NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/19
Today’s super long list of NFL practice squad updates:
- Signed: CB Brian Allen
- Cut: DB Linden Stephens
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/19
Today’s minor moves:
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Michael Ola
- Placed on IR: TE Jason Vander Laan
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: CB Neiko Thorpe
NFL Suspends Chiefs’ Breeland Speaks
The NFL has suspended Chiefs defensive lineman Breeland Speaks, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a four-game ban for Speaks, though he’s on injured reserve and done for the year anyway. 
Speaks landed on IR after injuring his knee in a preseason game against the Texans. He’ll spend the offseason healing up, with an eye on bouncing back in 2020.
The former second-round pick played in every game last year for the Chiefs. He finished out with 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
Speaks still has two full years to go on his rookie deal, tying him to KC through the 2021 season.
Patriots To Re-Sign Nick Folk
Nick Folk is back. On Friday, the Patriots worked out the veteran kicker after one week away from the team and agreed to re-sign him (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The deal will be formally signed on Saturday. 
Folk missed last week due to an appendectomy, but he’s all healed up from the minor surgery and ready to retake the field. Kai Forbath was signed as a one-game replacement for Folk against the Texans, but received his pink slip earlier this week.
With the Pats, Folk has connected on 7-of-9 field goal tries and all three of his extra point attempts across three games. Two of those misses came last month against the Cowboys, but the Pats still came away with the 13-9 win, with Folk’s 42-yard connection in the fourth quarter helping to seal the deal.
In total, the Pats have used four kickers this season: Stephen Gostkowski, Mike Nugent, Folk, and Forbath. Even after Sunday’s loss to the Texans, they’re 10-2 on the year with yet another AFC East title all but sealed.
Panthers Waive WR Donte Moncrief
Weeks after claiming Donte Moncrief, the Panthers will send him back to the waiver wire. Carolina cut Moncrief and will replace him with another wide receiver — practice squad promotion Greg Dortch — providing another sign the veteran is running out of chances.
The Panthers became the second team this season to cut bait on the sixth-year receiver, following the Steelers’ lead. Pittsburgh benched the 6-foot-4 talent, despite giving him its No. 2 wideout job after the preseason, early in the year before waiving him in early November.
A former third-round pick, Moncrief did not catch a pass in three outings with the Panthers. He caught four for 18 yards as a Steeler. This represents a steep descent for the former Colts and Jaguars cog, who caught 48 passes for 668 yards and three touchdowns as a Jaguar last year. That prompted the Steelers to give him a two-year, $9MM deal. If no one claims Moncrief by Monday afternoon, he will be a free agent.
A 5-foot-7 rookie UDFA claimed by the Panthers in September, Dortch has played in one game with the Panthers. He served as Carolina’s return man in Week 9 against the Titans.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/19
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Damion Willis
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Gehrig Dieter
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Shalom Luani
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Rashaan Gaulden, C Tanner Volson
Oakland Raiders
- Released: C Kyle Kalis, LB Quentin Poling
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Marken Michel
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Jermaine Grace
- Released: DB Brian Allen
Washington Redskins
- Signed: WR Jordan Veasy
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/19
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers (Dolphins): OL Chris Reed
- Waived: OL Brad Lundblade
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (Ravens): DT Zach Sieler
- Waived: T Isaiah Prince
Cardinals Place DL Jonathan Bullard On IR
Jonathan Bullard‘s contract year will end with him on IR. The Cardinals placed the fourth-year defensive lineman on their season-ending injured list Thursday, doing so in order to claim tight end Dan Arnold.
A former Bears third-round pick, Bullard is battling a hamstring injury. The Saints waived Arnold on Wednesday, doing so in order to claim Manti Te’o.
The Bears waived Bullard after the preseason, and the Cardinals made him one of their five day-after claims. He has operated as a part-time starter with Arizona, being a first-stringer for six games and playing in 36% of the Cards’ defensive snaps. The Florida alum made 1.5 sacks and 22 tackles this season, including a half-sack against the Rams on Sunday.
Arnold joins Maxx Williams and Charles Clay among Arizona’s tight end contingent. A UDFA out of Division III Wisconsin-Platteville, Arnold has played in 12 career games. His more prominent role came as a rookie, when he caught 12 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown with New Orleans.
Jaguars Place Myles Jack On IR
Myles Jack is headed to injured reserve, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Jack has dealt with a number of injuries this season, so there’s no one known malady keeping him out of action.
Jack inked a four-year, $57MM extension with the Jaguars prior to the season, a deal that included $33MM guaranteed. Between 2017 and 2018, Jack played in 98% of Jacksonville’s snaps and notched 197 tackles.
As one of the league’s most talented linebackers, he’ll be missed on the field, even though this is a lost season for the 4-8 Jags. The 24-year-old finishes out the year with 66 tackles, one interception, and half-credit for a sack.
Prior to Week 13, Jack had not missed a game in his NFL career. Without the former second-round pick, third-year linebacker Donald Payne figures to hold down the fort at middle linebacker.
Jack hasn’t looked like his usual self this season, so he’ll look to heal up and enter 2020 at 100% health.
Chiefs Place Darrel Williams On IR
The Chiefs placed running back Darrel Williams on injured reserve, per a club announcement. Williams has been hobbling since suffering a hamstring injury against the Raiders last week and team doctors told him that he would be unable to play for the rest of the year. 
Earlier this week, the Chiefs brought back old friend Spencer Ware, so they should be set in the backfield. Ware figures to see time down the stretch, particularly as Damien Williams battles through his rib injury.
Williams’ season ends with 141 yards off of 41 carries and three touchdowns, plus 15 grabs for 167 yards and a score through the air.
In a related move, the Chiefs promoted defensive back Alex Brown from the practice squad.