Patriots Move C David Andrews To IR
David Andrews‘ return from a full-season absence will be on hold for the time being. The Patriots placed their starting center on IR Saturday.
The veteran snapper did not practice this week due to a thumb injury. New England is promoting center James Ferentz from its practice squad. The Pats also placed rookie linebacker Josh Uche on IR. The second-round pick is battling a foot injury.
A blood clot issue resulted in Andrews missing all of the 2019 season. But he was cleared to resume his career this offseason, and the sixth-year blocker reclaimed his spot as the Patriots’ starting center. He will be out until at least Week 6, however.
So will Uche, who has yet to make his NFL debut. The Pats made the Michigan alum a healthy scratch in Week 1, and he landed on their injury report soon after and missed the team’s Week 2 game.
Ferentz has been with the Patriots for more than three years now. The son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz — a Bill Belichick assistant with the Browns in the 1990s — James Ferentz signed with the Patriots in 2017. He played 15 games last season, starting two. The Pats let 2019 Andrews replacement Ted Karras defect to the Dolphins in free agency.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/20
Here are Saturday’s practice squad decisions:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DE Calvin Taylor
- Released: DB Trajan Bandy
Washington Football Team
- Signed: LB Jordan Kunaszyk
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: LB Deon Lacey
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB A.J. Green
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB LeVante Bellamy, CB Kevin Toliver
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: TE John Lovett, WR Darrius Shepherd
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: LB Matthew Adams
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: LB Kyle Emanuel, CB Madre Harper
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Nick Thurman, WR Isaiah Zuber
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Bennie Fowler, DL Margus Hunt
- Placed on IR: RB Ty Montgomery
- Waived: OL Will Clapp
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Johnny Holton
New York Jets
- Promoted: Lawrence Cager, OL Jimmy Murray
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Deontay Burnett
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: OL Hroniss Grasu, RB JaMycal Hasty, LB Joe Walker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: WR Cameron Batson
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: G Joshua Garnett, LB Jared Norris
Seahawks To Promote LB Shaquem Griffin
Shaquem Griffin will have a chance to resume his career Sunday. The Seahawks are bringing the young linebacker back up to their active roster, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Seattle used Griffin in each of its 32 regular-season games from 2018-19 but waived him on cutdown day this year. The Seahawks kept the inspirational defender around on its practice squad, however, and will call him back up for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.
Twin brother of starting Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin, Shaquem operated in a mostly special teams capacity during his first two seasons as a pro. Despite playing with one hand, Shaquem Griffin has 16 career tackles. The Central Florida alum recorded three QB hits last season, playing 9% of the Seahawks’ defensive snaps and 47% of their special teams snaps.
Chargers Place Melvin Ingram On IR
On the heels of a fairly strong defensive performance against the Chiefs, the Chargers will see one half of their top-end pass-rushing tandem miss time.
The Bolts placed Melvin Ingram on IR Saturday. This will knock the veteran defensive end out for at least three games. Ingram is battling a knee injury.
Also placing defensive tackle Justin Jones and linebacker Asmar Bilal on IR, the Chargers will promote safety Jahleel Addae to their active roster. The former longtime Chargers safety starter, Addae agreed to a practice squad deal recently. The Bolts will also promote running back Darius Bradwell from their practice squad.
Ingram, though, certainly represents the biggest piece of news from the team’s Saturday transactions. He and Joey Bosa have seen some interruptions in their run as an edge-rushing pair during an era featuring rampant Bolts injury trouble. Though, Ingram has only missed three games over the past five-plus seasons. The three-time Pro Bowler has 43 sacks over the past five seasons.
Ingram’s return from this injury will begin a critical stretch, with the 31-year-old defender in a contract year. Ingram waged a brief hold-in during training camp but returned to practice when the Bolts guaranteed his 2020 salary.
Vikings Promote S George Iloka
George Iloka is on track to see game action for the first time since the 2018 season finale. The Vikings promoted the veteran safety from their practice squad.
Minnesota added Iloka late this summer, doing so after hosting him twice. Iloka brings extensive experience for a practice squad player, joining a few players in that regard in this historically unusual season, and will resume his career with the team for which he last played. Iloka played 16 games for the 2018 Vikings but was out of football last season.
The Vikings are off to a brutal start, having been unable to compete with the Packers and Colts. Their defense ranks 20th in DVOA. Minnesota lost several starters from recent years — Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, Mackensie Alexander, Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen — and is also down cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Cameron Dantzler for its Week 3 game against Tennessee. Danielle Hunter also remains on IR, with Anthony Barr out for the season. Iloka will return to a defense featuring few familiar faces.
The team, however, still employs top-tier safety tandem Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris. Iloka adds 99 games’ (and 79 starts’) worth of experience to the Vikings’ safety group. He has played under Mike Zimmer in four his seven seasons, doing so with the Bengals and Vikings.
To help out at corner, the Vikings are also promoting Mark Fields.
Cowboys Place CB Chidobe Awuzie On IR
Chidobe Awuzie‘s hamstring injury will lead to an IR placement. The Cowboys will shelve one of their starting cornerbacks for at least three games.
One the key players in Dallas’ post-Byron Jones puzzle, Awuzie has played 86% of the team’s defensive snaps this season. He went down late in the Cowboys’ 40-39 win over the Falcons.
The Cowboys are down both Awuzie and slot cornerback Anthony Brown (also on IR) against a Seahawks offense that has been one of the league’s most explosive this season. Russell Wilson leads the league in touchdown passes (nine) and in passer rating through two games.
Dallas promoted cornerbacks Saivion Smith and Deante Burton from its practice squad, while also elevating tackle Eric Smith to its active roster. Awuzie cannot return to action until Week 6. He joins Leighton Vander Esch, Sean Lee, La’el Collins and Blake Jarwin as starters on the Cowboys’ IR list.
This is a key year for Awuzie, who joins Jourdan Lewis in being on track for free agency in 2021. A 2017 second-round pick, Awuzie has started 38 games in his career. The Cowboys were active this offseason in attempting to replace Jones, drafting Trevon Diggs in Round 2 and signing Daryl Worley. The team also brought back Brandon Carr just before the season.
Packers Promote DL Billy Winn
This weekend, Billy Winn could make his first NFL appearance in four years. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Packers have promoted the veteran defensive tackle to their active roster.
The 2012 sixth-round pick spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Browns, compiling 54 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was traded to the Colts during the 2015 campaign, and after collecting 14 tackles and two fumble recoveries in 12 games (three starts), he landed on the injured reserve.
The Broncos signed Winn to a one-year deal prior to the 2016 season, and he proceeded to appear in all 16 games for Denver, finishing with 19 tackles.However, the veteran hasn’t seen the field since then. He re-signed with the organization prior to the 2017 season, but a torn ACL sidelined him for the entire campaign. It was a similar situation in 2018; Winn re-signed with the team before a triceps injury landed him on IR. He was released by Indy back in March, and the Packers added him to their practice squad earlier this month.
With defensive tackle Kenny Clark questionable for this weekend’s game with a groin injury, Green Bay was looked for some reinforcement along the defensive line.
Panthers Promote RB Reggie Bonnafon
With Christian McCaffrey sidelined, the Panthers are turning to a familiar face. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports (via Twitter) that the team has promoted running back Reggie Bonnafon from the practice squad.
Bonnafon has spent his entire career with the Panthers, initially joining as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville in 2018. He got his first chance to contribute in 2019, and he proceeded to appear in all 16 games for the Panthers. Bonnafon was buried on the depth chart, but he finished the season having compiled 116 rushing yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. He also added six receptions for 57 yards, and he returned six kickoffs for 111 yards. The 24-year-old re-signed with Carolina this offseason, and he caught on with the practice squad after getting cut earlier this month.
Mike Davis is expected to be the primary replacement for McCaffrey; the veteran had eight receptions during last weekend’s loss to the Buccaneers. The team is also rostering Trenton Cannon, and wideout Curtis Samuel has also garnered five carries through two weeks.
After suffering a high-ankle sprain, McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. The Pro Bowler will be eligible to return on Oct. 18, but there’s a chance he’ll need more than three weeks to recover.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/20
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: QB Brett Rypien, DL DeShawn Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: DE Rasheem Green
- Released from IR: DE Eli Mencer