regular season games. The veteran caught on with the 49ers this offseason, and he hauled in 11 receptions for 85 yards and two scores through his first three games with San Francisco.
Reed joins a long list of 49ers players who have been sidelined thanks to injuries. Fortunately, there could be some good news on the way; the team is set to evaluate quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, tight end George Kittle, and running back Raheem Mostert on Wednesday (via Can Inman of the San Jose Mercury on Twitter).
Reed wasn’t the only 49ers player to land on IR today. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reports (via Twitter) that linebacker Mark Nzeocha has also been placed on injured reserve with a quad injury. The veteran has spent the past four seasons with the 49ers, and he played in each of his team’s first three contests this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/20
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated off suspension list: DB Jordan Miller
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Tavon Young (story)
- Promoted: CB Terrell Bonds, CB Khalil Dorsey, S Jordan Richards
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Montrel Meander
- Placed on IR: WR JoJo Natson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: OL Keaton Sutherland
- Waived: OL Shaq Calhoun
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: LB Austin Calitro
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: S A.J. Moore (story)
- Promoted: RB C.J. Prosise
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Delrick Abrams, CB Tyler Hall, LB Edmond Robinson
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT Terry Beckner
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Ryan Glasgow, DT Corey Liuget (story)
- Cut: OL Cordel Iwuagwu
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Jared Hilbers, K Aldrick Rosas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Robert Davis
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DB Luther Kirk
- Released DB Nate Meadors
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Michael Jackson, DT Nick Thurman, WR Zay Zuber
New Orleans Saints
- CB Ken Crawley
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed:LB Shaquem Griffin, DB Ryan Neal
Jaguars Release Timmy Jernigan
The Jaguars are staying busy Monday. Shortly after we heard they’d be signing kicker Stephen Hauschka the team announced a small flurry of roster moves, including the release of veteran defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.
They also waived/injured kicker Brandon Wright, promoted defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale from the practice squad, and placed linebacker Leon Jacobs on injured reserve. Jernigan signed with Jacksonville in August, and had played a rotational role along the defensive line through the first three games. The 48th overall pick of the 2014 draft, Jernigan spent his first three years in Baltimore.
He was then traded to Philadelphia, and started 15 games for the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII. He signed a four-year, $48MM extension midway through that year, but was limited to three games the following year following back surgery. He was cut after 2018, then re-signed with Philly on a cheaper one-year deal.
He appeared in ten games with nine starts for the Eagles last season. The Florida State product then inked a one-year, $3.75MM pact with Houston in April, but that deal was called off after a couple of months. He only turned 28 last week, and due to his past starting experience and production, should resurface soon with a team looking for run-stuffing help.
The Jaguars are clearly going all in on their youth movement on defense. Jacobs started seven games last year and two of the three this season, so that’s a significant loss even though he hadn’t been playing super heavy snaps. Ekuale is a 2018 UDFA from Washington State who appeared in seven games with the Browns last year.
Broncos’ Jurrell Casey Likely Done For The Year
Bad day for defensive tackles and their biceps. Just moments after it was reported that Washington’s Matt Ioannidis was done for the year, we’ve got word that Broncos defensive tackle Jurrell Casey also has a torn bicep and is likely out for the season as well, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
The hits just keep on coming for Denver, who has been sending players to injured reserve on a seemingly daily basis. Von Miller, Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, and A.J. Bouye are just a small sampling of the high profile guys to go down with serious injuries. The Broncos acquired Casey in a trade with the Titans back in March, giving up only a seventh-round pick due to the veteran’s healthy salary.
He’s still a very solid player, making the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons, and it’s yet another huge blow to the Broncos’ defense. The USC product has had at least five sacks from the interior in each of the last seven seasons.
Needless to say, the 0-3 Broncos will be quit shorthanded for their trip to take on the Jets on Thursday Night Football this week. With Dre’Mont Jones also on injured reserve, this Denver defensive line is being held together by a thread. Casey is signed through the 2022 season thanks to the four-year, $60.4MM extension he signed in July of 2017.
Jaguars To Sign Stephen Hauschka
The Jaguars have found their replacement for Josh Lambo. Jacksonville is signing veteran kicker Stephen Hauschka, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Lambo was placed on injured reserve last week with a hip injury, and the team had rookie Brandon Wright fill in for him on Thursday Night Football. Wright didn’t attempt a field goal and missed one of his two extra points, and the Jags clearly weren’t satisfied. The team worked out Hauschka and former Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas a couple of days ago.
Hauschka was cut by the Bills in August after three years as Buffalo’s kicker. Before that he had spent the previous six seasons in Seattle, winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the team. He was 21-23 from within 50 yards last year, but made just one of his five kicks from beyond 50.
Lambo has been reliable with the Jags, so he’ll probably get his job back whenever he’s healthy enough. The 1-2 Jaguars take on the Bengals on Sunday.
Browns’ JoJo Natson Done For Year
The Browns will be without their return man for the rest of the year. JoJo Natson will be placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Natson suffered the injury early in the Browns’ 34-20 win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday. In addition to serving as the Browns’ leading returner, Natson was the team’s No. 4 receiver, up until the injury. Without Natson, the Browns are left with Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, KhaDarel Hodge, and a glaring need for additional support at WR.
From here, the Browns are likely to give sixth-round rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones a chance to play this week against the Cowboys. But, given his inexperience, they may want to look at other kick returners who can also contribute on offense. They’ve also got a pair of receivers on the expanded practice squad in Ja’Marcus Bradley and former Titans third-round pick Taywan Taylor.
Texans To Sign Corey Liuget
The Texans have agreed to sign defensive tackle Corey Liuget to the practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Liuget had multiple contract offers, Wilson hears, but he ultimately chose to sign with Houston. 
Liuget first entered the league in 2011 and spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Chargers. Typically a consistent producer, Liuget inked a whopping five-year, $58.5MM extension with the Bolts in 2015, a deal that included $30MM in guaranteed money. He didn’t live up to that deal, thanks in part to a serious knee injury and a 2018 PED suspension.
Liuget, now 30, has been on the fringes ever since the Chargers declined his option in February of last year. When auditions with the Jaguars and Cardinals didn’t lead to deals, Liuget hooked on with the Raiders. After appearing in a few games for Jon Gruden‘s squad, the Bills scooped him up. All in all, Liuget appeared in ten games while registering 13 stops and one sack.
It’s unlikely that he’ll ever reprise his best work — including a 2014 campaign in which he compiled 57 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles — but Liuget could be a solid reserve for the Texans. For what it’s worth, Liuget says he’s 100% healthy and down to a trimmer 289 pounds.
Falcons CB A.J. Terrell Tests Positive For COVID-19
Going into Week 3, the NFL has done well to prevent the coronavirus from making a major impact on its season — personnel-wise, at least. But the Falcons will be down their first-round pick as a result of the virus.
The Falcons placed cornerback A.J. Terrell on the reserve/COVID list Saturday. Players do not have to test positive to land on the list, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says Terrell did indeed test positive on Friday (Twitter link). The team found out about the test results on Friday night, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, who adds that Terrell was not at the team’s walkthrough Saturday (Twitter link). Terrell practiced Friday.
Luckily, as Schefter and others reported on Sunday morning, all tests administered on Falcons players and coaches on Saturday came back negative, so the club’s Week 3 contest against the Bears will go forward as planned (Twitter link). For now, the league has avoided a major COVID-related crisis.
Terrell, however, must now go through the protocols in order to return to the team. He will miss Sunday’s game, joining fellow Falcon secondary starter Ricardo Allen in that regard. The Falcons also promoted cornerbacks Delrick Abrams Jr. and Tyler Hall on Saturday. They also elevated linebacker Edmond Robinson from their practice squad.
Atlanta used the No. 16 overall pick on Terrell this year and turned to him as a Day 1 starter. The Clemson alum has played 100% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps for a team that enters Sunday’s game ranking 28th in DVOA pass defense.