Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/19
We’ll keep track of all of today’s minor moves right here:
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: LB Ramik Wilson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DL Olsen Pierre, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Promoted: CB Nick Nelson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Ryan Neal
49ers Sign CB Dontae Johnson, WR Jordan Matthews
With Richard Sherman likely to miss multiple games, the 49ers have made a move to bolster their CB depth. NFL Insider Adam Caplan reports that San Francisco is re-signing veteran corner Dontae Johnson (Twitter link).
Johnson and the 49ers are quite familiar with each other at this point. The Niners selected the NC State product in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, and he was a full-time starter for the club as recently as 2017. But he has become something of a nomad, and in 2019 alone, he’s spent time with the Chiefs, Chargers, and 49ers. He played in two games for the Chargers before being cut, and San Francisco promptly scooped him up. He primarily served as a special teams contributor in his five games with the 49ers before they cut him last month.
He may see a little more action on the defensive side of the ball for the next couple of weeks, but it would still be surprising to see him get a ton of snaps. Meanwhile, fellow corner Jason Verrett, who has been on IR since Week 4, is eligible to return if the 49ers want to open his practice window.
After the Johnson signing was reported, we learned that the 49ers are also reuniting with WR Jordan Matthews, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (via Twitter). Matthews signed a one-year, $1.8MM contract with the team this offseason, though he did not survive final cuts. He was brought back to San Francisco in early October but played in just one game and did not record a catch. He then caught on with Philadelphia and played in two games for the WR-needy Eagles before they parted ways with him.
The 49ers put Marquise Goodwin on IR yesterday, so Matthews will take his roster spot, but as the sixth WR on the roster, he’s unlikely to see much playing time. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the team formally placed Weston Richburg on IR, opening up space for Johnson.
Saints Sign Noah Spence
The Saints have lost Marcus Davenport for the season, and they may have lost Sheldon Rankins for the year as well. In an effort to bolster their thinning front seven, the team has signed Noah Spence, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter).
The Buccaneers selected Spence in the second round of the 2016 draft, but he did not live up to his draft status. He did put up 5.5 sacks in his rookie campaign, but his sophomore season was largely lost to injury and he didn’t really produce in 12 games in 2018. Tellingly, Tampa Bay waived him prior to the start of the 2019 regular season.
Spence worked out for the Bears and Redskins after being cut by the Bucs, and he ultimately signed with Washington in September. However, he lasted just two months on the Redskins’ roster before being waived again. He picked up one sack in a limited role for Washington.
But with Davenport gone, New Orleans could use some pass rushing depth. Spence still provides some upside in that regard, so it’s a logical move for the Saints.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/10/19
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Javier Edwards
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: FB Johnny Stanton
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Kofi Amichia
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Josh Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed DL Caraun Reid
- Placed on IR: DL Rodney Gunter
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: OT Mitch Hyatt
- Placed on IR: WR Cedrick Wilson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Dakota Allen, C Tyler Gauthier
- Placed on IR: LB Jake Ryan
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off New England’s practice squad: DB Nate Brooks
- Signed off Tennessee’s practice squad: LB Jamal Davis
- Claimed off waivers from Packers: OT Adam Pankey
- Placed on IR: CBs Ryan Lewis and Ken Webster
- Waived: RB Zach Zenner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Ishmael Hyman
Washington Redskins
- Suspended: CB Simeon Thomas (four games)
Interestingly Dallas’ hand was forced with Hyatt, as they promoted the offensive lineman because another team was trying to poach him away, a source told Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). He’s a rookie UDFA from Clemson. Elsewhere, the Dolphins are scooping up players from other teams left and right as they build for 2020.
Saints’ Marcus Davenport Done For The Year
There’s already been a lot of big injury news today, and now we have even more. Saints defensive lineman Marcus Davenport is expected to undergo season-ending surgery, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
Per Pelissero, Davenport “suffered a significant foot injury” during New Orleans’ loss to the 49ers on Sunday. It’s a huge blow to a Saints defensive front that has been one of the team’s strengths this season. The Saints traded a first-round pick to move up and take Davenport 14th overall in last year’s draft. He dominated against weaker competition in college at UTSA, and was regarded as a highly talented but somewhat raw prospect.
After a relatively quiet rookie year in which he showed plenty of flashes but didn’t start a game, he has been playing a huge role in 2019. He’s started all 13 games for the Saints this season, racking up 31 tackles, six sacks, and three forced fumbles. The Saints’ defense is pretty banged up at the moment, with key linebackers A.J. Klein and Kiko Alonso also dealing with injuries.
They recently re-signed Manti Te’o in response to the health issues. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins was also knocked out of their loss to the 49ers with an ankle injury, although it’s unclear how serious that is. Davenport took a step forward this season, and he will be back as a key piece in 2020.
Raiders Make Flurry Of Roster Moves
Oakland is coming off three straight lopsided defeats, and in the wake of the embarrassments Jon Gruden is reshuffling his roster. The Raiders are waiving veteran defensive players D.J. Swearinger, Preston Brown, and Terrell McClain while signing running back Rod Smith, the team announced today.
They also placed rookie tight end Foster Moreau on injured reserve, which was expected. Oakland has given up at least 40 points in back to back weeks, and Gruden made it clear he isn’t happy with the defensive effort. Brown, an inside linebacker, had been with the Bengals for most of this season and was starting for them before he was scooped up by the Raiders prior to this week’s loss to the Titans. Brown started almost every game for the Bills from 2014-17, but he lasted only one game with Oakland. McClain started the season with Kansas City before latching on with the Raiders for the last few games.
Swearinger was picked up by Oakland after the Cardinals cut him earlier this season, and he started three of his four games with the Raiders including their most recent loss to Tennessee. He’ll get a shot elsewhere in 2020 if not sooner. Smith is a former Cowboys backup running back, and his signing could indicate that workhorse back Josh Jacobs won’t be ready to return this week.
The shakeup comes as the Raiders’ playoff hopes have been all but dashed. Just a few weeks ago they were looking good at 6-4, but they collapsed in epic fashion. Gruden promised there would be changes following their most recent loss, and he delivered by sending almost all of their recently added guys packing.
49ers Place Marquise Goodwin On IR
The 49ers got pretty banged up during their win over the Saints this past week, and now another player is headed to the shelf. The team has placed receiver Marquise Goodwin on injured reserve, a source told Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Goodwin had been dealing with a knee injury, and even though he hadn’t been playing much recently, it’s a significant depth blow. The speedster and deep-threat had a breakout 2017 campaign with the 49ers, racking up 962 yards and averaging an impressive 17.2 yards per catch while starting all 16 games. Injuries hampered him last year and limited him to only 11 games, and he fell down the depth chart this season.
He still made six starts in nine games in 2019, but he fell out of favor as the season went on. The Texas product had at least 41 yards in three of San Francisco’s first four games, but he failed to top 15 after that. Rookie Deebo Samuel began to emerge, and then the 49ers added Emmanuel Sanders as well. All that being said, if they were to now suffer another injury to the group they’d be getting pretty thin. This was the first year of a three-year, $20.3MM extension that Goodwin signed in March of last year.
Redskins Place Derrius Guice On IR
Derrius Guice‘s season is officially over. The Redskins placed their young running back on injured reserve with a knee injury today, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rapoport tweeted earlier today that the official diagnosis was an MCL sprain and that the team would be cautious with him, so this isn’t too surprising. Fortunately, his ACL was spared. Guice has had some brutal injury luck during his brief time in the NFL, as this is at least his third significant knee issue since becoming a pro. Washington drafted Guice in the second round last year, and he tore an ACL during his first preseason.
The initial ACL tear didn’t heal right, and resulted in multiple infections and an extended recovery. He was able to battle his way back to make it back on the field for Week 1 of this season, and promptly went down with another knee injury. He was placed on injured reserve, and then activated after sitting out the required eight games.
During the five contests he ended up appearing in this season, he mostly split time with Adrian Peterson. He had a breakout game two weeks ago in Washington’s win over the Panthers, carrying the ball ten times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Guice obviously has a rough injury history, but he won’t turn 23 until June and he’s obviously still high on talent. The latest MCL issue isn’t considered serious, and he should have a good chance of being the Redskins’ featured back next year if he can stay healthy.
Panthers Release Greg Dortch
For the second time in 2019, the Panthers have released kick returner Greg Dortch. The move comes two days after Dortch fumbled a return in the Panthers’ loss to the Falcons.
Dortch, listed as a wide receiver, has yet to catch a pass at the NFL level. With the Panthers, he’s served as the kick and punt return specialist on two separate occasions. His first opportunity came in Week 9, when he returned two kickoffs and two punts against the Titans.
Then, on Sunday, he coughed up the ball on a third quarter kickoff return. The Falcons turned that change of possession into a field goal, en route to a 40-20 win.
The 5-8 Panthers will have someone else fielding kickoffs and punts as they wrap up the year against the Seahawks, Colts, and Saints.