Cardinals Add K Mike Nugent To Practice Squad
Zane Gonzalez might be hearing footsteps. Or, perhaps, he just has some backup. On Friday, the Cardinals signed veteran kicker Mike Nugent to the practice squad, per a club announcement.
Nugent first made his Cardinals debut over a decade ago in 2009, appearing in a pair of games. Now 38, he owns a career 81% field goal completion rate across 168 games. Last year, he had a cup of coffee with the Patriots as a part of their revolving door of kickers. The veteran converted five of eight FGs with the Pats, who released him after a pair of missed field goals against the Browns. The Patriots won that October contest to advance to 8-0, but Bill Belichick wasn’t taking any chances.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, missed two of his three field goal tries in the season opener. Still, the one he converted on was from 56 yards out, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury says he’s “very comfortable” with the 25-year-old.
After topping the Niners in Week 1, the Cardinals will look to go 2-0 this Sunday against the Washington Football Team.
Bengals’ C.J. Uzomah Done For Year
It’s now official. On Friday morning, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that tight end C.J. Uzomah will miss the remainder of the year with a torn Achilles tendon. Uzomah will be placed on injured reserve, freeing up a spot on the club’s active roster. 
Uzomah seemed on course for a big year after catching eight of Joe Burrow‘s eleven targets for 87 yards and a touchdown. Now, he’ll have to turn his focus to 2021. In the interim, Drew Sample seems poised for a larger role in the offense, and the Bengals will likely look to add another tight end off the bench to join Cethan Carter. Fortunately, the Bengals are rostering two tight ends on their expanded practice squad in Mitchell Wilcox and Mason Schreck.
Through two games, Burrow has been dialed in on Uzomah and wide receiver Tyler Boyd, who has eleven grabs for 105 yards and 1 TD thus far. It’s possible that Sample will absorb all of Uzomah’s would-be looks, and he might be able to capitalize on them in similar fashion. As a rookie last year, Sample registered just five receptions through nine games. Now, he’s looking like more than a blocking TE. Last night, he finished out with seven catches for 45 yards.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: S Jalen Thompson
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Cam Lewis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Anthony Chickillo
Chargers C Mike Pouncey Out For Season
The Chargers will be without their veteran center for the entirety of the 2020 season. GM Tom Telesco announced Thursday Mike Pouncey plans to undergo surgery to repair a hip injury.
Pouncey will go under the knife at some point in September, and the procedure will prevent him from playing this season. The Bolts will place Pouncey on IR and promote fullback Gabe Nabers to their 53-man roster.
For arguably the NFL’s most injury-prone team, this represents a major setback. Both Pouncey and Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner missed the Chargers’ opener, and Pouncey joins All-Pro safety Derwin James in being out for the season. Starting linebacker Drue Tranquill also suffered a broken ankle against the Bengals.
For Pouncey, it looks like a crossroads moment. The former Dolphins starter missed 11 games last season due to a neck injury last season. He was medically cleared to return this summer, but the hip troubles that the Florida alum experienced with the Dolphins continue to plague him. During the 2017 season, Pouncey said he will at some point early in his post-playing life he will need a hip replacement.
Still, the former first-round pick rebounded in his first Bolts season to make the Pro Bowl. The Chargers then signed Pouncey to a one-year extension, but his contract expires after the 2020 slate. Pouncey, 31, stands to head into free agency a major question mark.
Los Angeles moved guard Dan Feeney to center against Cincinnati, sliding contract-year lineman Forrest Lamp back into its lineup at guard. Lamp has failed to live up to his second-round billing thus far but may now have a key opportunity in a contract year.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandon Bryant, LB Deon Lacey
Green Bay Packers
- Signed DT Billy Winn, OL Ryan Pope
- Released: DL Daylon Mack
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: S Dallin Leavitt
- Released: CB Jordan Brown
New England Patriots
- Signed QB Jacob Dolegala, C James Ferentz
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Cody Hollister, DB Picasso Nelson, DB Maurice Smith
Washington Football Team
- Signed: WR Jeff Badet
- Released: TE Hale Hentges
Vikings To Sign George Iloka To The Practice Squad
The Vikings are set to sign George Iloka to their practice squad, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). From there, Iloka is likely to be flexed into the active roster, giving the Vikings some sorely needed support at the safety position. 
[RELATED: Vikings, Kendricks Agree To Reworked Deal]
As it stands, the Vikings have Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith at safety with recent callup Nate Meadors serving as the only reserve for both players. That’s less than ideal, especially since Meadors is a converted cornerback. Iloka, on the other hand offers years of NFL experience, including three seasons under Mike Zimmer‘s tutelage.
Iloka hasn’t seen live action since his 2018 season with the Vikings. In that season, Iloka appeared in all 16 games while starting in three. He’s best known for his time with the Bengals, where he played for six years and served as a starter for five. During his run with the Bengals, the Boise State product registered nine interceptions and made 446 tackles.
In other Vikings news, the club has restructured the contract of Eric Kendricks to free up millions in cap space. With cooperation from the veteran linebacker, they were able to formally ink running back Dalvin Cook to his brand new five-year, $63MM extension.
Former Giants WR Russell Shepard Retires From NFL
Longtime NFL wide receiver Russell Shepard has retired from the NFL (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). Shepard, who also celebrated his 30th birthday today, spent seven seasons in the league. 
Shepard still had opportunities to play this year, but he wasn’t interested. In August, he declined the Ravens’ invitation to work out alongside Dez Bryant and other wide receivers.
Shepard spent the first five years of his career in the NFC South, playing for the Bucs and Panthers before inking a one-year deal with the Giants in 2018. The former undrafted free agent was always more of a special teams player than an offensive force. Statistically, his best season came in 2016 when he set career highs in catches (23) and yards (341). His first season in New York/New Jersey wasn’t much different – he notched just ten grabs for 188 yards and two scores. In 2019, he landed on IR after just three games.
Bengals Place G Xavier Su’a-Filo On IR
The Bengals have placed starting right guard Xavier Su’a-Filo on IR, the team announced. The 29-year-old suffered an ankle injury during Sunday’s loss to the Chargers.
As you probably know by now, Su’a-Filo will only be required to miss three weeks before becoming eligible to return to action under this year’s modified IR rules. He was replaced by Billy Price following his injury, and Price will remain at RG until Su’a-Filo is ready to return.
Cincinnati signed the UCLA product to a three-year, $10MM contract this offseason. He was drafted by the Texans in the second round of the 2014 draft and finished out his four-year rookie contract in Houston before hooking on with the Cowboys for two seasons. He has started 54 of the 76 games in which he has appeared, and though he is not one of the league’s better guards, clubs value O-lineman with significant starting experience.
Broncos Place CB A.J. Bouye On IR
The Broncos have placed starting CB A.J. Bouye on injured reserve, per the league’s transaction wire. As such, he will miss at least the next three weeks of action.
Bouye suffered a dislocated shoulder during Monday night’s loss to the Titans. As Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweeted yesterday, the team was hopeful that the one-time Pro Bowler would not miss much time, but the damage was too extensive to avoid a trip to IR. Luckily, under the modified rules for 2020, he will be eligible to return much sooner than he would have been in any other year.
Denver acquired Bouye via trade with the Jaguars in March, sending a 2020 fourth-round selection to Jacksonville in exchange. He ended up playing in just 28 snaps in his Broncos debut, but he made the most of that limited action, recording a pass defensed and generally looking like the player the team hoped it was getting.
In Bouye’s absence, third-round rookie Michael Ojemudia stepped up and performed well. And the Broncos also got a full game out of Bryce Callahan, who missed all of last season — his first in Denver — with a broken foot. Ojemudia and Callahan will continue to man the outside cornerback spots while Bouye is on the sidelines, as head coach Vic Fangio told the team’s official website.
The Broncos take on two potentially potent aerial attacks in their next two games against the Steelers and Buccaneers, though they will get something of a reprieve against the Jets in Week 4.
49ers’ Ahkello Witherspoon To Miss Time
The 49ers’ cornerback shuffle continues. In addition to placing Richard Sherman on injured reserve with a leg injury, the Niners also announced that fellow corner Ahkello Witherspoon has entered the concussion protocol. To replenish the group, the Niners have promoted Dontae Johnson from the practice squad to the active roster. And, to replace Johnson on the practice squad, they’ve signed former Steelers fifth-round pick Brian Allen. 
[RELATED: 49ers Place Richard Sherman On IR]
Now, the Niners are without their leading outside cornerback and one of their top reserve CBs. Jason Verrett figures to start opposite of Emmanuel Moseley for the time being with K’Waun Williams continuing to serve as the slot man. Beyond that, the Niners will lean on Dontae Johnson as the first corner off the bench and hope that they won’t be hit with any more CB injuries.
In other Niners news, they’ve added veteran receiver Mohamed Sanu on a one-year deal. On the other side of the ball, they’ve decided to pass on Ezekiel Ansah yet again after their second meeting with the defensive lineman.